Cleaning Laminate Floors

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Cleaning Laminate Floors

We just installed a new laminate floor in our entry/kitchen area. Does anyone have a suggestion for an inexpensive cleaner? The salesman wanted us to buy a $12 bottle of spray cleaner and a $30 special mop! He said we should not use anything with a water base, because it would leave a film or spots.
Karen

Just a little Vinegar and Water

I recently had a Shaw laminate floor installed in my kitchen. I called their customer service representative to ask the best way to clean their flooring. She told me to use 1/4 cup of vinegar and put it in a 30 to 32 ounce empty spray bottle filled with plain water. I purchased a terry mop cover that has elastic all around it from Home Depot, which I dampen with water and place on a Swiffer dry mop head. I then spray the floor (a small area at a time) with the vinegar/water solution and then wipe it up with the damp terry mop. It does a good job. There is no streaking, and you are using very little water on the floor. One company has come out with wet cloths to attach to Swiffer mops that contain vinegar and water, which I also plan to purchase and try.
Anna Marie

Amazing Microfiber

I had a terrible time keeping my laminate floor looking good. At last, I have learned the secret. I bought a mop with a microfiber pad from cleanreport.com. With microfiber, you do not need any cleaner at all. It is simply amazing! You can also use it to clean windows, mirrors, countertops, sinks, etc. From the same website, I also bought a bottle of top sheen floor cleaner. You add a couple of ounces to a spray bottle and dilute it with water. Since I have been using microfiber, I only use the cleaner occasionally. A bottle should last me about a year.
Chrissy

Hot Water is All that is Needed

Our laminate floor (Pergo) installer gave us the opposite advice. He suggested using only water. Checking his advice, I used a variety of cleaners on small portions of the floor and found that water was the only thing that didn't leave the floor streaky, sticky or otherwise unclean. Now, hot water is all that is needed to keep our kitchen floor looking great!
Darcy

Swear by Swiffer

I have laminate flooring in my kitchen/dining room. I use the Swiffer WetJet system. They make a wood floor cleaner. It costs about $3.50 a bottle and it lasts forever! Also good to use on laminate floors is a "miracle fiber" mop, which is sold on QVC. It comes with two miracle fiber pads. Run one under running water, wring it out, adhere it to the mop, and it does a wonderful job. These can be washed in the washing machine and used over and over. The cost for that system is approximately $20.
Denise in New Bern, NC

Make Cleaner at Home

To make laminate floor cleaner, mix 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and 3 drops dishwashing liquid for a quart total. For best results, wipe off quickly.
Fred

Better than the Recommended Cleaner

I have Pergo brand laminate floors in the kitchen and dining area. They get quite dirty very quickly. I use a mixture of vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and water (equal parts) for mopping. The floors dry spot-free. They also dry rather quickly, reducing the possibility of people tracking through the wet floor. I think my floors look better using this mixture than they do when I purchase the expensive recommended brand cleaner.
Liz

Windex is not Just for Windows

We recently had a laminate floor put in our kitchen, laundry room and powder room. The installer told me to use Windex to clean it. The ammonia in the window cleaner allows it to dry quickly.

After sweeping or vacuuming, I spray the Windex on a small area and then use a dry Swiffer sheet (or a paper towel) attached to my Swiffer mop to clean the area. This method lets me clean as big or as small an area as I want to without getting out a mop and bucket and committing to washing the entire floor! I buy the economy size Windex at a restaurant supply store and use it to refill my spray bottle, which saves money as well.
Nancy in IL

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