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How to Clean Laminate Floors

September 5, 2018 by Courtenay 14 Comments

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I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!We installed laminate flooring in most of our main floor last spring and we’re still absolutely loving it. Definitely check out my posts on the how and the why of that whole process if you’re in the market for laminate floors, or if you currently have laminate floors and are thinking about switching them out for some new ones! Laminate is super durable and easy to live with, especially with pets and kids, but it can also be really finicky for some people, and it can seem downright inconvenient when it comes to keeping it clean in some situations. I get a lot of questions about how to clean laminate floors so I thought I’d better get to work and put together a little post on this subject. It really can be super simple to keep clean if you keep the whole cleaning process really, er, simple! 🙂

How to Clean Laminate Floors

I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

Choose the Right Flooring

A lot of the issues that people come up against when they’re struggling to keep their laminate floors looking beautiful and clean come from having a type of laminate flooring in their home that isn’t really ideal for them. Laminate flooring has come a loooong way in the last 10 years or so and the new laminates are so much better than the ones that we used to see in houses 10 or 15 years ago. If you have older laminate, you can definitely still keep it clean and beautiful following the steps below, but if you’re in the market for new laminate, I would definitely recommend you look into getting something with a bit of a matte finish to it and something in a medium color. Our laminate really doesn’t show anything and that’s half the battle right there! Some of the darker, shinier flooring options look beautiful in the store but they require a lot of regular upkeep in a real-life home. So if you can go matte and medium, do it! For your sanity!

I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

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Remove Particles: Vacuum or Dust Mop

The first step in the actual cleaning process is to remove the dust and other particles, of course. Sweeping isn’t really ideal here because it will leave behind quite a bit that will just get smeared around later in the cleaning process. If you have dark floors, you’ll end up with a nightmare situation. A vacuum or a dust mop are really your best bets for getting a complete clean in this step. Or, better yet, a vacuum and then a dust mop if you’re really going for the gold here. {Vacuum available here}

I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

I really love my dust mop. It picks up so much, I can toss it in the wash, and it only takes a few seconds of dust-mopping to make a big difference in the overall cleanliness of my floors.

Mop Sparingly

When it comes time to mop your floors and remove any spills or smudges that were left behind after your particle removing session, you want to keep it really really simple. You’re almost looking to mop as little as possible. When it comes to laminate flooring, you want to use as little liquid as possible, so stay away from soaking wet mops, steam cleaners, or power scrubbers of any type. This is pretty much exactly the opposite of what you want to do when you’re cleaning tile flooring. You always want to have a really light touch with cleaning solutions. Never apply a cleaning solution directly to the flooring as it may cause staining, always dilute your cleaning solution and then apply it to the mop first.

When it comes to a mop, I really love a mop that has a removable pad that you can wring out so it’s only very slightly wet. This kind of mop really grabs all the dirt, dust and spills and allows you to pick it up and rinse it away before making the next pass. You get the most mess removal with the smallest amount of water possible with this method and it works really well on a super-flat surface like laminate.

I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

Honestly, you can get the same results using a sponge or a cloth, or even with the towel-on-the-floor-that-you-push-around-with-your-foot method but this particular mop that I use makes it really easy because it’s just freakishly easy to maneuver. I also like that it’s proven to remove almost all bacteria with just water, so that’s a little bonus with all of these little feet and paws running around here all the time. Use whichever works for you, just make sure you don’t over-water your floors! 🙂


I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

Buff Them Dry if Necessary

This last step will only be necessary if you have the shinier floors, but definitely take a moment to buff/polish your floors so they’re completely dry once you’re done with all of your cleaning. This will remove any final visible streaks or smudges and will really make a difference. I’m lucky that my floors don’t show any of these streaks so I can really just mop and move on with my life, but if your floors are shiny, this will really make you feel like you’ve accomplished what you’re after with this whole cleaning process. {The cloth that I’m using in the photo is available here}

I often hear from readers asking me how to clean laminate floors, and as usual, the best solution is much easier than you might think!

Have you discovered any little tricks that answer the question, how to clean laminate floors and help you keep your flooring extra clean? Definitely add them in to the comments below! We laminate flooring owners need to stick together on this! 🙂

If you found these tips on how to clean laminate floors helpful, check out my book The Cleaning Ninja for more helpful cleaning tricks, tips, and tactics!

MORE LIKE THIS!

  • How to Clean Your Floors: Believe it or not, there’s a right way to mop!
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  • The Creek Line House Homekeeping Tips and Tricks Archives

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Comments

  1. Dori says

    September 23, 2017 at 11:27 am

    Thanks for this post. I’ve completely ruined my laminate floors! 🙁 They were put in by a previous owner and have a shiny finish – I hate them more than anything. I spent 5 years trying everything and though they were clean, always streaked. I would kill myself trying to immediate dry & “polish” after washing but it was such an exhaustive process and did little to make them look better. I finally recently tried a commercial product that claims to be a laminate floor cleaner and shine revitalizer. This has completely ruined the floor and nothing I have done can get it back. It instructs to spray on the mop and then in a pattern on the floor – well you can actually see that pattern in streaks now and I can’t get it off. I think they are a lost cause.

    In a previous home I had installed a laminate like in your pictures and absolutely loved it! We also installed a vinyl plank flooring in our current family room and that is a dream to take care of and stands up well to 2 kids and 5 dogs. So the moral of the story is – never, ever buy a shiny laminate!

    Reply
    • Courtenay says

      September 24, 2017 at 3:05 pm

      Oh wow! That’s definitely an extreme case for never buying shiny laminate! So sorry your floors are such a mess. Glad to hear the vinyl planks are working out for you though. I’ve been so curious to try that type of flooring since it’s gotten to be so beautiful over the last few years!

      Reply
  2. Janie says

    December 9, 2017 at 10:16 am

    Try dry mop such as Vileda & good old Windex spray. You can spray windex directly onto laminate & use mop to shine. It’s quick drying & causes no damage to surface.

    Reply
  3. Lila says

    December 9, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    A dry magic eraser will completely get all streaks off of your laminate floor, but make sure the eraser is completely dry. It shines the floor up like new.

    Reply
  4. Marcia E Shields says

    December 9, 2017 at 6:16 pm

    I have laminate floors in all areas of my home. I use 1 gal of warm water with 1 drop of Dawn plus a half cup of white vinegar. This cleans the floors well. I don’t spend a lot of money and my floors look fantastic.

    Reply
  5. Lenora Rohde says

    December 9, 2017 at 10:23 pm

    I’ve had my Pergo laminate kitchen floor for around 22 yr’s! Direction’s for this floor was to use a little vinegar in warm water to clean. If you have a stain, use nail polish remover. Yes, it doesn’t hurt it and cleans it off. Shoes sometimes have a rubber stain, etc. Remember this flooring is old. It was slippery but I put down rubber backed throw rugs….Hey, it’s still nice looking. A light color. Not slippery anymore.

    Reply
  6. Vicki says

    December 15, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    How do you apply the water to the mop? I use a microfiber mop similar to yours with a removeable Velcro pad, and I use a water and vinegar solution in a spray bottle. I spray a small area and then immediately go over it with the dry mop, then move to another area. I use the same mop head for the whole floor without rinsing or changing it. How often do you change the pad or rI see it.

    Reply
    • Courtenay says

      December 16, 2017 at 12:45 pm

      Hi Vicki! We just rinse ours out in a bucket of water after each section of floor. We just dip it in and wring it out and it’s good to go!

      Reply
  7. Ginger says

    December 17, 2017 at 6:38 pm

    I use a mop that has spray bottle attached to the handle. I have tried cleaners and nothing works better than water and vinegar. I have 4 pads and just take one off and put on another. When done they go into the washing machine by themselves.

    Reply
  8. Laurie says

    January 3, 2018 at 12:08 am

    I have had my laminate floors for 4yrs. I use a regular libman mop I put a cup of white vinegar in my bucket. My floors are not that wet the mop has a built in wringer on the handle the vinegar cleans much better than the commercial cleaners does not streak. If I put in another floor I will go with vinyl plank. laminate looks nice but my floor has warped near my bathroom because my son get the floor so wet getting out of the tub.

    Reply
  9. Anna says

    January 3, 2018 at 1:52 am

    I mix up a fresh diluted spray bottle with hot water, floor cleaner and eucalyptus oil and lightly mist a section of floor then give it a quick mop with a dry Sabco mop (flat head with microfiber toggle removable/washable covet). Always comes up streak free and dries quickly!

    Reply
  10. Cheryl says

    January 10, 2018 at 12:16 pm

    Pergo actually gives a recipe for DIY cleaner to use when it’s time to mop:
    1 cup household vinegar mixed with 1 gallon warm water OR 1/3 cup ammonia mixed with 1 gallon warm water. (I use the vinegar in a spray to minimize getting floor too wet and a Liebman mop, very similar to yours.) Works like a charm with NO buffing!

    Reply
  11. Glenn says

    March 9, 2018 at 8:23 pm

    Great write up, we’ve being cleaning our floors for nearly six months, sometimes up to 3 times a week and still nothing, it looks clean after we clean it, then a few hours later every footprint shows up

    Reply
  12. anna maria vizconde says

    September 6, 2018 at 2:40 am

    please advise which one is better for bedroom floorings – vynil planks or laminate flooring? which one is durable to last

    Reply

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