Laminate Flooring

[Peter H]

I've just had this installed. My vacuum doesn't seem to work too well on it. Just wondering what the best way to clean and maintain this flooring is?

Peter H

[Vox Humana]

I took out all the carpet on my first floor last year and replaced it with

1000 square feet of laminate. Prior to that, I had laminate in a hallway and a powder room. If it has obvious large bits of debris, I use a soft synthetic broom on it. If it only has dust and pet hair, or after using the broom, I use a Swiffer. If it need to be cleaned (which it usually does considering I have two dogs) I use a steam mop on it after sweeping and/or Swiffering. The instructions with mine said not to use a vacuum cleaner with a brush, like an upright sweeper, because it would eventually scratch the floor. Here is a link to the steam mop that I use: As an alternative to the steam mop, you can use a damp mop although a major water spill on laminate can be a disaster and with my luck, it would only be a matter of time. A damp microfiber mop will work well. There are such mops sold especially for laminate floors such as this" can often be found in flooring stores or the flooring departments of major stores.

You can also use a Swiffer Wet cloth or one of the competing brands. They work relatively well and are convenient, but they are quite expensive and only do about 100 square feet. You can use one of the newer mopping systems like the Swiffer Wet Jet or one made by Pledge or Clorox. Again, they are very convenient but a bit pricey, especially in the long run.

A final solution that I use for small touch up jobs is to put a microfiber cloth or a piece of an old bath towel on the Swiffer dry mop head (the Swiffer Max really works well here because it is twice the size of the regular Swiffer) and use a solution like the one from Lysol that you sprinkle on the floor and then mop up. I like the solution that someone posted here that is 1/2 cup of isopropyl alcohol, 1/2 cup of ammonia, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and 1 1/2 cups of water.

Overall, the steam mop is the best solution because it does a great job, requires no chemicals, and leaves the floor nearly dry so there are no water marks.