spots on new laminate floors

[Ninip]

Hi everyone

I hope someone can help me. Here is my dilemma. We installed new laminate flooring in our main living areas. The color is red brown alder by Snap Lock. It is 8 mm thick and a texture to it (not smooth, like a comb has been run through it) I have vacuumed and damp mopped with laminate floor cleaner but I can still see spots. These marks are like if you touched glass and it leaves finger marks. It is driving me nuts because I thought laminate is so easy care! These spots look like smudges (of course most noticeable when light shines on them. Anyone else have this problem? What do you do? I was hoping my new floor was going to look beautiful. We do not have any animals, just 2 of us living here. We wear slippers or socks in the house. These spots are not glue, just smudges. Please help, I can't stand it. Thanks in advance.

[AJScott]

Actually, laminate *is* easy care. It's just not no-care, LOL. Smudge prints aren't really a maintenance issue -- and believe me, I know about the smudges you're talking about (most seem to come from contact with natural skin oil) because I have the same sort of lower-end laminate and a 5-year-old who likes to spend a good part of her time doing cartwheels and handstands (literally) all over the house.

You could do one of two things: 1) Stop being so anal about it because chances are, you're the only one it's bothering. And in bright sunlight, there's a lot of stuff that looks worse than it probably is. I have things about our house whose appearance bugs only me to no end, and when I point them out to people who have been here a jillion times, they always say, "Tell you the truth, I never noticed it in all this time until you made a point to point it out just now. But since you pointed it out, no, it wouldn't bother me if I lived here." Or 2) Get down on your hands and knees with a soft, clean cloth and rub every single mark away whenever you see them pop up. I haven't had the need or inclination to do anything more than use the floor attachment on the Shop Vac to keep the floor tidy, but perhaps a daily going-over with a damp (not wet

-- actual water bad news for laminate) sponge mop or rag will keep your floor smudge-free.

AJS

[Ninip]

Hi AJ Scott

I have 2 young grandchildren who come over allot and play legos. Will the legos scratch my laminate floor? I had carpet before and I let them do whatever on the carpet but now I am afraid of them scratching the floor with their toys Do you have experience with this? Thanks

[AJScott]

Put it this way: I'm not the most careful guy in the world, so if having stuff like hammers and tape measures go sliding more than once a few feet across the cheap-ass $1.43/square-foot laminate from Sam's Club I used in my basement without scratching it, kids using Legos as they were intended to be used shouldn't present a problem. If you've got cheap-ass laminate floor like me, you can use it, but don't abuse it. As long as the kids aren't doing silly things like grinding the corners of the Legos in big circles across the floor, your floor shouldn't be any worse for the wear.

AJS

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Can't speak for the brand you have, but mine is very rugged. Not a scratch after six years of grand kids, dropped tools, sandy shoes, rugging dog, etc.

Were the spots after installation? Could they be imperfections in the laminate or actual marks that real wood would have? Lamiante is supposed to be easy to clean and care for. If the standard cleaner won't touchit, contact the dealer or manufacturer tos ee is some sort of solvent can be used safely. It would h elp if you knew what it was.