How to clean a floating floor? The maintenance of a floating floor is very easy. However, it is more fragile than solid wood flooring and it is not recommended to use a mop or sponge to clean it.
Indeed, if moisture penetrates the central panel of the floating floor, the slats can swell and become deformed. Here are my best tips for cleaning and maintaining a floating floor.
1. Clean floating floors with a microfiber broom
Your best ally for the maintenance of your floating floor is the microfiber broom!
Indeed, the microfiber mop glides over the floor and effortlessly picks up dirt, dust and pet hair. Its pivoting head makes it possible to cover large areas very quickly.
The microfiber mop goes easily under tables and chairs and moreover, its use requires less water, which is ideal because the laminate flooring easily deforms when exposed to water.
A little water and the floor dries quickly!
To wash a floating floor with this type of broom, just moisten it a little. The use of cleaning product is not necessary. Then pass a dry cloth to remove all traces of moisture.
2. Wash a very dirty floating floor with black soap
For a really badly stained floating floor you can use the cleaning power of black soap.
IndeedIf your floating floor is very dirty, you can use black soap to clean it. Just add a drop or two to a barely damp microfiber mop. Then, dry your floating floor well without rinsing.
Black soap can also be used for more stubborn stains on hardwood as you can read here: Wash a hardwood floor.
Also use Marseille soap:
Marseille soap is also a good cleaner for your floating floors. You add it to your water and you’re done, all you have to do is wash your parquet floor with this mixture of water and Marseille soap.
3. Homemade recipe for floating floor cleaner
Here is an excellent recipe for a homemade cleaner for floating floors. This homemade cleaner is specially designed to restore luster to your laminate flooring, without leaving traces.
Here is the recipe for this cleanser:
- 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar
- 1 squirt of liquid dish detergent
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. To use it, all you have to do is slightly dampen your microfiber mop and spray a little of this cleaning solution on it.
For dirty and sticky floating floors, a 100% natural solution is to use white vinegar!
Here’s how:
- Clean the floating floor using a slightly damp microfiber mop to which you have added a drop of pure white vinegar.
- Then, rinse with a damp mop and dry well with a clean, dry cloth.
5. Maintenance of a floating floor with wax milk
Here is another natural product for cleaning a floating floor, made of carnauba wax: Wax milk.
Wax milk is ideal for cleaning and preserving your laminate flooring.
How to apply it on the floor?
To use it, just apply a very thin layer with a microfiber mop. It’s a great way to restore luster to a laminate floor.
There are a few products designed to restore luster to a floating floor and thus preserve it longer.
Apply a polish to the floating floor!
Among these products, there is wax milk, but also other products commonly called polish. These products are to be applied in thin coats on a clean, dust-free floor, using a broom or a microfiber cloth.
To polish and erase small scratches!
Not only will they restore luster to your laminate flooring, but they will also erase fine scratches from normal wear and tear. Give your floating floor a polish-type treatment every 6 months to preserve its beautiful appearance.
The best way to preserve a floating parquet floor is to wipe off everything that can leave a stain on it as soon as possible.
However, if the stains have had time to dry, there are different methods to clean them, depending on what caused them.
Here are some examples of stains on a floating floor and how to remove them:
- Sweet spot: if the stain was caused by a sugary food or drink, rub it gently with a microfiber cloth soaked in soapy water and wrung well. Dry well afterwards.
- Candle wax stain: once the wax has dried, scrape it gently with a blunt plastic knife or a non-metallic spatula, so as not to scratch the surface of the floating floor. Then, run a slightly damp microfiber cloth over the stain. If there is any wax left, place a few layers of paper towel on it and run a hot iron over the wax stain.
- Greasy spot: to remove a grease stain on a floating floor, sprinkle it with flour or talc, and leave to act for 60 minutes before vacuuming.
- Ink stain: if there is an ink stain on your laminate flooring, gently run an ink eraser over it.
- Grease pencil stain (colored): Using a clean, barely damp cloth, apply a few drops of mineral spirits and rub the stain gently until it disappears.
- Black marks left by furniture or shoes: simply rub these spots with an eraser or a cork.
- Nail polish stain: if you have spilled nail polish on the laminate flooring, clean the stains with nail polish remover and rinse well before drying.
- Hair dye stain: If during your coloring you splashed dye on your laminate flooring, remove the stains with hairspray that you will have sprayed on the stain and wipe quickly.
8. Laminate flooring and steam… yes or no?
Steam cleaning is very effective in cleaning and removing stains on different types of floors, including tiles. But it is not recommended to use it on a floating floor!
Swelling and detachment from the floor!
As the floating floor is not fixed to the ground and is fixed rather with a process of clips between the slats, the hot steam may cause the surface to swell in addition to causing the floor to detach.
The steam mop for other floors and surfaces!
Steam is also very effective for very dirty and even yellowed lino! Come and read our tips here: How to clean a yellowed lino?
9. Protect the floating floor against furniture
Be careful with your furniture that is placed directly on your floor. Place a pad under each of the legs of furniture that you move often to protect your floating floor against scratches and scratches.
This simple trick is also recommended to protect a wooden floor. More tips right here: Repairing a scratch on the wood floor.
10. Lay down a carpet and or rug near the doors
To prevent rocks, sand or dirt from outside from damaging your floating floor, place carpets and rugs in front of the doors of your house inside.
This is a handy tip for all other types of flooring, be it hardwood, tile, linoleum or otherwise.
Now that you know how to clean laminate, here are our tips for cleaning carpet: How to clean a carpet without a vacuum cleaner?