Proper care of laminate flooring at home. Brilliant result: we take care of the laminate correctly Caring for the laminate in the apartment

Laminate is an artificial flooring that imitates natural wood, stone or tile. Modern material is produced in high wear resistance classes, is not afraid of moisture, and is resistant to deformation. To maintain the aesthetic appearance and characteristics, constant care is required for the laminate, which has specific features.

The importance of caring for laminate flooring

Laminate has high antistatic properties - it does not collect dust, the surface remains visually clean for a long time. The decorative protective layer prevents the penetration and absorption of contaminants into the underlying layers, it is easy to clean during cleaning.

But even with careful care, the material needs regular cleaning, which is conditionally divided into:

wet;
dry;
removal of specific contaminants.

Improper use and neglect of cleaning laminate flooring are the main causes of premature abrasion of the decorative coating and its destruction.

Laminate has a complex structure, reminiscent of its structure layer cake. The top layer is a film that provides decorative properties and durability of the coating. It is she who requires care, as she scratches and wears out over time.

In addition to ensuring constant cleanliness, deformation prevention is equally important. Every day, sand and a variety of solid particles enter the house on the soles of shoes, which have an abrasive effect on the coating.

Another enemy of laminate flooring is water. These days, waterproof brands of laminate are being produced, the cost of which is too high even for people with average incomes. Therefore, prolonged presence of moisture should be avoided.

Cleaning methods

There are several ways to clean laminate flooring.

Dry

Dry cleaning is performed using:

broom;
brushes with non-rigid bristles;
vacuum cleaner with long hair nozzle.

To care for the laminate at home, regular cleaning of the resulting dust and sand brought from the street is quite enough. Normal cleaning is recommended to be done daily, but taking into account the antistatic effect of the floor, 2-3 times a week is enough.

A washing vacuum cleaner may be used for cleaning only if the coating complies with class 33 and above.

Wet

If you do not forget about periodic dry cleaning, the floor stays clean for a long time, so wet cleaning should be done about 1-2 times a week. Daily wet maintenance of laminate flooring is allowed only for moisture resistant classes.

During the cleaning process, you must adhere to the following rules:

Only clean water of 35-45°C should be used, periodically replaced. Under such conditions, there are almost no streaks left on the floor.
For heavy soiling, the use of special products is recommended. Also, to refresh the shade and shine of the surface, lemon juice or a spoonful of 9% vinegar is added to the water.
The floor should be treated with a carefully wrung out cloth or sponge to avoid waterlogging the surface. It is recommended to use microfiber and a mechanical wringer mop.
It is necessary to wash the laminate in the direction of laying the boards, the movements should be light, without much pressure.
At the end of cleaning, the surface is carefully wiped with a clean, dry cloth and dried.

The chamfered coating must be washed in such a way that moisture does not accumulate in the depressions, leading to the expansion of the elements.

Cleaning with special products

Safe Substances

The stores have a huge selection of cleaning compounds for laminate flooring and caring for it. But they should not be used daily, but only in cases where severe pollution cannot be removed by wet cleaning with improvised means available in every home.

It is recommended to purchase a product for the care of the laminate and its cleaning only from trusted manufacturers, whose products have shown themselves only on the good side. The point here is not advertising and brand promotion, but the fact that little-known cleaners may contain substances that destroy the upper decorative layer. The floor after their application is unlikely to be able to shine as before.

Among the huge variety of products suitable for caring for laminate, brands such as Tyron, Mister Muskul, Glorix, Mister Proper stand apart.

Valuable advice can be given by a seller from a specialized section of a hypermarket.

home remedies

You can also take care of the coating with self-prepared compositions. They do not harm the coating and are able to effectively remove almost any contamination. For cleaning it is allowed to use:

Any baby shampoo that always has a neutral chemical composition. In a bucket filled with warm water, add 5 tbsp. spoons of shampoo, the mixture is thoroughly mixed.
To clean light dirt, you can use a solution consisting of vinegar and water in a ratio of 1 to 4.
It is also allowed to use a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice, which helps to perfectly polish the glossy surface. To prepare the mixture, you will need 1.5 cups of vinegar, a glass of lemon juice and 2 cups of warm water. 2-3 drops of dishwashing detergent are added to the resulting mixture. The resulting solution foams, it wipes the surface. The product has a polishing effect.

Prohibited Substances

Before you begin to care for the laminate using various chemicals, you must study the manufacturer's recommendations, as well as adhere to the following rules:

You can not use bleach and products containing such a component, for example, "Whiteness". Chlorine contributes to the rapid discoloration of the surface, changes the shade of the coating.
It is forbidden to use concentrated acids and caustic alkalis. Such substances spoil the outer decorative coating, penetrate and destroy the base of the laminate - fiberboard.
It is not permissible to use disinfectants and solutions containing ammonia, which worsens the gloss when exposed to the laminated surface.
Do not use polishes designed to care for other types of coatings. There are no universal compositions that are equally suitable for all types of surfaces. A special polish for laminate is produced, and the use of a “foreign” product is fraught with the formation of streaks and hard-to-remove stains, turbidity.
To avoid scratches, do not use abrasive powders and pastes, or work with a hard brush on the laminate. They cause rapid wear and loss of aesthetic properties of the coating.
It is not recommended to wash the floor with a wet, not wrung out cloth with plenty of water. Moisture penetrates into the cracks, which causes the wood fiber base to swell and damage the coating.
Detergents should be used in strict accordance with the dosage requirements of the manufacturers. The result of excessive use of detergent compositions can be stains on the surface and damage to the laminate.

How to remove tough stains from laminate flooring

To remove greasy stains or traces of juice, chocolate or wine from the surface of the laminate, the contaminated area is first treated with a conventional cleaning compound that has a neutral pH level. If the manipulations were ineffective, you can wipe the surface with ethyl alcohol.

On the floor in the hallway, there are often traces of lipstick and shoe polish. To remove them, use a cotton pad soaked in white spirit or acetone.

In the same way, you can get rid of ink, marker or chemical pencil stains.

If the traces of the felt-tip pen are not wiped off, the stain is smeared with toothpaste, and then wiped with a soft, dry cloth.

At the same time, the dirt is preliminarily collected with a linen or cotton rag, which absorbs the moisture present on the floor. After applying the paste, you need to wait a few minutes and wipe the surfaces with a damp cloth.

Stripes from shoe soles are easily removed with the hard side of a dishwashing sponge or a piece of nylon. But most often, shoe marks are erased with an ordinary school eraser, as well as moistened baking soda.

Nylon is also used when it is necessary to remove a dried drop of blood after careless handling of a sharp kitchen knife. The window cleaning spray has the same effect as nylon.

To eliminate traces of nail polish, a small amount of washing powder is poured onto the stain and gently wiped with a moistened sponge.

Chewing gum, wax from candles or resin is recommended to be removed only after they have completely hardened. To work, you need to use a plastic scraper that cannot damage the decorative surface. The stain can be quickly cooled with a bag of frozen meat removed from the freezer, and then the contamination is gently removed. When using a metal knife or scraper, scratches may remain on the surface.

Damage

To remove a small scratch, a wax pencil is used that matches the tone of the floor:

the place around the scratch is cleaned, the resulting dust is removed;
the place of the defect is processed with a pencil until it disappears completely;
the area is rubbed with a dry cloth until the color matches the rest of the surface.

For deep scratches, you should use a special mastic applied with a plastic glass that comes with the material. Excess paste is removed, the surface is polished with a soft cloth.

Pencil or mastic can be easily matched to any color of the laminate - dark, light, complex shades, for a matte surface.

How to extend the service life

Laminate is considered quite sensitive and "capricious" floor covering, the life of which any owner wants to extend. To do this, you must follow a few simple rules:

you can not move on the floor in studded shoes, shoes with heels, high heels, it is better to walk in soft slippers or barefoot;
in daily loaded places (by the sofa or bed, in the children's room, next to the front door), it is recommended to lay rugs or lay special silicone pads;
it is necessary to constantly monitor the cleanliness of the coating, do not move heavy furniture, quickly wipe off water that accidentally hits the surface;
to install vases with flowers, you should use special stands or linings, which can also lie under the legs of furniture;
repair scratches and chips in a timely manner to avoid further damage to the coating.

Like any other material used as a floor covering, laminate has its own characteristics. The specifics of the coating care are as follows:

the laminated surface is afraid of prolonged exposure to water, so you should always wipe the floor dry after wet cleaning or accidental ingress of any liquid;
acid-containing, alkaline, abrasive cleaners, as well as metal tools, are not suitable for working with laminate;
before any treatment of the coating, you should first test the cleaning agent on an inconspicuous area to ensure that there is no reaction to active substances;
stains of any origin cannot be soaked;
cleaning agents should not be left on the surface for a long time;
drying of the coating should be carried out only in a natural way, do not use a fan, heater or hair dryer.

The main rule, the observance of which will ensure the preservation of the appearance of the laminate for many years, is careful use, systematic cleaning and the implementation of the manufacturer's recommendations regarding operation and maintenance.

A clean and well-maintained laminate floor is an important part of interior design. During operation, spots, scratches, swelling, swelling or gaps between the planks may form on the floor. Improper washing of floors also worsens the condition of the laminate flooring. Therefore, cleaning the laminate floor plays an important role in its operation.

The widespread use of laminate flooring requires knowledge and skills to care for them. Housewives are often interested in the question: how to properly wash a laminate floor so as not to spoil it and so that there are no stains. Knowing the features of such a coating, you can properly care for it and once and for all decide for yourself how and with what to wash the laminate.

Features of the laminated coating

Laminate flooring is a set of laminate planks connected along the length and at the ends with each other by means of a lock. The junction of the planks forms a joint. Joints are the weak point of laminate flooring. Here, laminate damage is most common, since the basis of this material is a moisture-sensitive fibreboard. Low-cost laminate locks are not treated with a water-repellent compound, so they can deteriorate if water enters. In expensive and elite types of coating, the grooves and ridges are additionally treated with a composition containing wax, which improves the resistance of the coating to moisture.

It is very important to know how to properly wash laminate flooring so as not to damage the base layer of the board and to maintain the shine of the coating.

Laminate cleaning is an important and crucial moment in the process of caring for the coating. If you want to keep your home clean, then it is simply impossible to do without cleaning. Dry cleaning is carried out regularly as abrasive particles accumulate on the surface: grains of sand, small pebbles, small parts of toys. They can scratch the finish. To clean the laminate, sweep the debris with a soft-bristled broom. To avoid dust, vacuum with a brush, also with a soft bristle. As the floor becomes dirty and dusty, after cleaning, it is necessary to do wet cleaning.

The cleaning result must be effective and safe both for the floor and for the inhabitants of the premises in which it is laid. To do this, you need to know how to wash the laminate with high quality, without streaks and stains, so that it shines and preserves the life of the coating as much as possible. The right cleaning technology, good tools and detergents will help protect the surface from all kinds of scratches, swelling and discoloration.

How to clean laminate

In order to properly wash the laminate floor, you must follow a certain sequence of actions.

Precleaning

First, clean the floor of large debris. To do this, you need to collect all the items that can scratch the surface when sweeping. For example, large pieces of glass, metal or sharp pieces of plastic. Next, collect sand and dirt from shoes or plasticine scattered by children. This can be done with a wooden spatula or spatula. Sweep away any large debris with a broom. Carefully collect it with a scoop. The broom must be soft enough not to scratch the surface of the laminate. With a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush, you need to carefully collect all the small debris, dust, hairs, not missing corners, baseboards and hard-to-reach places.

Before washing, you must first clean the laminate from contamination with special detergents, which will be discussed below.

After that, you can proceed directly to wet cleaning.

Basic rules for washing laminate flooring

The main rule to follow when washing a laminate floor is that the washing time and the amount of water that will fall on the floor should be minimal. Then the moisture will have time to evaporate from the surface of the coating before it penetrates deep into the joints and begins to destroy them.
For washing, use a soft cloth or a microfiber mop with an adjustment lever. It is better to use a microfiber cloth. It well collects excess water from the surface and does not leave large streaks. The rag or mop head is carefully wrung out after each washing. Old T-shirts, other colored items and rags with pile cannot be taken for washing. When using them, the surface becomes dull and stains remain.
Wet cleaning is best done with open windows so that the water evaporates quickly and wet spots or puddles do not form.
To increase efficiency, special detergents are added to the water. More on this will be discussed below.
Heavily soiled floors should be washed twice. Cleaning is done in small areas, often washing the rag. The first time - with detergent. Then let the room dry. The second time - plain water.
If the floor with a laminated coating is slightly dirty and dusty, you can wash it once with just hot water (how much your hands endure) so that it evaporates faster from the floor surface.
If small children or allergy sufferers live in a room with a laminate, you can wash the floor with hot water, without using any detergents. Water should be at a temperature of 70-80 degrees. Then it will disinfect the floor and quickly evaporate. You need to work with gloves. Change the water frequently and wring out the cloth thoroughly. In order not to get burned, it is better to use a mop with a wringer.
Wash the room in such a sequence that you do not walk on a damp surface.
It is better to move the mop parallel to the laths of the laminate. So less water gets into the joints between the lamellas.
Dry laminate can be polished with a soft, dry cloth. This will remove the remaining moisture, stains and add shine to the coating.
If the floor is too wet, wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth or dry mop. This will keep the laminate from swelling and reduce streaks.

After wet cleaning with warm water, the laminate dries faster. But clean tap water leaves stains on the surface. To avoid this, it must be neutralized. At home, a weak solution of table vinegar is used for this. Now you know how to wash the laminate so that there are no streaks.

What is the best way to clean laminate

This question torments all housewives. And the answer to it is very simple: it is best to wash the laminated surface with detergents specially designed for this, strictly following the instructions for use. Overdose or inappropriate use of the product can lead to stains, streaks and damage to the coating.

Detergents

Retail chains offer a wide range of professional detergents for laminate flooring:

Mellerud Bio is a natural-based product that removes dirt, dust, oil and grease films well.
Emsal Laminate - based on soap, provides gentle care, protects edges from swelling, adds shine, prevents dust accumulation.
Pronto - eliminates streaks, adds shine and cleans dirt well.
HG - concentrate, creates a thin film that protects against moisture.
Laminol is an industrial product, softens water, antibacterial, adds shine, does not require rinsing.

Household floor cleaners (Mr.Proper, Glorix, Meine Liebe, Luxus, Grass, Sarma and others) can also be used to clean laminated surfaces.

In addition to special detergents, you can use ordinary ones that can be found in any home. However, it is worth remembering that all detergents are used with restrictions.

Detergents - shampoos, liquid soap, dishwashing detergents - must have a neutral PH, be safe for the respiratory system of humans and animals, do not contain ammonia and chlorine. Their high reactivity can damage the surface of the laminate.

Some professional detergents do not require rinsing. Read the instructions carefully before use.

Any new detergent should be tested on a small, inconspicuous area. The average concentration of detergent is 50 grams per 10 liters of water. After applying the product, it is necessary to wash the floor with clean warm water and wipe it dry with a soft cloth or fiber cloth.

To remove streaks and give shine, after drying the washed floor, the surface must be polished with a dry flannel cloth or rag.

Universal recipe without unnecessary chemicals

Special and professional detergents clean the laminate well from dirt, but they are quite expensive. There are universal recipes for washing the floor without the use of chemicals.

The easiest, cheapest and most common way to clean laminate flooring without the use of professional chemicals is to use clear table vinegar. This method is easily implemented at home. 200 ml is added to a bucket of hot water (10 liters). 3-9% white vinegar. With this solution, the floor is washed in the usual way - squeezing the rag well and not stepping on a wet surface. There is no need to go through plain water a second time. Vinegar has disinfectant properties. In combination with hot water and a well-wrung cloth, it will ensure that moisture evaporates quickly. Additional polishing with a dry cloth will remove moisture, enhance shine and remove stains. A solution of vinegar in water cleans dirt from laminate surfaces well and makes them shine.

Do not use apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar, or any other type of vinegar that is not clear in color. This can damage the laminate surface.

This method has only one drawback - during washing there is an unpleasant odor. It does not cause any harm and quickly disappears.

If there is no 3-9% vinegar, you can use 70% essence (acetic acid), but it will take 10 times less.

What rag to use

As we have repeatedly mentioned in this article, it is best to use a microfiber cloth to clean laminate flooring. In principle, any soft cloth that absorbs moisture well, which can be wrung out well, or a special rag for mopping, will do.

Important! The rag should not shed and contain hard inclusions (buttons, locks, etc.) that can scratch the surface.

As an alternative to a floor cloth, you can use a mop. This will make cleaning the floor a little easier. It is better to use a universal mop with adjustable handle length. When washing large areas, professional mops with covers made of various materials on a movable nozzle of a rectangular or oval shape have shown themselves well. The movable mop nozzle facilitates the process of washing and subsequent polishing of the laminated coating. To wash a small area, it is enough to have a simple household mop.

Washing vacuum cleaner and steam cleaner

Progress does not stand still, and manufacturers of household appliances have been offering to automate the cleaning process with a washing vacuum cleaner for several years now.

However, using a regular washing vacuum cleaner for washing laminate flooring should be done with great care. Water entering the joints while spraying with the cleaning nozzle of a vacuum cleaner penetrates the joints and causes them to swell. Only when washing laminate, the locks of which are treated with a special wax composition, you can use a new generation of washing vacuum cleaners. They spray water less intensively, are equipped with a special nozzle that quickly sucks up liquid and a brush that carefully collects residual moisture.

Steam cleaners are very effective in removing dirt from the surface of the laminate, but its use is possible under the following basic conditions:

The covering has no damages and divergences of panels;
Panel joints are glued with special glue or treated with a wax-based water-repellent compound;
The material must be with a durable protective coating of 33 or 34 class.

How not to wash laminate flooring

When washing laminate floors, it is recommended to use special detergents for laminate. It is forbidden to use products containing chemically aggressive components. They have a negative effect on the laminated coating.

Chlorine and chlorine-containing products, such as Whiteness, must not be used for cleaning. Chlorine discolors the surface and changes the shade of the decorative coating.
Do not use high concentration acid and caustic alkali. Such products corrode the protective coating and destroy the fibreboard.
It is forbidden to use disinfectants and other products containing ammonia. It affects the laminated coating, worsening its gloss.
It is not recommended to use polishes and products intended for the care of other coatings when cleaning. There may be spots, turbidity and streaks on the surface.
Do not use abrasive powders, pastes or coarse brushes. This leads to scratches on the laminate, which impairs its appearance and leads to rapid wear.
Do not wash the floor with a wet cloth with plenty of water. Penetrating into the cracks, moisture leads to swelling of the fiberboard and damage to the coating.
Do not allow an overdose of detergents in a water solution. This is the most common cause of streaks on the surface and damage to the integrity of the coating.

The use of special detergents facilitates the washing process, but excess chemicals have not benefited anyone. Of course, it is impossible to completely abandon them, but it is better to limit the use of detergents for severe pollution.
In order to properly wash the surface without leaving streaks, you must first clean it of dirt, grease, stains using cleaning products. They are best used locally, at the site of contamination.
To keep the floor surface in good condition, you should:
- exclude abrasive pastes and powders;
- use a clean white rag or special napkins;
- follow the instructions for the cleaning agent;
- after removing dirt, rinse the area with clean warm water and dry quickly with a cloth.
When using non-professional cleaners and detergents for laminated surfaces, it must be taken into account that an aggressive environment (alkaline or acidic) and abrasiveness of the material can damage the laminating coating. Therefore, any tool must be used wisely, according to the instructions, or by checking on a small, inconspicuous area of \u200b\u200bthe floor. Prolonged exposure to the surface is not allowed.
The easiest product you can use to clean laminate flooring is a mild shampoo or liquid soap. Dilute 20 mg. in five liters of hot water and mix well. Dip a cloth or mop head into the soapy water and wring it out well. Start from the far corner of the room and go to the exit without stepping on the wet floor. Use a mop or cloth to make movements along the planks. So joints are less disturbed, dirt is better washed out and divorces are well eliminated. After complete drying, re-wipe the floor with a cloth washed in clean warm water or in water with the addition of 6-9% white vinegar. (50 ml per 10 liters of water). Vinegar neutralizes the effects of an alkaline environment, adds shine to the laminate, and washes away dirt residues. We finish with a complete drying of the floor surface, airing.
How often can laminate flooring be cleaned? Wet cleaning should be done no more than once or twice a week, depending on the degree of contamination of the floor. Dry cleaning with a vacuum cleaner or a broom can be done daily.
Whitish stains may remain on a smooth dark-colored coating (under wenge, bog oak). To avoid this, use special detergents to wash the laminate without streaks. They are added to the water dosed according to the instructions. The floor washed in this way is wiped dry and polished with a soft, dry cloth. Divorces will not remain.

How to wash brilliant green and other stains on the laminate

Floor cleaning is almost always associated with the removal of various stains. In this case, the following tips will help us:

If the laminate is contaminated with aggressive liquids or paints, special cleaners must be used. For example: Dr Schutz, Elatex, Spray Max.
There is not always such a tool at hand, but you need to act quickly. Household funds will do. Solvents will help clean the floor from paints. White spirit is suitable for oil paints, acetone is suitable for nitro paints. Paint must be removed immediately with a cloth soaked in an appropriate solvent. Wipe the solvent dry. Rinse the floor with a solution of vinegar and warm water. Wipe dry.
If there is mounting foam on the floor, then it must be removed from the surface with a wooden spatula, and the remains with white spirit. If the foam has dried, you need to carefully scrape it off with a wooden scraper and clean the place with white spirit.
Places of contamination with acrylic paints must be thoroughly washed with warm water.
Gypsum putty can be carefully scraped off and the area washed with warm water.
Traces of adhesive tape are removed with white spirit.
Wine stains and cognac stains are well removed with technical or medical alcohol.
Stripes from colored pencils and felt-tip pens are rubbed with alcohol or white spirit.
Grease stains and blood stains are treated with a cloth soaked in window cleaner or mineral spirits.
To wash off stains on the laminate from rubber shoes, bicycle tires or wheels from a stroller, a rag soaked in white spirit will help. They can also be erased well with an ordinary school eraser.
You can wash the brilliant green with a rag soaked in alcohol.
If chewing gum or resin gets on the floor, then it must be frozen with an ice bag and removed from the surface. Or scrape off with a wooden spatula, and remove the remnants with a cloth with white spirit.

In all cases of contamination of the surface with active substances, it is necessary to quickly take measures for cleaning and, finally, rinse the area to be cleaned with warm water or water with white vinegar.

The key to success in the fight against stains is precisely the rapid removal of the staining agent from the surface of the laminate. If the stain is already dry, then more physical effort and stronger detergents will be required to remove it.

What is the difference between caring for white and dark laminate

Dark particles are clearly visible on a white laminate floor. These can be grains of sand, small pebbles that are brought in with shoes and scratch the surface, leaving dark marks. Dust and dirt, gathering in scratches and dents, make them noticeable. Therefore, it is very important to prevent mechanical damage to the surface of the white surface. With the accumulation of dust in the joints and crevices and subsequent washing, dark stains may remain on the white surface. Therefore, the white floor should be vacuumed and dusted more often.

Dents and small scratches are less visible on a dark laminate floor, but gray dust and light stains from detergents are very clearly visible. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully remove the remnants of detergents from the surface. This is achieved by additional rinsing with clean warm water followed by polishing with a clean soft cloth.

Keep the floor clean and dry clean daily.
Do wet cleaning no more than once or twice a week as it gets dirty.
Do not allow waterlogging and overdrying of the room.
Put a rubber mat in the hallway near the door, on which dirt brought from the street will remain.
Walk on the laminate floor in soft shoes or socks. This keeps the gloss and integrity of the surface longer.
Stick felt pads on the legs of the furniture to prevent scratching the floor when rearranging the furniture.
Avoid dropping heavy sharp objects or spilling corrosive liquids on the laminate flooring.
Clean up spilled liquid immediately and mop the floor dry.
How to wash the laminate in the kitchen from grease? First, remove the grease with a dry cloth. Then wipe the area with a cloth moistened with mineral spirits or window cleaner. Finally, wash the area with soap and water and dry with a dry cloth.
Special care products for laminate should be used strictly according to the instructions and follow the dosage.
To make the laminate shine, apply finishing rubbing with special means or a solution of water with white 3-9% vinegar with a well-wrung rag.
Do not treat the surface with wax-containing compounds and mastic used for wooden coatings. This makes the surface slippery and may cause injury.
To reduce slipping in the kitchen, you need to wash the laminate with a solution of soda (50 grams per 10 liters of warm water), then a solution of 3-9% vinegar (50 ml per 10 liters of water). Wipe the floor dry and keep dry.
with a special wax pencil, matched by color. Broken and broken joints must be filled with acrylic sealant in the color of the surface.

The application of our tips will help you properly care for the laminate during operation. This will extend its service life and enjoy your interior.

The problem of caring for laminate flooring concerns everyone who has this flooring at home. When repairing, evaluate all the positive and negative aspects of this material. From the article you will not only learn how to care for a laminate floor, but also understand what to do in emergency situations. You will also be able to learn how to repair such damage to the coating as swelling from water, chips from fallen heavy objects.

What is laminate made of?

Laminate flooring, or, as it is also called, “laminated parquet”, is a kind of “layer cake”, consisting of the following parts:

Stabilizing layer made of durable kraft board impregnated with melamine. To enhance the soundproofing effect, sometimes a stabilizing and noise-absorbing layer is combined.
The carrier layer is the main part of the floor covering. In economy class materials and some models of the middle price category, the supporting part is made of durable chipboard. The basis of expensive varieties of laminate is natural wood. It is much stronger and more practical than chipboard. In this layer, locks are cut to connect individual lamellas to each other.
Decorative part. This is a paper impregnated with melamine, on which a pattern is applied. It can be an imitation of wood, ornamental stone, ceramics, sea pebbles and other materials.

Important! In addition to the classic, there are also waterproof grades of laminate. The bearing part is formed not by chipboard, but by high-quality plastic with air chambers. It is much easier to care for such a coating than for a regular one.

How to properly clean laminate flooring?

Materials based on waste from the woodworking industry do not like excess moisture, and natural wood does not particularly favor it. Most people buy chipboard-based laminate. With prolonged exposure to moisture on the coating, the lamellas swell and become completely unusable.

However, washing such a floor is not only possible, but also necessary. For this, mild detergents for the care of the laminate are used, which are not chemically aggressive. The cloth should not be too damp. A great option is a mop equipped with a squeezing device.

Wet cleaning methods:

Classic (using water and a rag). Pour water into a bucket, dampen a cloth, wring it out well and wipe the coating. Now manually wipe the floor with a dry cloth.
A heavily soiled surface will be washed with hot water (in no case, not boiling water!). The algorithm is the same as with cold water. Naturally, prolonged contact of the coating with hot water should not be allowed.
Water with vinegar. This method is relevant if the coating is heavily soiled and has lost its luster. Dissolve 250 ml of table vinegar in a liter of water, pour the resulting solution into a spray bottle. Spray liquid on small areas and wipe immediately. When the surface begins to shine again, wash the floor with cool water and then wipe dry.
A good homemade laminate care product is baby shampoo. Dissolve some baby shampoo in hot water (it has a neutral pH, so it's perfectly safe), then wash the floor in the usual way.

Important! Before purchasing a laminate cleaner, pay attention to its chemical composition. It should not contain sodium hypochlorite. If you wash the floor once with such a solution, there will be no harm to the coating. But from frequent washing, the laminate will lose its luster and original color.

"Ambulance" for laminate

Caring for class 32 laminate or any other is not just cleaning (dry or wet), but also restoring the laminated surface from scratches, chips or children's drawings.

Scratch removal

Scratches are the result of improper use of the laminate (rearrangement of furniture, children's toys).

Important! Such damage should not be left unattended. Gradually, the scratch will increase, dirt will accumulate in it and, in the end, the lamella will have to be replaced.

The procedure for removing a small scratch is as follows:

Using a vacuum cleaner, clean the scratch, remove all dust from it.
Draw over the defect with a special pencil (several times if necessary).
Polish the defect with a dry cloth.

To eliminate deep defects, when the pencil does not help, you can use mastic or paste. The application of these funds is extremely simple:

Apply mastic with a plastic glass, remove excess.
Polish the floor surface with a soft, dry cloth.
Paste, in comparison with mastic, has a more liquid consistency. Apply it to the scratch, smooth, then wipe (first with a damp sponge, and then with a soft cloth).
After 2 hours, it will be possible to walk on the repaired place.

Important! Choosing a pencil to repair a damaged laminate is not difficult at all. Almost every shade is available for sale. Picking up mastic or paste is more difficult: the tint palette is rather limited. You have to mix different colors until you get the right shade.

Chip removal

Chips on laminate flooring appear when heavy objects fall, usually in the kitchen. It is necessary to eliminate chips as soon as possible, since dust and dirt accumulate in them. So let's get started:

Clean up the defect.
Using a torch, melt the laminate putty.
Apply it to the damaged area, smooth it out with a spatula and remove the excess next to the chip.
Wait for the putty to cool down.
Sand the area of the defect and polish thoroughly.

How to eliminate the swelling of the laminate?

It can occur if liquid is spilled on the floor and not wiped off in time. If the floorboard is swollen, then the defect can only be eliminated by replacing it:

Disassemble the floor a little further from the damaged area.
Lay out the swollen floorboards on a flat surface to dry.
Do not rush to lay the floorboards again. Arrange a draft in the room to destroy moisture under the coating.
Reassemble the floor.

Important! Don't forget to seal the joints. Ideal if this is done during the initial installation of the laminate.

How to remove drawings from laminate?

The effectiveness of removing "art" from the floor depends on the basis on which the ink of the felt-tip pens is made. Consider several ways to delete images:

If the markers are alcohol-based, try erasing the drawing with an ordinary school eraser, and then wipe the scribbled area with a piece of cotton soaked in vodka or alcohol. Now it remains to wash the floor in the usual way and wipe it dry.
Take toothpaste (without whitening effect) and apply on the drawing. Remove marker marks with a microfiber cloth. After that, wash the floor. Laminate is like new!
If the marker is water-based, then its traces are well washed off with plain water.
Soak a cotton ball in acetone, nail polish remover, or white spirit. Test cleaning performance on a small area first. If traces of children's creativity are easily removed, and the surface has not changed its color, continue to remove the rest of the drawings.

Stain removal rules

In addition to children's drawings, the flooring can be damaged by accidentally spilled alcohol, resin from the Christmas tree. Footprints may remain on the floor surface. And in each of these cases, you need to know how to care for a laminate floor. Here are some tips to help you deal with these contaminants:

Dried blood stains can be removed with a cotton swab moistened with window cleaner.
Spruce or pine resin must first be frozen. For these purposes, ice from the freezer or a bag of frozen vegetables is suitable. After the resin has hardened, it remains to remove it from the surface with a scraper. The contaminated area is washed with a cotton swab or a piece of cloth soaked in a window cleaner.
Wine stains are well removed with water and a mild detergent (Misters: Proper and Muscle are equally well suited). If traces of stains still remain, you can try to remove them with denatured alcohol.
Stripes from street shoes can be easily removed with a soft eraser.

Laminate care products at home: basic rules

The service life of a laminate largely depends on how correctly you have chosen a floor covering:

In rooms with normal humidity, an ordinary laminate is appropriate.
A moisture-resistant coating is mounted in the kitchen and in the bathroom, but it must be used with extreme caution.
The best option for the bathroom is a plastic laminate.

A few basic rules will allow you to extend the life of your laminate flooring:

Pay special attention to the entrance area. Dust, dirt and sand gather especially intensively here. To prevent dirt from spreading around the room, use a dust mat. Make it a rule to clean this area daily. Shake out the rug every day as well.
Try to avoid damaging the laminate with sharp objects. In order not to damage the coating when rearranging furniture, glue special pads that are commercially available to the furniture legs.
Replace regular rollers with rubber ones. If you roll a computer chair on plastic wheels across the floor, it will certainly leave marks. There are no such problems with rubber wheels.
Dry clean the laminate with a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment.
The effectiveness of caring for class 32 laminate largely depends on how much you protect the floor from liquid ingress. Even moisture-resistant varieties withstand water on the floor for no more than 2 hours. The frequency of wet cleaning is no more than 2 times a week. Do not forget to wipe the washed floor dry.
Treat the floor surface with special mastic (once a year).

Timely cleaning and maintenance of laminate flooring directly affect its service life. There is an opinion that this material has high strength and wear resistance, therefore it is not too demanding in terms of care.

In many ways, this is true, but the basic rules for keeping the flooring clean must be followed in any case. Let's take a closer look at how to care for laminate flooring at home and what you need for this.

Dry and wet cleaning process

The general approach to care and the choice of cleaning method should be based on the class of the laminate, the type of interlocks and density. In private housing and apartments, the most common variety is medium and high density class 32-33 coverage.

Laminate grade 31 and lower is rarely used. Such a coating is less durable - frequent contact with water and wet cleaning will only reduce its service life.

The general technology for dry and wet cleaning of laminate flooring will consist of the following:

Dry cleaning - small debris can be removed with a broom or brush with soft bristles. Major cleaning is more convenient to perform with a household vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. It is better to refuse the use of washing vacuum cleaners, as they leave a thin layer of water on the surface of the laminate.
Wet cleaning - carried out strictly as needed, no more than 2 times a week. For cleaning, a mop and a well-absorbing cloth are used. The surface of the floor is wiped with a slightly damp cloth for 1-2 times. After the remaining moisture is wiped dry.

During wet cleaning, the movement of the mop should be in the direction of laying the laminate. This will ensure free sliding on the surface and simplify the cleaning process.

Detergent selection

Specialized detergents for imported laminate

The use of detergents is rational only in case of severe contamination of the surface. Dust and light dirt can be easily removed with warm water without the addition of additional components. To clean strong and old marks, you can use a special laminate cleaner, which is sold in many hardware and hardware stores.

As a rule, this is a composition in liquid or gel form, which is added to water and stirred until completely dissolved. Among the folk remedies for caring for a laminate floor, the following can be distinguished:

Heavily soiled floors can be cleaned with neutral pH shampoos. Dissolve 4-5 tablespoons of shampoo in 7-9 liters of water until foam forms. Next, thoroughly vacuum the room and wipe the resulting solution until the dirty traces are completely removed;
in order for the laminate to shine, you can treat the cleaned surface with the following composition: 200 ml of clean water, 2 teaspoons of vinegar, 50 ml of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of detergent. Mix the components and wipe with a damp cloth soaked in the composition;
To disinfect a clean surface, you can use ordinary vinegar. For 10 liters of water, 50-70 ml of vinegar is enough.

When cleaning, it is best to avoid the use of laundry detergent or other care products that may contain surfactants and abrasive components. This will lead to strong streaks and micro scratches on the surface of the laminate.

How to cover scuffs and scratches

Wax stick and face repair wax

The appearance of scratches is inevitable even for a class 33-34 laminate, especially in high traffic areas. The material of class 32 is already covered with a scattering of small scratches and damages for 2-3 years of operation.

To remove various types of damage, you can use the following:

shoe marks - removed with a stationery eraser or flannel fabric. Previously, the trace can be softened with a couple of drops of sunflower oil;
shallow damage - a wax pencil for laminate is used to eliminate it. The damaged area is cleaned of dirt and wiped with an alcohol solution. Then it is rubbed with a pencil until the scratch is completely filled. Residues are removed with a clean cloth;
deep chips and scratches - to eliminate them, a special repair kit is used, consisting of a melted putty or sealant. The kit can be purchased at any hardware store that specializes in selling flooring.

For more information about removing scratches from the surface of the laminate can be found in a separate article. In it, we examined all the simplest ways to repair and restore a laminated board.

To remove dirt from worn areas of the laminate, wipe the area with a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water. Dampen a clean cloth with the mixture, treat the stained area and wipe dry with a clean cloth.

How to protect laminate from moisture

The process of applying protective wax for joints

After cleaning the surface of the laminate from dirt and repairing damage, it is possible to treat the coating with a water-repellent wax. This will help prevent moisture from seeping under the flooring and into the area around the lock.

The most problematic places are the joints between the canvases, since through them water gets inside the lock and is absorbed into the panel.

The process of protecting seams on an already laid coating will represent the following steps:

the surface of the laminated board must be thoroughly cleaned from dirt and abrasive particles;
for work, you will need to prepare a rubber or polyurethane spatula, a clean cotton rag or a well-absorbing material;
the wax container is shaken for 1-2 minutes and applied to the seam area with a thin layer;
using a spatula, the wax is pressed into the space between the joint;
then polish the area with a dry, clean cloth or polishing machine;
start processing the next seam;
upon completion, the floor should dry well for 6-8 hours.

As a result, the protective composition should remain only in the area of \u200b\u200bthe seam. This is important because the rest of the laminate does not absorb moisture and does not need to be protected. Moreover, the composition of the product includes vegetable fats and solvents, which will constantly leave marks on slippers.

What not to do with laminated board

The appearance of various damages and general contamination is the result of improper care of the laminate. Although most problems can be avoided - it is enough to carefully study the operating instructions for the coating.

Particular attention should be paid to the section that describes the actions to be performed immediately after laying the coating. To prevent frequent soiling of your flooring and prolong its life, avoid the following:

do not walk on laminate flooring with high heels, dirty construction boots and other shoes, the soles of which may contain small abrasives;
do not move heavy furniture. Immediately after laying, special cork or felt pads should be purchased and glued to the legs of the furniture, which will protect the front surface of the coating;
do not allow shock loads, try not to drop heavy objects and do not spill water on the surface of the laminate. If this happens, remove moisture with a dry cloth. Impact damage can be repaired with sealant or wax.

In places with the greatest traffic, use soft and decorative rugs, which should be knocked out every 2-3 days. Compliance with these rules and timely care guarantee that class 32-33 laminate will retain an excellent appearance even for 10-12 years of its service.

Laminate is the best flooring for apartments and cottages. It is an environmentally friendly, externally attractive, practical and affordable material that goes well with any type of interior decoration. One of the main advantages of laminate flooring is ease of maintenance. In order to preserve the original beauty of the floor covering for many years, it is enough to follow a few simple rules, clean it in a timely manner and use suitable products for this. Caring for a laminate in an apartment does not require much effort and high costs: the domestic market offers a huge range of special products designed for laminated floors.

When choosing a laminate in a particular room, you need to take into account the load on the floor, traffic and other features, since the durability of the laminate and its service life depend on the strength class. Will increase service life and - unique material on the basis of natural raw materials. There are separate groups of laminate for residential premises, offices and public places. The rules for caring for class 32 laminate and laminate of any other strength class are the same.

How to care for laminate in the apartment

It should be borne in mind that the most expensive and most difficult to maintain is a light-colored laminate, which most often has a glossy surface and is widely used as flooring for living rooms and bedrooms. On such a floor, dust and footprints are clearly visible, stains and stains are more noticeable. Laminate flooring in darker tones is much easier to care for, since this material most often has a relief surface, on which dirt is much less noticeable. No matter how durable, practical and high-quality a laminate is, proper care is of great importance for its safety and durability.

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