Laminate flooring is widely used in Singapore these days in domestic as well as commercial establishments to keep the place clean and attractive for long time. But to maintain its attractiveness for long time you will have to clean it regularly to keep it dust and girt free. It can be cleaned in a number of ways including sweeping, washing, mop cleaning and vacuuming etc. Some of the methods recommended for keeping the laminate flooring clean are discussed here under to help you in this direction.
Everyday cleaning methods for laminate flooring
In order to make laminate flooring dust and girt free it is important to clean it daily. Its cleaning is also important to retain its beauty for long time as it is more durable and less expensive than real wood flooring. The method used for cleaning this type of flooring mainly depends upon the number of persons using it. You will have to use more effective method for cleaning it if the traffic is more on it.
Sweeping:
Though it is one of the best methods to clean laminate flooring daily but you should not use the attachments that are hard to its surface. Fine scratches disfiguring the surface can be prevented by sweeping the floor daily. It will also prevent the accumulation of dirt and dust on the other parts of the place. Establishing a floor sweeping routine and sticking to it is the best way to clean laminate floors.
Mop cleaning:
You can also use mop for cleaning the laminate flooring but it must be a damp wipe only instead of soaked wet. Your mop should be so flexible that the last drop of water can be wrung out from it so that the floor can be damp wiped. You can add a special laminate cleaner product, suggested by the manufacturer of the flooring, in warm water to soak your mop in it to damp wipe your floor more effectively.
Most of the manufacturers of laminate flooring suggest to clean it daily with a damp mop instead of soak wet as excessive water in the mop can damage the fibre board under it by warping it. It can compel you to replace the planks when they spread due to repeated use of wet mop for cleaning flooring.
Washing:
You can wash laminate flooring weekly to keep it attractive and dust free for long time but after every washing the floor should be wiped with a mop made of quality dry cloth to dry it thoroughly. Dry dust cloths manufactured by some famous brands can also be used for this purpose as they can remove the last drop of water from the flooring. You should ensure the removal of water accumulated under the counters, corners and between the planks not only for enhancing its looks but for its long life also. Laminate flooring can not be left to dry itself through air like tile or linoleum flooring.
While washing laminate flooring you should avoid using harsh chemical based detergents and soaps, unless recommended by its manufacturer. These harsh detergents and soaps can damage the protective layer of the flooring which will adversely affect its finish.
Vacuum cleaning:
Laminate flooring can be vacuum cleaned weekly to remove dust and dirt from the nooks and corners as well as from between its underlying planks.
Vinegar and water mixture:
Some people do not advice the use of vinegar for cleaning laminate flooring due to its acidic effect but others suggest to use one part of vinegar in 4-5 parts of water to disinfect the flooring more effectively. In order to clean large flooring or kitchen flooring they normally suggest this mixture for cleaning it. They suggest to wipe clean the surface with a good quality mop after spraying the mixture on it. You should spray this mixture only on the portion of flooring which you want to clean instead of spraying it on the entire flooring as water accumulated on the flooring can damage its finish. You should make sure that the flooring is thoroughly dried with mop after using this mixture.
Thus mop can be used everyday to clean laminate flooring in Singapore in one form or the other as the flooring is to be kept completely dry to maintain its sheen for long time.