Laminate Floor Cleaning
An Economical, Low Maintenance Alternative to Traditional Hardwood Floors, Ceramic Tile, or Natural Stone
© 2008 by Kelly Smith all rights reserved
Laminate flooring is an economical, low maintenance alternative to traditional hardwood floors. Here's
a look at its composition and care.
Caring for Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring sales have been overtaking traditional hardwood flooring sales in the past few years.
Many factors contribute to this but the main ones are price (as the cost of quality hardwoods rise),
ease of installation, low maintenance, and variety.
Variety is important because a plank of laminate pine costs the manufacturer the same price to produce
as a plank of a truly exotic wood such as laminate ebony. Thus, the homeowner can get a much more expensive
looking floor for a reasonable price.
Fortunately, caring for laminate flooring is easier than caring for a hardwood floor or trying to
remove carpet stains
on a regular basis.
Laminate Flooring Composition
In order to understand why proper care is important for laminate floors, it’s helpful to understand
just what laminate floor planks are and what they’re made of. The exact makeup of a laminate
flooring plank varies slightly by manufacturer but they’re all relatively similar.
The plank consists of a number of layers of different materials and this is where the term laminate
comes from. Following is a generic breakdown.
- The bottom material layer is a material such as Melamine. This is a molded plastic material
using Melamine resin. One advantage of it is its heat resistant properties. For this reason,
Melamine is also used as a component of Formica, suits that firemen use, and even in some dishware.
- The next layer up is the core layer, typically made of of a form of fiber board. This layer
serves two purposes: it gives the plank its strength and rigidity, and it includes the interlocking
mechanism. This is a variation of a tongue-and-groove joint.
- Proceeding up one more layer is the design layer. This is the layer that is visible; it’s
actually a graphic representation of the wood grain and color. Your benefit? You can have a floor
that looks like the most expensive hardwoods and exotic woods (oak, pecan, African zebrawood, cherry,
bamboo flooring, etc.) for the same low price.
- Finally, the top layer is the protective layer. This layer is transparent and protects against
moisture, scuffs and scrapes.
Care and Maintenance of Laminate Flooring
Caring for and maintenance of laminate flooring is fairly straightforward. The most important thing
to do is sweep on a regular basis. This will minimize any scratching by abrasive particles such as sand
or dirt brought in by pedestrian traffic.
Laminate planks should never be wet mopped, just damp mopped. Although the top layer affords excellent
protection and the core layer is very water resistant, it’s not waterproof.
This is why laminate flooring should’nt be installed in a bathroom and caution is advised when
planning a kitchen remodel.
A Simple Laminate Floor Cleaning Recipe for Stubborn Areas
There will be times when damp mopping just won’t get those stubborn spots. Don’t
resort to store-bought chemicals. Just add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water.
Damp mop with this mixture.
Due to the strength and gloss level of the protective layer, waxes and other polish products are not
needed. In fact, most laminate manufacturers recommend against their use.
No Floor Refinishing Required
Unlike traditional hardwood floors, laminate floors do not require periodic
hardwood floor refinishing.
The top protective layer is all that’s needed. A properly cared for laminate floor will maintain its
beauty and durability for many years.
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