How to Clean and Care for Laminate Floors
· 6 min read · By Floors To You OKC
Laminate is one of the easiest floors in the house to live with. The top layer is a hard, clear wear layer over a printed wood or stone image, and dirt does not soak into it. What makes laminate different from luxury vinyl or tile is the core underneath: it is made from wood fiber, and wood fiber swells if water gets into it. Almost every rule for caring for laminate comes back to that. Here is the routine that keeps a laminate floor looking right for years, and the handful of habits that shorten its life.
Why laminate needs its own routine
The surface of a laminate plank is tough. It resists scratches and stains better than many people expect, and it holds up to normal foot traffic for many years. The weak point is the edges. Where two planks click together, there is a seam, and if water sits on that seam long enough to work its way in, the fiberboard core can swell. A swollen edge does not go back down.
Modern laminate is far more water-resistant than it used to be, and many lines are rated to handle a spill for a number of hours. But a water-resistant floor is not a waterproof one. Treat laminate as a floor that likes to stay dry, and it will look good for a long time. Our guide to waterproof flooring explains what those ratings actually promise.
The everyday routine
Grit is the main thing that dulls a laminate floor. Sand and small stones tracked in from outside act like sandpaper under shoes and chair legs. Get them off the floor and most of the work is done.
- ✓Sweep, dust mop or vacuum a few times a week, more in entries and the kitchen
- ✓Use a vacuum on its hard-floor setting, with the beater bar off, so the brush does not scuff the surface
- ✓Use a microfiber dust mop for quick daily passes; it picks up dust and pet hair without scratching
- ✓Wipe up spills as soon as you see them with a dry or barely damp cloth
- ✓Put a mat inside and outside every exterior door to catch grit before it reaches the floor
How to mop laminate the right way
Laminate can be mopped, but it should be damp-mopped, never wet-mopped. The mop should be wrung out until it is barely damp to the touch, so the floor dries within a minute or two. If you can see water standing on the floor or beading along the seams, there is too much.
Use a cleaner made for laminate, or the one the floor's manufacturer recommends, and use it at the strength on the label. More cleaner does not make the floor cleaner; it leaves a film that looks streaky and collects dirt. A spray-and-mop system with a microfiber pad works well because it puts a light mist on the floor instead of a bucket of water. Work in sections and change or rinse the pad when it gets dirty, so you are not spreading dirt around.
What to keep off a laminate floor
A few common cleaning products and tools do more harm on laminate than on other floors. Check your floor's care instructions first, because they are what the warranty is written around, but these are the usual ones to avoid.
- ✓Steam mops: they push hot moisture into the seams, which is the one thing laminate cannot handle
- ✓Soaking wet mops and buckets of water left to sit on the floor
- ✓Wax, polish and "restore" products: laminate does not need them, and they leave a film that is hard to remove
- ✓Oil soaps and oil-based cleaners, which leave a slippery, dull residue
- ✓Abrasive powders, scouring pads and steel wool, which scratch the wear layer
- ✓Vinegar or ammonia mixed at home, unless the manufacturer says they are safe for your floor
Preventing scratches and dents
Most damage to laminate comes from things that move across it. Put felt pads under the legs of chairs, tables and anything else that slides, and replace them when they wear thin or pick up grit. Use a chair mat under a rolling desk chair. When you move heavy furniture, lift it or slide it on a piece of carpet or a furniture slider rather than dragging it.
Keep pets' nails trimmed. Laminate holds up well to dogs, but long nails on a running dog will leave marks over time. Our guide to flooring for pets, kids and high-traffic homes compares how laminate handles animals against the other options.
Spills, pet accidents and leaks
For a spill or a pet accident, the goal is to get the liquid off the floor quickly. Blot it up, clean the spot with your laminate cleaner, and dry it completely, paying attention to the seams. Do not leave a wet towel sitting on it.
A slow leak is a different problem. A dishwasher, refrigerator ice maker or water heater that leaks under a laminate floor can soak the core before anyone notices. If you see edges starting to lift or a seam that looks raised, find the source of the water first. Swollen planks usually need to be replaced, and a click-lock floor can often be repaired by replacing just the damaged boards. Our guide to replacing floors after water damage covers what to do after a bigger leak.
Fixing small scratches and chips
Before treating a mark as a scratch, clean it. A lot of what looks like scratches is residue or a scuff sitting on top of the wear layer, and it comes off with a cloth and your laminate cleaner. For a real scratch or a small chip, laminate repair kits with color-matched wax sticks or putty can hide minor damage. Test the color in a closet or under furniture first.
Deeper damage, or a plank that has swollen, usually means replacing the board. Keep a few spare planks from your installation in a closet so a future repair matches exactly. If you are still deciding whether laminate is right for your home, our laminate flooring guide covers the pros and cons, or you can book a free in-home estimate and we will bring laminate and luxury vinyl samples so you can compare them in your own rooms.
