Over time, any coating loses its shine and attractiveness. Laminate is no exception. Even with careful handling, microscopic scratches and more serious defects appear on the surface. Don’t rush into serious repairs; laminate polish will correct the situation.
When choosing a flooring option, more and more people are choosing laminate. This material has an affordable price, looks attractive, and has numerous positive reviews.
But in order for the coating to last a long time, you need to properly care for it, trying to prevent damage. In addition, to improve the appearance of the laminate and protect it, it is recommended to periodically use a polish.
Features of caring for laminate flooring
In order to understand how to properly care for laminate flooring, you need to know how and what it is made of. A film with a pattern is glued onto the base, which resembles very thick and hard cardboard. A protective laminating film made of transparent polymer is glued on top of it. That is why this type of coating is called laminate - because of the lamination film.
The laminate pattern is protected by a polymer film a fraction of a millimeter thick
There can be one or two layers of film on a laminate. The durability of the pattern and its resistance to abrasion depend on the strength and thickness of the film. And if the film has already been worn out, then the drawing is also erased. It is impossible to restore the coating over a large area, but minor damage - scratches and chips - can be disguised. But this requires special devices. If the surface is worn, you can only replace the damaged fragment with a new one. To do this, you often have to go through the entire coating. Fortunately, it usually disassembles without any problems.
So, in a laminate, the polymer film is responsible for the strength and durability. As you understand, the material chosen is durable. And it is based on the strength of the protective coating that it is divided into classes. The thinnest layer is for household ones, the thickest and most abrasion-resistant is for office ones. But within each group there are abrasion classes, which are designated by numbers. The higher the number, the more durable the protective coating. But keep in mind that the price for persistent ones is higher.
How and with what to wash laminate so that it is shiny and not dull
No matter how durable the laminating coating is, if certain rules are not followed, sooner or later scratches will appear. So here it is. To ensure that the laminate does not lose its shine, care should be taken to ensure that there are as few scratches as possible and that they appear as late as possible. What causes scratches on laminate flooring? When there is sand on it, which scratches the protective coating. To prevent this from happening, place dirt-proof mats at the entrance to your house or apartment. Mats or rugs woven from jute fiber work great. The sand in them wakes up and lies under the rug.
Second point. It is necessary to wash the laminate after all the debris has been collected with a vacuum cleaner. Preferably with a vacuum cleaner, not a broom. A broom combined with sand actively scratches the surface. So, at least it’s inexpensive, but there must be a vacuum cleaner.
We wash linoleum after repair
Using the means listed above, linoleum can also be washed. It is better to exclude kerosene - not all types of coating can tolerate it. You cannot use gasoline or ammonia - not all types of linoleum are friendly with them either. These solvents, along with dirt, can also dissolve the protective coating, so we don’t take risks.
To clean linoleum after repair, you need a lot of rags
But you can add laundry soap and turpentine to the list. It is better not to use more aggressive means.
How to wash laminate flooring: choosing equipment
The most common option is a mop with a telescopic handle and a microfiber cloth. This material absorbs water well, picks up small debris and dust. When using microfiber, you can wring it out well and wipe the floor almost dry. Or you can have two rags and wipe dry after washing.
It is easier to care for laminate flooring with a modern mop.
The cloth used to wash the laminate must be washed after each cleaning with detergent (can be used for dishes) and dried. And about once a month you can wash it in a washing machine. In this case, there is no need to change them often. A good one costs a lot, so it’s better to maintain it in good condition, and it can last for several years.
What not to do
The laminate coating itself is quite durable, but it should be handled with care so as not to damage the top decorative layer. Therefore, it is better to avoid certain actions in order to preserve the beautiful appearance of the floor covering. You should avoid the following:
- use of alkali-containing and acid-containing detergents;
- use of powders with abrasive particles;
- do not use sharp objects when cleaning various contaminants;
- excessive moisture during cleaning.
From all of the above, we can conclude that all problems with contamination of laminate flooring can be solved, but it is still better to prevent their occurrence. Therefore, before starting repairs, you should try to cover the floor surface as much as possible. In addition, it is worth taking care of purchasing cleaning products in advance to keep them on hand. Then you most likely won’t have to deal with the consequences of the repair.
And it is also important to remember that in order to have fewer problems with removing contaminants, you should try to catch the moment and wash the laminate while the apartment is still being renovated, because the fresher the contaminants, the easier they are to remove.
What to add to water to avoid streaks
In order to ensure that the appearance of the coating is preserved, the laminate can be wiped with a damp cloth. Frankly wet, with water dripping from it, it’s better not to. The base is pressed cellulose, and if it gets wet, it does not retain its shape after drying. In order to worry less about keeping the laminate from getting wet, it can be treated with special silicone. The product is not cheap, but it allows you to maintain the attractiveness of the coating longer. Silicone is distributed in the thinnest layer and protects not only the joints, but also the film.
To ensure that there are no traces or streaks left after washing the floor, you can add a little laminate floor cleaner to the water. Like Mr. Proper, Mr. Muscle and the like. But you can also find less advertised brands that perform their functions just as well, but are cheaper. In addition, you can use improvised means. Here's what is added to the water to wash laminate flooring without streaks:
You can remove dust and add shine to the laminate using simple and inexpensive aids
- Add a little fabric softener to the water. This is how easy it is to make laminate flooring shiny and remove all the dust. Fabric softener contains some kind of additive that prevents static from building up. This means that the dust does not “stick” to the laminate, but remains on the cloth when you rinse it.
- Add a little detergent, then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
- Add a pinch of salt to the water.
- A little vinegar. About half a glass per bucket of water.
- You can use salt and vinegar.
If you need to add shine to dull laminate flooring, add a little vegetable oil to the water. A little - a couple of tablespoons per bucket of water. Don't worry, the floor won't be greasy and won't slip. But it will shine more and there will be no streaks. The same technique with oil helps remove traces of construction dust. In general, try it.
To avoid having to restore the laminate, it is better to periodically rub it with a special product containing silicone.
There is one more trick. You can wash laminate flooring without streaks with hot water. Not with boiling water, but so that your hand can tolerate it, but just hot. Add the product you like and wash with a well-wrung out warm cloth. Hot water evaporates very quickly, so there are no streaks left.
We remove household stains
In order for the floor to look neat, you should promptly clean it from household stains. An alcohol-based glass cleaner will help remove most stains.
Let's look at how to clean stains of various origins:
- Ink. Use a damp cloth with detergent. If it doesn’t help, buy a special product for ink stains.
- Marker marks. White spirit applied to a soft cloth will help you wipe off the marker.
- Blood. Traces of blood can be removed with a damp cloth; you can additionally use a glass cleaning spray.
- Red wine. If you spill wine or other alcoholic beverage that can leave a stain on the surface, denatured alcohol will help clean the laminate.
- Wax. A hot iron and paper napkins or towels will help to clean the floor covering from wax or paraffin. Using a heated iron, iron the stains through several layers of napkins, changing them as they become dirty.
- Zelenka. To remove brilliant green, lightly dampen the stain and rub it with an eraser. You can also try scrubbing off the brilliant green with an alcohol-containing product.
- Shoe stripes. A regular eraser or a water solution of baking soda will allow you to remove black stripes from the soles.
- Super glue. If a drop of instant glue falls on the floor, do not try to remove it - you will damage the outer layer of the coating. Try dissolving the glue with white spirit or acetone, but it is better to use a special solvent.
How to remove or disguise scratches and other damage to laminate flooring
- Acrylic varnish will help deal with scratches. Apply it only to the scratch, without touching the surrounding surface. The varnish will mask the scratch and protect the surface from future damage.
- Laminate flooring varnish can help remove significant scuffs. Pre-clean the surface, remove dust, degrease. Apply varnish and let dry. After this, apply wax to the surface and polish.
- Small scratches can be masked with a felt-tip pen in the color of the coating. Carefully paint over the damage and let dry.
- Another remedy is repair wax paste. You can buy it at a construction supply store, where they will also help you choose the right color. The paste is applied with a special spatula, the excess is removed with a dry cloth.
- If the damage is severe, replacing the floor elements will help. It’s good to have a spare board left over from the renovation. If it is not there, you can swap the elements: place the damaged board in an inconspicuous place, for example, under furniture, and place a whole one in its place.
- Laminate repair waxes can help remove chips and scratches. When heated they melt, making application easier.
How to Make Your Floors Shine - At Home with The Barkers
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How to make your floors shine:
Have you ever wondered how to make your floors shine when they are dull and worn? I'm sure!
Are your floors boring with shoes, furniture, toys and who knows what else? Mine definitely were!
Do you want them to start liking it again? Yes please!
Then you'll love what I found!
The product is called Quick Shine Floor Finish from Holloway House and it is amazing! It is EPA approved. Safe for your family, children and pets.
This is what my kitchen floor looked like before. This is after I moped, oh. Look how dull and dirty they still looked. The floors really need to be repaired, but I just can't stand the smoke and chaos right now.
Quick Shine Floor Finish is applied to a clean, dry floor with a damp sponge. Just spray directly from the bottle onto the floor. That's ALL... It's so simple!
In the picture below you can see where I started at the door and headed towards the table. I stopped to show you the difference with just one coat of Quick Shine. You can apply more than one coat, just let it dry between applications, about 30 minutes.
FYI... Don't forget to place the bottle of Quick Shine on a paper plate or towel! OR your painted TV stand may end up with a few shiny spots that you don't want!
It really was easy to use and the fact that it's eco-friendly makes it even better!
So there you have it, how to make your floors shine!
Cleaning your home can be a lot easier if you start in the right place. I'm happy I found a book that changed the way I think about ORGANIZING my home. Look at here!
DIY Kitchen UPDATE HERE
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