Help with wood laminate floors?

Question

Is there anything I can do to prevent footprints on my laminate floors? I swear I mop daily because I hate the way all the footprints and smudgies look. I usually mop with water and vinegar and they look great... for about ten minutes. What can I do?

Answer 1

the footprints, you can spray with gloosy for protection like finishing parquet or http://www.asesidea.com/tips_and_tricks....

thanks

Answer 2

Don't use water and vinegar - they don't do a d**n thing.  Instead, you might need to take a trip to a nearby Bed, Bath, and Beyond and look around to find a line of products called "Orange Glo Floor Treatments" or something like that.  Nonetheless, look for the Orange Glo labels.  I would recommend getting the Orange Glo mop and the floor cleaner/polisher.  It works for both hardwood and laminate flooring.  It cleans and polishes and will restore a shine to the floor while helping to avoid smudgie buildup.  It's all I use, and you only need to use it once every two or so weeks!

Sincerely,

Joshua H.

Answer 3

This is a dilemma because vinegar and water (1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water) is the hands-down best choice for laminate floors.  Detergents, polishes and other cleaners will actually leave a film and make your footprint problem appear worse.

The top coating of these floors is a very durable material that's used to make all kinds of things and should resist scuffs.  

Many types of flooring show foot traffic, especially those coming from outside into your well-kept home, so let's get at the source:  make sure everyone wears clean socks or, if bare feet is inevitable, make sure they are free of dust/dirt.  Have a doormat outside the door and on the entryway.

That's my two cents.  You're using the right cleaner so maybe preventative action will help?  :)

Edit:  Oops, I thought the Q was about how to minimize the footprints.  I notice most of the answers are about ways to clean.  Yes, you should use vinegar for laminate floors if you like it.  Waxes, polishes and cleaners made for hardwood floors will leave a film on the melamine coating.

Answer 4

Vinegar is not a cleaner, in fact it's a neutralizer. Many flooring companies recommend vinegar for tiles etc but the truth is you're only moving dirt around. Laminate floors should only be washed with a product called Bona X. You will be able to find it in Linens & Things, Bed Bath & Beyond or Loews. This product is the only thing i recommend my clients use in their very expensive floors

Answer 5

I have found that Bona  Swedish floor care system works great on laminate flooring. will not streak or leave foot prints because it doesn't leave a residue...

the initial investment might be a bit more than ''store brands'' but a gallon of this will last you for over a year and that is if you wash your floors every day. you can get a start up kit that includes the mop handle, spray bottle with the cleaner in it and one washable micro fiber pad for around $30...I didn't buy mine online I found it at the hardware store and it was recommended to me by a friend who owns a cleaning business and this is all she used on the floors.  they have solutions for laminate floors and tile and another one strictly for hardwood.

Answer 6

Find a sealer that is made to work with the type of floor you have. Your floor is sealed at the factory, and may need another protective film over that, that is resistant to marking, like the wax you put on your car. It is also likely that the finish on your floor is worn, and the properties that make it mark resistant have diminished, and need to be replaced with a new coat. Contact people who have a lot of experience with these products, and feel confident that they are not just trying to sell you something. If there is a problem with static in your home, maybe an ionizer will help. Laminate floors can have static build up, causing particles to cling to them. By ionizing the air, the floor can have more static balance with the air, and less cling to the surface contaminates. It works in conjunction with an air filter, that traps the particles so they don't get tracked around your house. Take your shoes off at the door. Wear socks on the floor. Get a dimmer for your lights so the dirt is less noticeable. Try a robot that is busy cleaning the floor 24/7 so you don't have to.

Answer 7

You are discovering just one of the bad things about these floors! Be very careful not to spill water around the edges, it will ruin the floor.