There's A TON of misinformation about how to take care of our floors. Unfortunately, there's also an entire industry of unnecessary, and sometimes harmful products threatening the longevity of our flooring. We've been repairing, cleaning, and installing laminate, tile, hardwood, and carpet for over 20 years, and we've got some secrets to share!
Laminate
Of all of the categories, laminate may be the textile with the most confusion about maintenance and care. We have three helpful suggestions.
Do not soak your laminate floors with a big bucket of soapy water. Think of excessive water as the enemy of your laminate floors. Instead of going with a product like Pine-Sol, or some other oil based soap, choose a spray specifically listed for laminate that you'll lightly mist on your floors before drying it off.
Ditch your conventional mop, and go with a detachable microfiber mop-head that fits a flathead mop. This will gently clean your laminate floors immediately after you apply that spray cleaner.
Speaking of those microfiber mop-heads, leave the fabric softener out when you wash the microfiber attachment at home. This goes for all microfiber towels, because the softener clogs the fibers, which ends up defeating the purpose of the fabric.
Here's a floor cleaner and a flat top mop we at Flooring Direct Temecula, can recommend for your laminate. But remember, a light mist and a good microfiber mop is key. No need to soak your floors if you use this combo! Flooring Direct has absolutely no ties, affiliates, or any kind of sponsorship with these products. They merely meet our high standards for maintaining flooring.
Hardwood
Taking care of your hardwood floors starts with your installation. Have a detailed conversation with the sales associate or manufacturer about maintaining finish and minimizing damage before you walk out the door. But no matter the state of your floor's finish, these tips will help maintain your unique hardwood.
Believe it or not, in most cases, plain old water is the best substance we can use for our wood floors, but like laminate, it's all about moderation. We recommend using a rung-out, damp, terry cloth towel and gliding it gently across your floors with a flat-head mop. This will remove more dirt than you'll expect, and most importantly, it won't remove your gorgeous finish!
About that finish - scrubbing your floors is sure to ware it down. You always want to apply even, light pressure as you clean - trying to avoid scrubbing or scratching your floors in certain spots. This will make your floors look blotchy, and dull.
Avoid anything that isn't PH-compatible with your hardwood floors. This means you need to avoid Pinesol, 409, and anything with vinegar in it. Acid will wear down your finish and the quality of your hardwood.
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The best tip we can give you is to discuss flooring-care with a professional. Each material has different tips and tricks for cleaning, so the experts on your particular product can likely point you in the right direction.
Look for Flooring Direct Temecula's next post on maintaining carpet and tile!
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