Hardwood and laminate floors are intended to be beautiful and lustrous, bringing out the absolute best in your home. But, when floors get cloudy, dull, or covered with streaks, it can be a challenge to restore them. Clean Heart Maids is here to help with a few floor cleaning tips and tricks. With the proper knowledge, it is possible to restore them to their original brilliance without too much strenuous effort. Let us identify the possible root causes of how your flooring started looking dingy in the first place.
Floor Cleaning Tips – How They Got Dirty in the First Place
- Using your floor cleaner incorrectly: If you apply finish over a coat of stain that is not completely dry, the chemical solvents will become trapped under the finish and create a milky appearance.
- Using the wrong type of cleaner: The market is overloaded with all sorts of cleaning products for floors and choosing the incorrect one could spell trouble for your floor’s finish. Our floor cleaning tips will not work without the correct type of cleaner. Cleaning products that used to work years ago are no longer effective. Soap, paste wax, and furniture spray should stay off your floors. They are well known for leaving streaks and clouds.
- Waxy buildup: If your floor has a polyurethane coating, it does not require waxing. If you wax a floor that does not need it, the streaks will appear and produce an unwanted appearance.
- Cleaner buildup: Less is more. A tiny application of the right cleaner is all that is necessary to give your floors the right shine. If you use too much product, the milky effect will show through.
- Moisture: Water does not work well on hardwood floors. While a small amount of water is used in the cleaning process, too much will damage the floors and affect how it looks. Avoid string and sponge mops, as they will not be able to absorb the water.
Floor Cleaning Tips
How to Remove Cleaner Buildup and Streaks
Cloudy and streaky floors are most often the result of cleaner buildup, so the solution is simple: Get rid of the layer that is causing the problem, then use the proper product and technique for applying it. Consider these options:
- Ammonia mixture: One cup of ammonia for every gallon of water is needed to dissolve haziness and streaks on your floors. Use this mixture carefully to avoid doing further damage with too much water.
- Strip the existing finish: This is an aggressive option, but sanding and refinishing return your floors to their original beauty.
How to Clean Laminate and Wood Flooring
Cleaning laminate and hardwood floors are simple if you use the correct mop and follow the following floor cleaning tips. Use the following guide for learning how to clean laminate and wood floors effortlessly.
You will need just two things to get started:
- Microfiber Mop
The right mop makes all the difference in the world. The best thing to use is a microfiber mop. A microfiber mop glides while picking up the dirt and pet hair with ease. And the swivel mop head makes it a snap for covering a large area. They also need less water. Since laminate floors can warp, the less water, the better.
2. Cleaning Solution
You have an option here. You can purchase a manufacturer’s cleaning product or make it yourself. Whichever way you choose, you will need a mop and spray bottle.
Simple Instructions
- Dry mop the floor with the microfiber mop. This will get all the loose dirt and dust bunnies.
- Dampen the mop using warm water, then spray the solution on the mop head.
- Mop as normal.
- When the microfiber pad is dirty, simply rinse and continue mopping.
- When finished, rinse the mop, and save it. A trip through your washing machine is all it needs.
What NOT to Do When Cleaning Laminate and Wood Flooring
Do not use a string or sponge mop. It will only take you longer and excess water will seep into your floors, causing even more streaks or permanent damage.
Floorboard moisture will warp and damage your laminate. Pay no attention to what the manufacturer said about an airtight system of locks and such. Use the proper mop – microfiber.
Floor Cleaning Tips on Removing Dirt
Here are the three best methods for removing the big chunks of dirt before mopping:
- Vacuum the floor. Set it to the wood setting.
- OR use your microfiber mop (dry) for getting up the dust and hair.
- Try using a dust mop, such as the Swiffer model.
More Important Floor Cleaning Tips When Removing Dirt
- Vacuum in the same direction as the floor is laid. This will collect dirt from the seams and grooves. Do not use the beater bar. It will scratch your floor and leave permanent damage.
- Have a few spare pads for mopping emergency spills.
How to Use Microfiber Mop to Remove Dirt
1. Prepare the cleaning solution in a spray bottle.
2. Dampen the microfiber pad and spray on the cleaning solution (Do not oversaturate).
3. Mop the floor as normal. There is no real need for elbow grease. Let the microfibers do the work. A single microfiber pad will last while you clean several rooms, so there is no need to drag a pail of water around. No wringing necessary.
4. When finished, rinse the mop pad, and allow it to dry.
5. After a few uses, throw the microfiber pad into the washing machine.
This technique should cut the time it takes to clean your floors in half, and it is easy and safe.
DIY Floor Cleaner
Want to save time and money? This is a great homemade recipe for laminate floor cleaner, and it will leave them streak-free.
- One-part vinegar to three parts water
- Liquid dish detergent (one squirt)
- Use a spray bottle and you are all set
Do’s and Don’ts with Floor Cleaner
- Do not use mops with strings or sponges. They use too much water.
- Do not soak the mop. Dampen only.
- Blot large spills with a paper towel. Do not allow the liquid to puddle and remain on the floor for too long.
- Remember, laminate is not wood. Never use polish or wax products.
- Do not use chemicals that promise “clean and shine.”
- Do not use abrasive cleaners, especially bleach.
- Do not use a scouring applicator. Steel wool or a scouring pad will permanently scratch your floor.
Floor Cleaning Tips – Removing Stains and Stubborn Marks
- A simple window cleaning product will mop up blood very simply.
- Use a dull knife for removing chewing gum from your floor but be gentle. Once the worst is up, a soft cloth damp cloth and mineral spirits should get the rest.
- Use mineral spirits and a damp cloth for rubbing away crayon marks.
- Another one of our floor cleaning tips is to use an ice pack on grease stains until the grease hardens. Then, remove the ice pack with a dull knife. Wipe away the rest with a damp cloth.
- Wipe ink stains away with a damp cloth. Add some detergent if the ink does not come up right away. You can also buy a commercial ink remover, if necessary.
- Nail polish? Use (you guessed right) nail polish remover.
- Drinks like Coca-Cola or wine come up with a damp cloth.
- Use a pencil eraser to lift shoe scuffs and heel markings.
If your wood or laminate floors are beginning to look tired by streaking or displaying that film and cloudy look, do not panic. These floor cleaning tips and tricks will restore your floors to “like new,” without breaking your back or spending lots of money on resurfacing. Not sure if you are up for the challenge or maintaining your beautiful floors? Clean Heart Maids is the standard of residential and commercial cleaning in Kansas and Missouri. Call us today and visit our website to learn more!