The Sun Will Return to Shine Again

When installing a laminate floor, yous presume it'll maintain its shiny look, but what happens when the floor turns wearisome or develops streaks? Fortunately, in that location's several tricks on how to brand laminate floors shine. Laminate floors take a long list of proficient points, only unfortunately, if not cared for properly, they have a tendency to develop a slow or streaky appearance.

Laminate floors are popular because they provide excellent durability, wait abrupt, and are affordable for most homeowners. In a nutshell, they are an economic way of giving your domicile a wooden flooring appearance. Only over fourth dimension, they often lose their shiny appearance. This article will bear witness you how to make your laminate floors shine like new again.

What is a Laminate Floor?

Laminate flooring may look every bit elegant equally hardwood floors, just they typically costs a fraction of the price. This flooring is a composite material made with multiple layers. In fact, a laminate flooring can take three or more layers depending on the manufacturer.

The base layer, often made of plywood or fingerboard, is why laminate flooring is so strong and durable.

On acme of the base layer is a high-resolution print paper that'due south added to bring out the desired advent of the floor planks. And the topmost layer is typically made of melamine resin which protects the floor from wear-and-tear and makes it piece of cake to maintain.

Because laminate flooring contains wood fiber components, information technology'southward critical to care for it in the aforementioned style as a hardwood floor. Since wood fibers readily absorb water, it's important to pay attention to how much water is used when cleaning the flooring.

Want to larn more about laminate flooring? Watch this video:

How to Brand Laminate Floors Shine

Information technology might surprise you lot to know that in that location are actually several different methods to getting a shine back on your laminate floors. The method you choose, really depends on your personal preference and the amount of money y'all want to spend.

The outset method uses vinegar and water and requires a bit more elbow grease, but it's not that difficult. The process will strip all the cleaner residuum from your laminate flooring surface, and get out it looking shiny and new. And the best part, you lot won't need to spend much money!

The 2nd option, is especially expert for older laminate floors, although it does require the purchase a few supplies. Y'all'll actually be adding a polish to the floor.

Vinegar and Water Method

If your laminate floor has a tiresome look, it's virtually probable from a build-up of the cleaning products. This cheap method will help make your laminate floors smooth again.

You lot'll need a bucket, some white vinegar, and a few clean towels.

Hither's what to exercise:

Step One - Get a saucepan of warm water and add together about a i/2-cup of white vinegar.

Step Two - Soak a make clean towel in the water and vinegar mix, then wring information technology out so its clammy, merely non dripping moisture.

Step Three - Take a section of the flooring and wipe it down with your damp towel.

Stride 4 - Then immediately use a dry, clean towel to dry out the area.

Step V - Movement to the next section and echo until you've finished the unabridged floor.

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Polish Method

If you choose to follow the smoothen method, you lot'll need to purchase a laminate floor polish. We recommend the Bona Flooring Polish which is designed for laminate floors as well every bit other difficult surfaces such as tile and rock.

You'll also need an applicator pad like the Bona Awarding Pad or something like. If you lot don't already have a floor mop, you might desire to option upward the Bona Micro Fiber Flooring Mop, which comes with a variety of cleaning pads.

Earlier polishing, it's always a good thought to beginning with clean floors, and then you may desire to consider cleaning your floors with the Bona Floor Cleaner before applying the polish.

Here'south what to do:

Step One - Identify the applicator pad nether a stream of water until its moisture. Then wring information technology out to remove all excess h2o. The applicator pad should only be damp. Identify the applicator pad on the base of the floor mop.

Step Two - Mix the Bona Floor Smoothen by gently turning it up and down. Vigorous shaking will cause bubbles.

Step Three - Apply the Bona Flooring Polish onto the floor in a back and forth pattern. Use a fair amount of product.

Footstep Four - Drag your floor mop against the grain of the laminate flooring to ensure that all of the shine is spread over the flooring. The floor should await very moisture.

Step Five - Afterwards the polish has been worked into the floor, drag the floor mop towards you so that yous are moving the grain of the flooring. This should pull any access polish to you.

Step 6 - Working in small segments, repeat the procedure until you have practical smoothen to your entire floor.

Pace Seven - Do not walk on the floor for at least two hours, and do not move any furniture onto the floor for at to the lowest degree 24 hours.

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four Reasons Laminate Floors Look Deadening and/or Streaky

Laminate floors are known for their groovy aesthetic value, so it's not great to run across them plow dull or streaky. Understanding why this happens will help you prevent information technology in the future.

Let's take a look at the four main reasons your laminate floor is dull or streaky:

Cleaner Build-up

This is the most common reason laminate floors lose their smoothen. If also much cleaner is used over time it'll build-up on the floor and leave a balance that makes it look slow or streaky.

Laminate is a depression-maintenance flooring that can be cleaned sufficiently with simply a few drops of mild dish lather and make clean water. Or if you lot prefer to use a cleaner, make certain you use a cleaner that'due south designed specifically for laminate floors, and follow the manufacturers recommendations.

At that place are several skillful laminate floor cleaners available. The cleaners by Black Diamond and Bona are both excellent choices.

Go on in mind, that if you use heavier cleaners, they'll leave a remainder behind, which will course streaks and reduce the shine on your floor.

Pro Tip : To avoid streaking, wipe the floor completely dry after mopping. This volition remove the leftover cleaning products.

Incorrect Technique

You might be surprised to learn that there actually is a correct and wrong fashion to make clean laminate flooring, and using the incorrect technique volition leave your floors with poor results.

Nosotros'll become into more than detail on this beneath, but for now, here's how to correctly clean your floors:

Sweep - Ever sweep abroad the surface dirt before mopping the floor. Use a dry, soft cloth that won't spread the dirt or dust effectually.

Mop - Apply a damp mop to wipe the floor. Ensure that the mop isn't dripping wet. Excess h2o can seep through laminate flooring and cause stains or even harm the boards.

Buff - If you accept time, buff your floor with a dry towel. This will forestall cleaner build-upwardly.

Incorrect Cleaning Tools

Everything yous utilize on your laminate floor should be soft, from the broom to the mop.

The microfiber mop by Bona is a peachy pick, as information technology comes with several cleaning pads that volition trap the grit, dirt and grit without spreading it to other areas of the house.

Using hard bristled brooms or rough cloth mops will go out you with a streaky floor plus scratches that ruin the laminate'southward cease.

Bona Microfiber Mop

Using a microfiber mop, like this ane by Bona is an excellent way to keep your laminate floors clean and shiny.

Sun Spots

If your flooring has an area exposed to stiff sunlight, it'southward highly likely that it'll fade faster than other sections, and ultimately go out the spot with a ho-hum look.

I easy solution is to depict the curtains during the time when the sun is beating down on the flooring. Some other pick that might work, depending upon where the sun is hit the floor, is to place a mat or rug on the spot.

Do any you can to proceed the sun off the floor. This will help protect your laminate flooring from prematurely aging.

How to Clean Laminate Floors

Knowing how to clean your laminate floor properly is the central to keeping them from developing streaks or becoming tedious. Proper cleaning can also restore the shiny appearance if it'south already dull or streaky. Here's what to practice:

Step One - Wipe Away the Surface Dirt

Begin by wiping whatsoever grit, dirt, pet hair, food particles, or other grit using a dry dust mop. The goal is to clear the floor then that there won't be whatsoever streaks formed from clay lying around when you come with a wet mop.

This also prevents instances where grit scratches your laminate floor when you're mopping. Wiping away the grit first makes the rest of the procedure much faster, plus, you'll accept an easier time achieving the shiny look y'all're after.

Step Two - Spray the Laminate Cleaner

A laminate cleaner is peculiarly fabricated to clean laminate flooring. It'due south a mild cleaner, and doesn't contain harsh chemicals.

Spray the cleaner sparingly on the surface area you're cleaning. Avert using too much, even when the floor looks actress dirty.

If your floor has tough stains, that'south when you lot tin can bring in supplies such as white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

Apply rubbing alcohol to spot-make clean paint, ink, crayon, or nail polish stains. With other stains, white vinegar will suffice. If a stain has dried on the floor, gently remove it by using a plastic scraper.

Step 3 - Use a Damp Mop

Afterward spraying the laminate cleaner, it's time to mop. The secret is to apply a clammy mop, simply make sure the mop isn't wet.

Since laminate floors are vulnerable to moisture damage, information technology'southward important to avert exposing the floor to water as much as possible. Water seeps through the planks and can crusade them to swell. The damage will exist irreversible.

For this reason, you should merely use a make clean damp mop that glides softly on the floor.

Stride Four- Buff to Shine

One time yous've finished mopping the flooring, you'll want to buff it dry with a clean, dry cloth. This serves two purposes:

1. It ensures the flooring is completely dry and that there'south no h2o or product residue left behind that could cause a dull cease.
2. This is how to make laminate floors smooth naturally.

But rub the cloth in a circular motion, drying information technology thoroughly. As with the mops and brooms, the textile should not have whatever rough fibers that scratch the laminate.

How to Continue Laminate Floors Shiny

Keeping your laminate floors shiny is a relatively straightforward chore and requires very fiddling try. Below you'll find some do's and don'ts that'll assistance maintain the laminate floor's attractive finish and appearance.

Dust Mop Your Flooring Daily

Every mean solar day, dust and dirt get together on your flooring. This is peculiarly true if you have kids and pets around, only fifty-fifty if you don't, grit will always discover a way inside your house. Failure to regularly grit mop your floors can crusade impairment to laminate flooring.

When yous take people walking over a dirty floor, the chances of having it scratched are high. Dust mopping your floor daily is an piece of cake way to forbid damage. You don't need to grit mop your entire house daily, only the areas with loftier foot traffic.

Follow Cleaning Instructions

Laminate floors contain materials that require special care in gild to maintain their advent. For instance, the topmost layer contains melamine, which can be easily damaged past acidic or abrasive cleaners.

The base material is comprised of plywood and can exist damaged by excessive water.

However, it's important to annotation that not all laminate floors are made the aforementioned. Then information technology's vital to make clean your floor co-ordinate to the manufacturer'south suggestions.

Your laminate flooring should come with instructions about which products to use and which to avert. Post-obit the manufacturer's suggestions will help your laminate flooring from losing its smooth, as well as preventing you lot from doing annihilation that could undermine the floorings quality and durability.

Avert Annoying Cleaning Products and Tools

Using abrasive cleaners and tools is one way to ruin your laminate floor quickly. These products tin cause scratches on the protective layer of the floor, and could eventually lead to staining and water harm.

Harsh products tin can likewise react with the upper layer of the flooring, speeding up its vesture.

Avoid both of these if you want your floor to remain smooth and shiny. Instead e'er use products and cleaning supplies that are gentle on your floor.

Clean-up Spills and Stains ASAP

Laminate floors have a tendency to blot h2o and liquids quickly. Therefore, it's critical to clean-upwards whatever spills or stains as soon every bit they happen. If you leave them to sit for long, they'll seep into the floor layers, and could exist impossible to remove.

Employ a balmy soap solution and a clean material to wipe the affected surface area to remove the stain. You can also use rubbing alcohol or white vinegar, depending on the blazon of spill or stain.

If yous have pets, yous should be extra vigilant most spills at their feeding areas. The all-time manner to stay ahead, in this instance, is by placing rugs beneath feeding bowls. That way, fifty-fifty if they spill water or nutrient, it won't autumn directly onto the laminate flooring.

However, don't forget to clean below the rugs frequently as pet pilus, food, and dirt has a tendency to gather there.

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Other Maintenance Tips for Laminate Floors

Other than the daily dose of dust and dirt, other things tin contribute to dulling, staining, and scratching a laminate floor. Identifying these things and guarding against them is the just sure way to maintain the floor's smoothen.

Here's a few things to keep in heed:

Utilize Furniture Pads

There'due south a good chance your laminate flooring will scratch when moving furniture. This tin be avoided by using furniture pads under the feet of your furniture to avoid the friction caused when moving it from 1 place to some other. This is especially true if you lot move your piece of furniture around oftentimes.

Trim Your Pets' Nails

Your pets pilus is not the only affair you lot should be concerned about. If your pet has long nails, then chances are they're going to cease upward scratching your laminate floors and could even cause severe damage.

To preclude this, simply trim their nails, so they don't pose a risk to your floors. This tip will not only protect your floors, but could also save your furniture and other vulnerable surfaces.

Beware of House Plants

House plants are not bad additions to any indoor space for a variety of reasons, only they tin can wreak havoc on your laminate flooring if you're non conscientious.

Plants can ruin your floor if their pots or containers are leaking. It'due south important to ofttimes check the containers to ensure they're intact and won't allow any moisture onto the floor. Placing the containers on a tray or saucer will offer another level of protection to the upper layer of your laminate flooring.

Yous can as well place the containers on rugs for this exact reason. A rug will blot any moisture or sap from the leaves and ensure that the floor remains dry.

Next, avoid dragging the plant containers on the flooring. Dragging them tin easily cause scratches, then it's better to lift and carry them from i place to some other when moving them around.

Concluding Thoughts

A high-quality laminate floor can proceed your house looking elegant for many years, merely only if you maintain it properly.

Hither are the nigh important things about caring for a laminate floor:

• Avert exposure to h2o
• Avoid harsh chemicals
• Avert abrasive cleaning supplies

A damp mop with clean water and mild soap followed by a vitrify will give you the shiny clean look you desire. Although, y'all can add a polish if yous like.

Remember, reading and following your manufacturer's recommendations for your specific laminate floor is e'er your best choice.

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Source: https://www.thinktankhome.com/laminate-floors-shine/

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