Laminate flooring is low-maintenance, but like all wood-like surfaces, it hates excess water. Over-wetting can cause boards to warp.
Fortunately, this guide shares professional techniques to clean your laminate floors streak-free, drawn from my friend Julien, a laminate flooring specialist with 15 years of sales and installation experience.
These methods cut cleaning time in half. Here's how:
Microfiber broom: Opt for one with a microfiber cloth head, like this model. It glides smoothly, traps dust and pet hair effortlessly, and its swivel head reaches under furniture easily for spotless, large-area cleaning.
Suitable cleaner: While commercial laminate cleaners work, our top recommendation is a cost-effective homemade recipe (detailed below).
Spray bottle: For easy, targeted application of the cleaner onto the microfiber mop.
1. Dry dust the floor with the microfiber broom to remove dust and hair clumps.
Alternative: Vacuum on the parquet setting to avoid damage.
2. Wipe the cloth over a sink to shake off dust, then rinse with clean water.
3. Lightly moisten the microfiber cloth with warm water.
4. Fill the spray bottle with the homemade cleaner.
5. Mist the cleaner directly onto the cloth.
6. Mop the floor using the same microfiber tool.
7. Rinse the cloth when it dirties, reattach, and continue.
8. After cleaning, rinse the cloth thoroughly and air-dry.
Your laminate floors will gleam without streaks or residue. This method works wonders on dirty floors and floating laminates too.
Minimal effort required—the microfiber does the heavy lifting, with no aggressive scrubbing or water risks.
Maintain your floors this way for years without replacement.
Microfiber mops eliminate the need for buckets and frequent rinsing—one cloth handles multiple rooms.
Wash it on a heavy-duty cycle when soiled or faded.
Always sweep or vacuum in the direction of the floorboards to clear grooves and prevent buildup—key to longevity.
- Avoid rotary brush vacuums—they scratch laminate.
- Skip vacuuming on glossy or lacquered surfaces to prevent micro-scratches, even on floor mode.
- No steam mops, sponges, or water-heavy systems—excess moisture causes permanent warping.
- Never wax or polish, as laminate isn't real wood.
- Steer clear of chemical shiners, bleach, abrasives, steel wool, or scouring pads—they damage the protective layer.
- Wipe spills immediately with a dry cloth or sponge; don't let liquids pool.
Blood: Spray glass cleaner and wipe with a damp cloth. See the trick here.
Chewing gum: Gently lift with a plastic knife (no metal), then clean residue with white spirit on a soft cloth.
Crayon: Rub with a white spirit-dampened cloth.
Grease: Harden with an ice pack, scrape with plastic, then glass cleaner and damp cloth.
Ink: Damp cloth first; add detergent if needed, or solvent—rinse well after.
Nail polish: Use remover, then warm water cloth. See the trick here.
Red wine/Coca-Cola: Wipe with damp cloth.
Shoe marks: Erase with a pencil eraser. See the trick here.
