Tips For Cleaning Laminate Floors
43 Comments 
We recently had gorgeous laminate flooring installed in our living room and I just had to ask the installer what he recommended for cleaning it. Although it’s much easier to care for than real wood flooring and I’ve had it for years in other parts of the house, I want to maintain the high gloss that this one has (it would be a shame for it to dull over time or be plagued with streaks from washing). Here are his tips for cleaning it:
Directions
Washing Laminate Flooring
- Regularly use a soft brush attachment on the vacuum or use a swiffer style tool for picking up dirt and hair. Sweep or vacuum in the direction that the floor is laid so that you pick up all the crud between the grooves instead of trapping it in the flooring (especially if your flooring is mock-hardwood style that has the grooves between each “plank”).
- For washing, mix a couple quick squirts of gentle liquid dish detergent in a pail of warm water. Wring out the mop well so there won’t be any water dripping then wash the floor with the damp mop. No special cleaning fluid required!
My sister-in-law has a tried and true recipe for cleaning high gloss laminate that will leave the flooring streak-free:
- 1/2 cup of vinegar
- 1 to 2 squirts of liquid dish detergent
- Bucketful of warm water (about a gallon)
Using this homemade cleaner for about 7 years hasn’t affected her floor’s gloss/shine at all and she would notice it–she’s got very particular eye for that sort of thing. If there are streaks, increase the vinegar amount gradually until you find the fix.
Did You Know: Many manufacturers require you to only use their brand of cleaners or your warranty is voided. On one hand I understand it (if you washed it with bleach for example–should you really be eligible for all new flooring under the warranty?), but on the other hand–total ripoff considering there are suitable solutions that are cheap and effective (you’re locked into buying their brand of cleaner for the lifetime of the warranty–which can be up to 30 or 50 years for some brands). Check your warranty guide before washing with any homemade or commercial brand cleaning product.
More Tips
- Put felt pads on everything, underneath furniture legs, tv stands, coffee tables–you name it. This will help keep the floors scratch free.
- Place an area rug in the common seating area (by the couch in front of the tv for example). Helps prevent scratches in this high-traffic area as well as a layer of protection for accidental spills from beverages.
- Lift furniture when moving it rather than sliding pieces, will prevent scratches.
- Remove tough stains like shoe polish, spilled nail polish, tar, etc., with an acetone based nail polish remover.
We bought Quick-Step laminate flooring and this is the information we were given in regards to cleaning it…
NEVER use a wax, polish, oil, or varnish coating on the floor. Do not use soap-based detergents, oil soaps, or one-step clean and shine type products, or any product that squirts liquid directly on the floor.
For dry maintenance, use a dust mop or vacuum cleaner. Avoid vacuum attachments with ‘beater bars’, which could damage your floor.
For damp maintenance: Apply diluted QS Quick Clean cleaning product or water lightly to dry, soft cloth (never directly to the floor), wipe over floor. (Never use other cleaning products or detergents!) This product cleans the floor very well and leaves a satin shine. Only use a WELL WRUNG OUT CLOTH. ALWAYS WIPE DRY IMMEDIATELY AFTER until no moisture is visible on the floor. If you do not wipe it dry, the Quick Clean product has virtually no effect.
WET MAINTENANCE IS ENTIRELY FORBIDDEN! Never wet mop or use wet or steam cleaners on your floor.
We use the QS Cleaner on the floor, however, I think the point is..if you use some sort of liquid to clean it…you might want to spray it on a cloth or make sure it is all completely wiped up. Any moisture that will just sit on the flooring can cause damage.
I thought this might help in addition to this article.
We purchased a dark cherry laminate floor. Unfortunately the finish is very dull! We would like to clean it with something that gives it a little bit of a shine?
Any suggestions? We have tried the cleaner the company recommmended, swifter, wet mop and special laminate floor cleaner from Lowes.
I have been a floor covering cotractor for 30 years. I have istalled most laminate and hardwood floorig on the penisula in the Sa Francisco Bay Area. Mostly upscale. I would never recommend using acetone on anything unless it was a last resort. Products like mineral spirits and goo gone the citrus kind will remove most anything with out harming the flooring. Here is what I tell my customers. Dust mop or vacuum without a beater bar. I like Swifters the dry kind. Clean spills when they happen and use windex or any other amonia type cleaers for removing sticky spills. Maureen you can’t make a laminate floor shiney unless it came that way. Soap build up is the worse thig that usually happens to wood, laminate and vinyl flooring. Amonia will not leave a residue. If you do have hardwater or soup build up, that is when you should use a vinegar and water soulution. Wipe down the floor with the solution and try with a cloth. If you allow the solution to dry o the floor you have done nothing.
I am sorry to inform you all that you have been misguided in your methods of trying to keep your laminate floors clean.
It’s ironic that everyone says how moisture is the biggest enemy and then recommends which moisture to use.
Here is what you need to do and I guarantee you will never see your floors so clean.
Get on your hands and knees and wipe the floor clean with a DRY Magic Eraser.
They will be spotless and there will be no risk of build up but rather the opposite effect, that being no build up at all.
Careful before using DRY magic eraser – it’s a great product but given the chemical components it is made of as well as possibiity for minute scratches – the product may eventually dull the floor finish. I do not know this for certain – but not willing to compromise the integrity of my flooring.
I’m about to clean my laminate floor and have been reading alot of tips.
Vinegar (1C to 1 gallon warm water) is what I’ll be using – soap will leave a dull finish. Maybe not today, but with each use it’ll be noticeable.
I wouldn’t use the DryEraser either – I’ve seen the finish come off on a wall painted four years ago – it will also dull the floor.
I have high gloss laminate. I used the recipe at the top of the page (1/2 cup vinegar, 1-2 squirts liquid dish detergent & 1 gal warm water) Sat. to clean my floors. According to the person posting the recipe it will leave the flooring streak-free. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG When they dried you could see the streaks so I used a cleaner I had bought for laminate, well it left spots. I was so upset by this time I got out another microfiber cloth, wet it in warm water and squeezed it dry and went over the floors a 3rd time. When they dried there were no streaks or spots. I haven’t had the laminate very long and everyone that I talked to said they loved theirs, well I HATE mine because it’s been so hard to clean. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know because I’m at the point that I’m ready to cover it up if it hadn’t cost me so much.
I use a steam mop on my floors .. there will be a couple streaks if the microfibre pad gets too wet but it’s worth giving it a shot! I was in love with mine until it broke.. I think I will be trying vinegar and water now.
How about a microfiber mop with wet and dry pads and telescopic adjustable handle? =) I use the wash pad dry and spray the floor with water to avoid using too much water. It’s what I’ve used for the last 3 years and nothing works better and saves time and no chemicals to worry about.
Boy! do I ever hear you Margaret. My sentiments exactly !! If ever I discover a cure for all the cons re: this flooring I will write a whole book of remedies for same …. but don’t waste any time watching for this impossible feat. Know it cannot happen!!!
Margaret, try this…it really works well for me. I gallon of warm water with one cap full of JetDry dishwasher spot cleaner. Be sure to wring out your mop well so that you are only using a “damp mop” not dripping with water. You will see that they will dry spot free. GOOD LUCK!!
HI what type of vinegar do you use? Do you worry about the vinegar smell.
the installer that installed mine said a dust mop sprayed with endust helps keep the floor clean and shiny seems to be working fine for me and i have 2 teenagers in the house and little ones in and out all the time
i just finished reading the comments from margaret. is the floor not real slippery after using the end dust? i have tried various solutions on my floor to & have not been happy with the streaks. after washing an area, i have had to take a cloth & wipe the floors on my hands & knees. i finally used a dry mop to wipe it down with tonite. i love my shiny floors but absolutely hate the streaks!!
I have shiny dark cherry laminate flooring and it is beautiful. We got laminate because it was guaranteed not to scratch and so far, so good! The trouble with it is it shows streaks when any kind of floor cleaner, even plain water, is used. We got the Bona cleaning system (washable terry mop heads and cleaner, especially made for laminate). The bad news is that although the cleaner is really good, the floor must be dried with a terry cloth AS YOU GO. Leaving the floor to air dry always produces streaks, even with vinegar, although the streaks are less noticeable. So again, the key is drying the floor immediately after wiping it with any cleaner. A lot of work! These floors were really expensive, so I’m not about to replace them and it’s cheaper than going to the gym!
I’ve used this formula twice now. The first time I used the mop, and it was just ok. This time I used a rag and pulled a cinderella
I also tried the floor with a towel and it looks great!! I also added a couple of drops of lavender essential oil. So, it smells great and looks great! Thanks Tipnut!
I have a very dark laminate floor with a glossy finish. I use method wood floor cleaner. it is very good. it doesn’t leave any streaks and it smells like almonds. my problem is that the clean floors dont last. you can see every footprint, shoe print and my cats paw prints. an hour after I wash it, it looks as if I didn’t do anything. please help!
I find the best products to use are the vileda wet jet and pine sol lavender.I fill the bottle with about 500 ml of water and 2 teaspoons of the cleaner..I wet the vileda pads and then ring them out well, and the solution lasts 3 full cleans of 1000 sq ft, and to avoid streaks, i mop with the lay of the floor. I never have to dry the floor, and the scent is amazing. The prints on the floor from doggy and my family in 5 min are nearly unavoidable, laminate floors are covered in an aluminum oxide coating that shows every touch ( think of any stainless steel appliance) I wear house slippers, wash the floors often, and wash the dogs feet every few days.
I have the same problem , my floors are dark laminate and with in 5 mins of me washing my floor you can see every step someone has taken . I have tried all sorts of cleaning methods . I can not find one that does not leave it dull and show every foot print with in mins . Please help !
I have light cherry laminate floors and even though I am constantly cleaning them, they never look clean. I’ve tried vinegar water, clear water, steam mop and endless sweeping but they still look dull and smudges appear as soon as you walk on them. I absolutely hate them.If I had to do it over I would put vinyl flooring everywhere because I have that in my hallway and front and back porch and those floors never look dirty.
Endust isn’t a wax. It is just to help pick up the dust instead of preading it around. You spray it on the dust mop of swiffer. I am wanting to get laminate flooring in my house. I will probably just damp mop mine. I don’t like to use a lot of water when I mop my kitchen floor anyway. (It isn’t laminate). We have a lot of grandchildren and have carpet now. The carpet is playing havoc with my allergies.
I just had my laminate floor installed and I love it. I’ve been searching for the best and easiest way to clean it. The room it was installed in is 20 x 20 so I have no intentions of doing it on my hands and knees.(I’m 72 yrs old.) The salesman reccommended windex and I’ve seen a lot of suggestions for vinegar. Since windex comes in a vinegar rather than an amonnia base I’ve decided that would work best for me since I have a dog and dogs are drawn to the amonnia odor.
I have the same problem as Maya & Adean (above). Our floor cleans beautifully with a swiffer damp pad or just a damp cloth but EVERY FOOT PRINT shows regardless of shoes on or shoes off. What can I do….I hate it….and I was so eager to have the flooring installed.
Cleaning laminate flooring is simple- dirt and dust are easily removed with a vacuum or broom. Yes, keep in mind always never to use any of the following products on your floor: ammonia based cleaners, acrylic finishes, wax based products, detergents, bleach, polishes and oil soaps, or abrasive cleaning soaps.
our new light colored lalminate floors have been hit by our pets…left a urine spot, and I can not seem to get the spot back to the color of the other floor. How can I fix this problem?
I have found that warm water mixed with a small amount of my front loader washing machine fluid or powder works wonders. Cuts through everything, no suds, no streaking. Highly recommend.
We just had installed laminate flooring in our home. So far you are the only one who seemed to be successful in cleaning your laminate flooring.
What brand of washing machine fluid or powder are you using ?
Thanks.
Sigh! We had a house fire over a year ago, and we replaced the large downstairs, except for the den, with high gloss laminate flooring. I have nothing from the installer regarding how to clean, have read many, many reviews, and have not found the best, and easiest way to clean spots. Over 45 years ago, we had hardwood floors with 2 small children, and a dog. At that time, I used a dry mop sprayed with Endust. (Guess from 1 of the emails, it still exists.) With all of today’s technology, I thought Swiffer Wetjet would be the easiest way to go. It streaks! I tried wiping the spot with water. It spots! I then dried the area of each try with a microfiber mop. It is “hard work”. The mop does not want to move over a partly damp floor. The microfiber mop is great for picking up dust, but it is more work than I want for simply cleaning the damp laminate. I thought steam mop, some rave about that, some say don’t do it. I remember the phrase “water on wood–no good”. I think I will try the endust on the microfiber; if that doesn’t work–I’ll try it on a dry mop I will have to buy. I will have more cleaning equipment than I ever had before.
I also have dark cherry laminate and tried many things and everything left my floor streaky. I did some research and found a recipe that works for me. I use equal parts water, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. The vinegar and water clean and the rubbing alcohol makes it dry quickly so I don’t have to go back and dry the floors. I just use a mop with microfiber/terry pads and I have had great success. I think I need to get some new mop heads that have the ability to do some scrubbing though since my 8 month old is quite the mess maker now. I hope this helps!
I have dark cherry laminate floors they look great when i mop them and have the wet look if only they would stay like that is there anything we can put on them to make them have the wet look?? and stay like that
The guy who installed our new dominate floor did such a bad job, and now we have 3 dogs. The floor was never sealed, so regardless of what it said I use future floor wax. I kick the dogs out for the day and I wipe the floor down with windex and clean rags and then I do 3 coats of wax. It seals the floor and keeps it shiny. The upkeep isn’t too bad either, vinegar and water and once a year I strip the floor with ammonia and do it again.
Thanks for all of the great information, everyone. I have a very specific question. I have glossy laminate floors that I have been cleaning with a product from the store that provided the flooring. The product has always been fine but the store has discontinued it. I tried a cleaner from Home Depot but it deposited major residue on the floor that dulled it immediately. I then cleaned the floor with a vinegar and water solution that worked like a charm. I then used Bona on the floor as it stated it was for glossy laminate floors (from Home Depot), but I didn’t realize it was a polish. The floors actually came out great. Until… I tried using it again on a small area that is now dull. How can I fix this? I tried the vinegar and water solution again and the floor just looks dull. Should I match the bad area with the Bona again so it is glossy and then switch to something else for daily/weekly cleaning? Help!
I have laminate flooring in my kitchen. I tried the above recipe and followed the directions. It did clean my floors great, but it streaked really bad. What most of you don’t realize is it isn’t the solution, it’d the mop used to wipe the floors. It’s too wet. I went over it 3 times and after the third, I dried it as I was going and had no streaks. It’s extremely time consuming but it does the job well. Next time don’t use a mop, try rag and s towel to dry it with as you go. I have to get down on my hands and knees to clean it, but it turns out great.
Thanks everyone for the ideas! After reading the comments, I mixed 1/3 water; 1/3 vinegar & 1/3 Jet Dry in a spray bottle & used a clean, dry dust mop. My floors are STREAK FREE and that’s a first in 4 years! I think you could substitute rubbing alcohol for the Jet Dry & it would do a good job too. I’m going to get a better microfiber mop head but this is such an improvement! I have tried every laminate floor cleaner on the market & they all streak. Thanks again for the ideas!
Yep….I have used 1/3 water, 1/3 vinegar, & 1/3 rubbing alcohol since my laminate flooring was new 4 yrs. ago. Does not streak and looks the same today as it did when it was installed!
I also have high gloss laminate and have tried numerous products. I just did the vinegar and water with a couple squirts of dish soap, worked ok. I didnt know I was supposed to dry as i went tho and there is a film left. I then did the cinderella thing with endust. They look, ok…..my question is has anyone tried Halloway House Quick Shine? I have looked for it and havent found it yet, just wondering if it is worth it…..Thanks!
I used the jet dry and the water and it worked great. The first solution worked a bit but the viniger and soap made my floor sticky. I went to the store and bought murphy oil they say you can use it on laminate and thats what i have, dark laminate. I also used a glass cleaner cloth and washed floors on my knees. Very sad cause i have a lot of floor area which i feel exhusted afterwords. Then the cat comes out of the litter box, PAW PRINTS EVERY WHERE!! I need help with that. How to eliminate paw prints. Currently i have a peice of carpet for when they get out of litter box.
I clean a dentists office that has laminate throughout. The high traffic leaves footprints from snow salt etc. I wash with vinegar and a little dawn, and wring out the mop well, I don’t get streaks I think the key is to have only a damp mop you have to wring out well. But back to the problem when I’m finished you can see where peoples footprints are left like I said I think salt debri is ruining finish. Would the endust on dry mop help? And if so does this make it slippery at all?
I fill a spray bottle with water and pine sol. I sweep my floors with a Swiffer dry dust mop. Then spray a fine mist of my cleaner and then mop with a microfiber cloth. Make sure to NEVER use fabric softener on your microfiber cloth or that can contribute to leaving residue on your floors. I don’t have streaking and like th fresh scent of pine sol or one of their other scented cleaners.
Ya, i just bought super dark laminate flooring, and I have 2 rottweilers. Sooo needless to say, after it was installed I was OBSESSED with figuring out how to keep it clean longer than 5 minutes. Because after that, I have footprints all over.
I bought every possible cleaner. I first tried vinegar and water, and I got a haze. But after endless research, I realized that you have to buff the shine up to avoid footprints. So it ended up being a bit of work, but you basicially just put kind of a rougher, older bath towel on the floor, and step on it. then kinda scrub away, and it buffs up the shine. I tried it just in my kitchen, and made my dogs trample all over it, and it worked! I only do this once a week or 2, then i can spot clean through the week. What a relief! Hope this helps someone.
I love my laminate floors and I have no problems with streaks. I use 1 capful Mr. Clean to a gallon cool to warm water. I use a regular cotton mop but I really wring it as much as possible. I never have a problem with footprints or streaks. ( DO NOT use Murphys oil soap) It will cause everything to stick to the floor! I think everyone must be using a sponge mop which I don’t like. My mop is cotton and only slightly damp.
My floors used to be shiny and now they are dull. I use vinegar and a little dawn to clean them using a towel that is squeezed as dry as I can. It looks great after but by that night it is dull and looks terrible. Do I need to strip and then some sort of wax? Thanks for the help!
I work at a building centre and encounter all kinds of problems. According to our flooring department (these guys have more than 20 years experience each) , using dish detergent will leave you with residue buildup that looks terrible and is difficult to remove. When it comes to something as important as floors, because they are an expensive investment, I think it is best to use something recommended for laminate floors. I use a concentrate and know it always works great.