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Laminate floors can be an affordable and easy to maintain flooring solution for your home. However, when the shine starts to wear off of them, you might start to wonder how you will ever get them looking new again. The good news is that there are a few things you can do in order to make it more likely that they will look better than ever before! Read on below as we discuss some ways that DIY enthusiasts have found success with this project.
In this blog post, I’m going to go over some tips from fellow DIYers who have done their own laminate floor refinishing projects in the past.
Things you will need
- Dustpan (optional)
- A Good vacuum cleaner with the hard floor setting
- Mop
- Water
- Distilled white vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Clean, lint-free cloth
How Do I Get My Laminate Floors to Shine?
Here are all the steps you’ll need to take in order to get your laminate floors looking like new again.
1. Sweep or Vacuum the Laminate Floor
The first step to getting the shine you want is to make sure that your floor is really clean. If there are any cobwebs, dust bunnies or dirt in hard-to-reach areas of the room, it’s time to grab a broom and start sweeping!
If this isn’t something you’d like to do with a broom, then just use a vacuum cleaner with the hard floor setting and run up and down each row for best results.
Tips:
- For best results, avoid steel wool and scrubbing sponges. Soft microfiber cloths are the gentlest way to make your laminate floors shine again without damage.
- You should even clean the parts of your floor that are not visible. If you don’t, then dirt and hair will slide across your floor. This is bad because it means you will have to sweep again from the beginning.
2. Use the Right Cleaner for Laminate
For laminate you should use a cleaner formulated for this type of flooring.
These cleaners are usually found in hardware stores and come with instructions on how to use them. Follow the directions carefully, but just know that you will need a bucket or sink and some towels near by so you can dry everything off before moving onto another section of your laminate floor.
Related: Using vinegar and water on laminate
Tips:
- To prevent dullness, avoid products with oil, soap, or strong chemicals. It is best to use a cleaning product designed specifically for laminate flooring and a water and vinegar mixture for shine!
- People who work with laminate flooring are the best sources for advice about revitalizing dull floors. They should also know how to avoid voiding your warranty by using the right methods.
- To determine if your chosen cleaning product is enough to clean the floor, test it on a small and hidden area. If the product cleans without damaging or changing the original material of the laminant floor, apply it to a larger area.
- Warm water is necessary for proper results. Cold water can leave streaks, as well.
3. Spray the Solution Directly Onto the Laminate
Next, spray the solution onto the laminate a little at a time so that the floor doesn’t get damaged.
Clean with warm water and do not dry with towels that are high in lint content because they can cause scratch marks in your floors!
4. Wipe the Cleaner Up With a Microfiber Mop
Once you have sprayed a good amount onto the floor, use a microfiber mop and wipe it in circular motions. The motion should be up-and-down at first on one section of flooring before moving on to another area. This will help prevent streaks caused by wiping across the floor too quickly or without enough pressure.
5. Dry the Laminate
Once your room surface has been cleaned and looks spotless, dry it off. If there is a large amount of water left behind, use a dry microfiber cloth to absorb the liquid. Otherwise, let it air dry. Walk on your laminate floor after it has dried to help maintain it.
Why Does My Laminate Flooring Look Dull?
A dull and streaky laminate floor is caused by several different things like dirt build-up, improper cleaning products and residue from cleaners that can build up over time on your flooring.
1. Too Much and Wrong Cleaners
It is best to use the right cleaner on your laminate floor. If you do not use the right cleaner, then it can be hard for people to see your floor because it will look dull. Plus when you overuse a cleaner, there might be too much of it and that will make your floor sticky even after mopping.
First, try your cleaner on a hidden area or on a glass. Then test it on the floor to make sure that it does not leave the floor more messed up than clean.
Regularly vacuum or sweep your laminate floor. This will remove dirt and dust that might scratch the floor. A good microfiber mop or dry dust mop will do the job.
2. Using Too Much Water on Your Floor
It is important to use a damp mop to clean your laminate floor. If you put too much water onto the floor, it will go into the cracks and joints of the laminate boards and can make your floor warp.
3. Sunlight
Sunlight can cause spots on your floor. Use curtains to help keep the sun out of the room.
4. Poor Cleaning Methods and Tools
If you are going to clean your home, it’s crucial to use the right products and tools. The wrong tools have the potential to damage your floors.
Water can damage the floor. You should be careful about what kind of machine you use to clean your floor. If it has a roller brush, your floor will become dull and have streaks and cracks in it.
In addition, if your furniture pads are missing or worn out it may also leave scuff and gauges that can cause the floor to lose its luster.
5. Plants and Pets
Overfilled or leaking water pots may damage your laminate flooring. If you have potted plants on the same surface, they can also pose a risk of causing leaks and damage to your laminate flooring due to over-saturation in the soil.
Pets have a tendency to scratch floors, especially laminate floors. They can also cause other damage that may not be easily repaired to your flooring by using pads on furniture and plant pots.
Easy Ways to Make Laminate Last
- Install rubber or felt pads on the bottom of your furniture to prevent potential scratches by table legs, chair legs, etc. For chair legs and the like, you can rely on small round pads. You should use more full pads for bigger and heavier furniture to protect the flooring space below.
- Vacuuming or sweeping your floor at least once a week will help to avoid scratched and dirty floors. Cleaning up more often if you have an active household with children or pets is also recommended.
- Make sure that you always use the floor attachment when vacuuming.
- Consider establishing a no shoes policy to keep your floors clean. If you don’t want that, then make sure the family and guests have suitable footwear to wear while they are in the house.
- Keep dirt, mud, and dust from getting into your home by placing floor mats inside. They not only welcome guests to your house but also help stop tracking in particles that come in from outside.
- Handle spills immediately. Once food spills on your floors, gather any solid waste with a towel. Use a cloth to wipe up liquids that end up on the laminate flooring.
- For scratches or dents on your laminate flooring, a touch-up kit is generally necessary to maintain the finish of the floor. Usually kits come with crayons, pencils, or patch material that will conceal any damages without changing the overall appearance of the floor.
- Do a periodic cleaning by using the products mentioned above or those made for laminate floor care.
Avoid Doing These With Laminate
- For the best chance of avoiding a dusty and dirty floor, always remove your shoes before entering.
- Never wax laminate floors – this will dull the material rather than shine it up.
Conclusion
We hope that you got some useful tips from this article on how to shine your dull laminate flooring. If you feel we missed anything then drop a comment below.
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