Laminate Flooring

Avoid using abrasive tools on laminate flooring

Laminate flooring has a protective surface to help prevent scratching, but laminate floors can still scratch if you use abrasive tools. Steer clear of anything like steel wool, instead use a soft-bristle broom or dust mop. When vacuuming be careful to use an attachment without a beater bar or rotating brush, which could also scratch the surface.

Is it OK to steam clean a laminate floor?

In short, not really. Although laminate floor is water water-resistant, it has an inner core which can be damaged by excessive moisture and intense heat. An occasional quick clean won’t hurt too much, but could eventually cause the floor tiles to warped come loose.

Our advice is to avoid steam cleaning, even if the steam cleaner claims it’s suitable for laminate floor. Use a lightly damp mop instead, and never over saturate the floor.

Only use cleaners approved for laminate flooring

Try to only use cleaning fluids that are suitable for laminate flooring. Some oil-based cleaning fluids will leave streaks and when dry show a residue. Certain cleaners may actually damager the protective surface coating of the laminate. Always spray the cleaner onto the cloth or mop you are using, avoid spraying it direct on to the floor surface.

How to avoid discolouration

Sunlight is the biggest culprit for the discolouration of any type of flooring. Direct sunlight over time will cause the colour of a floor to fade, to avoid this we suggest closing curtains wherever possible to shade areas of extreme sunlight.

Heat emitting appliances such as heaters can also cause discolouration. Try to avoid permanent sources of heat over your floor, and where unavoidable consider using a mat to help protect the surface.

Note: Use unbacked mats on LVT as the rubber backing can itself cause discolouration.