How to Make Your Laminate Flooring Gleam

Everyone loves laminate flooring - it is affordable, versatile and durable, making it perfect for most rooms in the home. If your floor is looking a little dull, however, and you long for the shiny finish associated with real wood flooring, this guide will help you to make the most of your and give it a new lease of life.

Clean it thoroughly

Sweep your floor, getting into every corner to pick up every trace of dust, debris, pet hair and anything else. Don't forget to clean underneath all items of furniture and right up to the skirting boards, as dust and pet hair have a habit of ending up in these spaces. You can use a damp mop, broom or vacuum with hard-floor attachment, but make sure you get everything up. Starting with a vacuum or broom and finishing with a damp mop is the best way to ensure you have done a thorough job.

Mop

Fill your mop bucket with one gallon of warm - not hot - water and add a cup of distilled white-wine vinegar. Using a soft mop, clean your floor, being careful not to use too much water or leave pools and splashes on the floor. When you have gone over the floor once, replace the water-vinegar mix with clean, warm water and go over the floor with your mop once again. Your floor should now be clean and damp, but there should certainly not be excess water visible anywhere. Using too much water can damage your flooring.

Dry the floor

Using a dry, soft cloth, dry the floor by hand using a circular motion. Keep going until you have dried the entire floor, replacing the damp cloth for a fresh dry one as you work if necessary.

Polish

Your floor should be looking much better already, so now it is time to add some sheen for the finishing touch. Using special laminate floor polish, polish the floor by hand with a soft, lint-free cloth. Start in one corner and methodically work your way across the room, making sure not to miss anywhere. Follow the instructions on the polish bottle and repeat a second time if necessary. It is important to only use special laminate floor polish and never multi-purpose household polish. Using something not formulated for laminate floors could lead to a dangerously slippery surface and even damage your flooring.

Article kindly provided by carpetdesignandflooring.co.uk