Can laminate flooring be washed with Domestos? which cleaning products are safer

1 Classes of laminate

The wear resistance class of the laminate is a universal indicator of the service life of the coating at various degrees of load exerted on it.

According to European standards, all products are divided into two groups of operation:

1. 1. Commercial (grades 31-34) - for use in public institutions. Possesses high strength and increased protection. When used for its intended purpose, it serves from 3 to 5 years, at home this period increases to 10-30 years.
2. 2. Household (grades 21-23) - spreads in private houses, that is, rooms with low traffic. Serves on average from 2 to 5 years. The design is lightweight, thin, of medium strength, but the price is several times lower.

The method of caring for it directly depends on the wear resistance class of the coating. So, commercial laminate of 33 and 34 classes is allowed to be washed once every 2-3 days. For specimens of classes 31 and 32, no more than one wet cleaning per week is allowed. Materials up to class 31 should not be exposed to moisture at all.

How and what to wash, what can and cannot be used?

Even at the stage of choosing the right model and quality of the laminate, ask the sales assistant what kind of care this particular flooring requires. A competent salesperson knows this information very well. Well, if you are not lucky with a consultant, then below is comprehensive information about caring for laminate flooring at home.

As a rule, this does not require special tools. It is not necessary to use varnish either. There is no need to polish either. Caring for laminate flooring in an apartment or house is often limited to simple cleaning with plain water. Many manufacturers produce special cleaning products for laminate flooring. These products facilitate the removal of tough stains, fight germs and do not leave streaks.

When choosing, give preference to those brands that specialize in the manufacture of environmentally friendly products. And if you want to buy some kind of product for the laminate and save money at the same time, then take a 3 - 9% solution of distilled white vinegar. It costs very little, but it is quite effective. Proportions - One glass of vinegar is added to a bucket of water.

The rag should be well wrung out and not leave behind wet puddles

Which mop is best for cleaning laminate flooring? You can use absolutely any tool for cleaning, as long as the rag is soft enough, without hard inclusions, and the water is warm.

Although the laminate is not particularly demanding, there are a number of important rules, the knowledge of which will greatly facilitate the maintenance of the coating and extend its service life:

You should not use abrasive materials or products when washing, because they can irreversibly spoil not only the appearance of the coating, but also affect its consumer qualities.

This is especially important when cleaning the laminate after renovation.
Do not use direct steam for cleaning, as it will destroy the top coat.
It is best to add only those chemical or natural products to the water that the laminate manufacturer recommends in the instructions.
Good quality, high-end laminate flooring is immune to sharp heels and pet claws. But bulky furniture can leave unpleasant marks during movement.

When furniture is rearranged in the house, then all heavy objects must not be dragged from place to place, but carried by lifting. Hard edges and feet can deeply scratch the fabric. If you still decide to move the furniture, then put some soft material under it. The most ideal option is felt.
If you still could not avoid scratches and dents, then try to mask them with a special paste. In the store, you need to choose the appropriate color for these products. Well, if the damage is very strong, then you will have to replace the entire board. It is advisable, by the way, to take into account such options even when buying the entire batch of laminate. Buy it a little more.

Laminate cleaners

The household chemicals market has a huge number of products created specifically for this type of floor. But not only: inventive housewives, through their experience, also helped to compile the following list of improvised means.

Folk

• Vinegar. At home, you can clean your laminate floor by mixing vinegar with water in a 1: 4 ratio.
• Baby shampoo. The most harmless method. You can wash the laminate floor by dissolving 5 tbsp. l. shampoo.
• Ethyl alcohol is used when cleaning to remove streaks. It is diluted with water 1: 5. This solution can be washed quite often. They can also complete general cleaning.

Professional

1. "Bugs Laminate". A relatively inexpensive Russian-made product. Contains flax oil. Also suitable for daily cleaning.
2. "Laminol". Also a domestic product. When you need to wash your laminate without streaks - this is Laminol. It has several more advantages: does not require rinsing, softens hard water, contains orange oil.
3. "HG". Dutch production. In its normal form, it can be used as a stain remover, and if diluted with water, the entire floor can be washed. Also, after washing, "HG" leaves a protective film and a pleasant aroma.
4. Emsal Laminate. German production. Good for all types of dirt: glue, grease, wax and paint stains. Also covers the floor with a thin film.
5. Mellerud. Manufactured in Switzerland. It is considered one of the best in the world.
6. "Unicum". After washing with this substance, there are also no streaks, a shine appears. It also kills bacteria and has a pleasant scent.
7. Starwax. Emulsion from a French manufacturer. It washes laminate flooring well from dirt, but leaves no shine. You do not need to wash it off. The housewives who used it recommend diluting in twice as much water as indicated in the instructions. Perhaps the product is more suitable for cleaning premises where they walk in outdoor shoes.
8. Denkmit. The peculiarity of this product is that after washing the floor, a wax film remains, which does not allow moisture to pass through.
9. "Mr Proper". Can be called universal. It washes away dirt quite quickly from various floor surfaces. Washes off easily and smells nice.

Washing vacuum cleaner

This cleaning tool has both pros and cons. Let's consider all the advantages and possible risks.

Pros:

1. High cleaning speed.
2. High-quality floor cleaning.
3. Various attachments and modes.

Minuses:

1. Abundant use of water - i.e. only suitable for high moisture resistance laminate flooring. Even the HPL type is not recommended to be vacuumed.
2. The surface of the planks may become discolored.
3. Brushes can damage the floor surface.

Steam generator

There is a lot of controversy around the steam generator regarding the laminate, but still most housewives agree that this tool is dangerous for such a coating. Hot steam is the worst thing you can think of for a laminate floor. it can destroy even the most wear-resistant.

Instead of a steam generator, you can use an alternative tool - a steam mop. It does not attack the laminate flooring as aggressively. But you need to use it very carefully: steam can get into the joints.

How to clean tough stains

The general rule of thumb for removing stains from laminate flooring is to start removing as soon as possible. Over time, the dirt eats into the surface and becomes more persistent.

Zelenka

If brilliant green is spilled on the laminate, you must immediately collect the liquid as much as possible with the help of absorbents - dry napkins, toilet paper, salt, starch, sand. The brilliant green will only be smeared with damp rags.After the main part of the liquid has been collected, the stain is wiped with a cotton swab dipped in glass cleaner, alcohol, kerosene or gasoline until the dirt is removed from the laminate. Aggressive agents must first be checked on an inconspicuous area.

Dye

Oil paint can be removed from laminate flooring with white spirit or automotive chemicals, and bitumen removers are best. It is strongly not recommended to scrape off the stain with a sharp object.

Polyurethane foam

Drops of polyurethane foam are removed from the laminate using "Dimexidum" - a medicine that can be purchased at the pharmacy. The stain is gently wiped off with a product applied to a cotton pad.

Acrylic paints

While the acrylic paint has not set, a damp sponge will help wash off the dirt from the laminate. After drying, and acrylic dries almost immediately, it is best to use special removers for acrylic paint, which are sold in hardware stores.

Plaster putty

Gypsum hardens very quickly, so it is better to remove drops of material on the laminate as soon as possible. If the gypsum has had time to harden, it is soaked with a damp cloth left on it until softened, and washed with vinegar.

Scotch marks

Minor traces of scotch tape are wiped off with an eraser, but if the method does not completely help, the sticky spot is washed off with soapy water. Complex or bulky contamination is removed with vodka or alcohol.

Wine or cognac stains

It is best to remove alcohol stains with a soft cloth dampened in a mild detergent solution. After removing the stain, the surface is washed with clean water.

Gum, gum, wax, or glue

The freezing method will help to remove adhering gum, wax that has dripped from a burning candle, resin that has fallen from a Christmas tree, or accidentally glue from the laminate flooring. A piece of ice or a bag of frozen vegetables from the freezer is placed on the dried contamination, and then scraped off with a scraper.

Blood

Blood stains are removed with a glass cleaner. A cotton pad is moistened in liquid and the dirt is gently wiped off.

Markers and ink

How to remove stains left by writing and drawing tools depends on the substrate on which the felt-tip pen or marker is made. The easiest way is to remove marks from a water-based felt-tip pen - contamination can be dealt with with plain water.

More stubborn dirt will succumb to toothpaste or solvents. Paste without whitening effect is applied to the stain, after which it is removed with a soft cloth. Solvents such as acetone, nail polish remover or white spirit are pre-tested in a small area, in the absence of material deformation, the contamination is removed over the entire area.

Shoe stains and streaks

Often, dark stripes remain on the floor surface from tangential contact with the sole of the boots. Such contamination can be removed with a stationery eraser.

Laminate panel devices

In order to better understand how to properly care for a laminate floor at home, let's figure out how it works.

As the name suggests, each individual lamella (panel, board) of a laminate consists of several layers, more specifically, four.

Bottom, directly in contact with the floor, stabilizing layer. It reinforces the rigidity of the board, thereby protecting and preventing deformation.

Load-bearing, base layer of the laminate panel. Made of high density wood fiber board and treated with various water repellent impregnations. It is in this layer, due to its thickness, that the interlocking of the laminated panels is located for bonding into a single floor covering. In addition, the base layer performs noise and heat insulating functions.

Panel decorating layer.Thick paper with a pattern applied to it, imitating the surface of any natural material, geometric pattern, and the like.

Top, protective layer of the panel surface. It is he who is most susceptible to external influences as a result of not careful handling of the floors and during their cleaning. This lamella layer is made of acrylic or melamine resins and is decorative, anti-scratch and impact resistant. According to the strength and thickness of its application, the protective coating, in turn, is divided into four classes of wear resistance:

• Class 31 - for use in home (household) premises:
• 32 - higher level of protection, used for home or public spaces with low traffic:
• 33 strength class - house, premises for commercial use;
• 34 and above - for industrial and sports purposes.

It should be noted that the concept of class classification is rather relative. And for laminate coatings from different manufacturers (Asia, Europe, America), with the same level of protection (32, 33 class), operational in terms of terms and strength, real capabilities, can differ significantly.

Disadvantages of flooring - laminate

There are few disadvantages to this type of flooring, but they are. And they must be taken into account when making a choice. In many respects, the disadvantages of laminate flooring coincide with parquet

When choosing a laminate panel or parquet flooring, pay attention to their workmanship

Both materials are sensitive to long-term exposure to moisture and chemicals contained in detergents designed to care for laminate and parquet flooring at home. The quality of the preparation of the main surface intended for laying a parquet or laminate floor is further reflected in its condition. And may cause blistering and cracking.

At their cost, certain types of laminated panels are comparable to expensive types of parquet, which once again reminds of the need to follow the rules for their care.

What can not be washed with a laminate flooring

When cleaning laminate floors, it is recommended to use special laminate detergents. It is forbidden to use products containing chemically aggressive components. They have a negative effect on the laminate flooring.

1. Bleach and chlorine-containing products, such as Whiteness, must not be used for cleaning. Bleach bleach discolors the surface and changes the color of the decorative coating.
2. Do not use high concentration acid and caustic alkali. Such agents will erode the protective coating and destroy the fibreboard.
3. It is forbidden to use disinfectants and other products containing ammonia. It affects the laminate flooring, degrading its gloss.
4. It is not recommended to use polishes and products intended for the care of other coatings when cleaning. Surface stains, cloudiness and streaks may appear.
5. The use of abrasive powders, pastes and coarse brushes is prohibited. This leads to scratches on the laminate, which degrades its appearance and leads to rapid wear.
6. Do not clean the floor with a wet cloth with a lot of water. Penetrating into the cracks, moisture leads to swelling of the fibreboard and deterioration of the coating.
7. Do not overdose detergents in water solution. This is the most common cause of surface streaks and damage to the integrity of the coating.

General rules for the care of laminate flooring

There are several well-known rules, but everyone should read them again:

• Before wet cleaning, the laminate floor must be swept or vacuumed using a soft nozzle so that small debris does not scratch the coating while wiping with a rag.
• Wet mop at least twice a week.
• In case of accidental contact with moisture on the laminate, it is necessary to immediately remove the wet spot.
• When using a new laminate cleaner, be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area of ​​the floor beforehand. If the type of coating has not changed, then you can wash it.

The nuances of using a washing vacuum cleaner

Many families have recently purchased cleaning vacuum cleaners. This is a very convenient and practical invention that reduces cleaning time several times and increases its quality. But is it possible to clean parquet with such a unit? Wouldn't this harm the outer coating, because it reacts extremely negatively to excessive moisture?

During operation, such a vacuum cleaner sprays a special solution over the surface to be treated. At the second stage of cleaning, after a while, they also collect this moisture. During this period, while there is water on the floor, moisture can get inside the laminate structure, which will lead to irreparable consequences. Therefore, it is not recommended to remove such a coating with an ordinary washing vacuum cleaner.

But, home appliance manufacturers have come up with a solution to this problem. They began to produce special models of washing vacuum cleaners designed specifically for laminate floors. The essence of the work of these models is to take into account the characteristics of the coating and spray water with a detergent less intensively. Also, they are equipped with an excellent liquid suction nozzle and a special brush that completely removes the remaining moisture from the laminate.

Steam generator and laminate

Also, many are interested in the question related to the advisability of using steam cleaners for cleaning such a floor. Many experts do not recommend doing this, because steam will penetrate between the joints of the lock-type laminate, and this will lead to the destruction and deformation of the floor. An exception can be made only for adhesive-type coating. In this case, steam will not be able to get inside the structure. If you nevertheless decide to use this device for cleaning your laminate floor, then use only a periodic supply of steam and carry out cleaning through a special napkin folded in half.

Laminate flooring is a wonderful invention. But in inept hands, any masterpiece, even the strongest one, can fall into disrepair. Therefore, do not neglect the rules of care, and for this he will serve you for a long time.

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We remove scuffs

Most often, scuffs on the coating appear in common areas - in the corridors, in the kitchen, on the thresholds. If you install a coating with low wear resistance, then you cannot avoid the appearance of abrasions.

In caring for such a floor, it is important to use a protective coating so that later you do not solve the problem of how to get rid of scuffs.

Wax, just like removing scratches from laminate flooring, helps to hide scuffs. To do this, rub the rubbed area with wax, going slightly beyond its border. The area is then polished with a soft cloth. You will have to constantly wax the floor to protect the floor from wear and tear.

Useful Tips

In order for the laminated floor to serve for a long time and at the same time not to lose its attractive appearance, it is necessary to remember some points:

• Outdoor shoes should not be worn in rooms with laminated floors. The stiletto heels of women's shoes and sand brought in on the sole can damage the coating.
• It is better to put a rug at the front door. It will protect the high traffic area and trap street dirt.
• Place soft pads, such as felt, under the furniture legs.
• The wheels for the computer chair must be rubberized.
• If there are pets, they need to trim their nails regularly.
• The use of special polishes twice a year enhances the color of the laminate, removes scratches, and maintains its gloss and cleanliness for a long time.

Laminate is a beautiful and durable coating that is used both in apartments and in private houses. A wide range of color options allows you to choose an option for any interior.

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Fresh lemon is not only suitable for tea: clean the dirt from the surface of the acrylic bathtub by rubbing with half a cut citrus, or quickly wash the microwave by placing a container with water and lemon slices in it for 8-10 minutes at maximum power. The softened dirt will simply be wiped off with a sponge.

Summary

Now you know that laminate flooring differs from other floor coverings not only in its beauty and high wear resistance. Caring for your laminate flooring in your apartment is a simple and enjoyable experience. Do not believe me - watch the video in this article and see for yourself: if you follow the simple rules, the laminate will faithfully serve you for many years.

Caring for the laminate has its own characteristics, you must not forget about it. If everything is done correctly, the laminate floor will look like new even after a few years after renovation. On the other hand, a small oversight can lead to swelling of the coating, deformation, violation of texture, pattern and color.

Caring for a laminate in an apartment or house consists of three main procedures:

• daily removal of dust and dirt;
• weekly wet cleaning with special detergents;
• recovery measures as needed or every six months.

It is better to use professional products for high-quality and safe care of the laminate, but in extreme cases, homemade, homemade ones will also work. Read more about the intricacies of cleaning laminate flooring below.

Caring for a laminate floor will be easier if you understand what and how it is made from. This is not natural wood, like parquet, but not completely artificial material, laminate has its own characteristics. Professional builders sometimes refer to this material as puff pastry for its texture:

1. The bottom layer is stabilizing. It is a reinforced cardboard impregnated with melamine. Melamine enhances its strength and moisture resistance, sometimes kraft cardboard is additionally covered with a layer of noise-insulating material.
2. The carrier layer is the body of the laminate, in budget versions it is represented by a dense chipboard board, in premium materials - natural wood. it is in this layer that grooves and locks are cut for a strong connection of the lamellas.
3. The outer layer is decorative. It is always made of thick paper with impregnation and laminated coating, but the design can be anything you like - like natural stone, brick, wood, etc. the wear resistance and durability of the laminate depend on the quality of the laminated coating.

Recently, they have also begun to produce a laminate with increased moisture resistance. Its body is not wood or chipboard, but a very durable polymer in air chambers.

Caring for a laminate of this type is extremely simple, but such a coating also costs many times more.
Therefore, if you chose the classic option when renovating an apartment or house, be sure to read on, the advice of experienced users will definitely come in handy.

Most consumers with an average income prefer to install economy-class laminate floors in their apartment - that is, with a chipboard base. Chipboard is strong enough, economical, but very hygroscopic.

The moisture resistance of this material is not very high, with strong wetting, the chipboard will swell, increase in volume and deform. Therefore, such floors cannot be flooded with water - they will deteriorate, despite the laminated coating.

But this does not mean that wet cleaning is excluded. Washing laminate floors can and should be done according to certain rules.

You can use warm or cold water and liquid products specially designed for the maintenance of laminated floors - for example, Mister Muscle or Propper.
Do not wash the laminate with hard brushes or use abrasive pastes and powders - only liquid gels and mops with a soft nozzle or cloth.
It is important to wring out the brush or rag well. excessive moistening of the laminate will not only lead to its swelling - after drying, ugly stains will remain on the surface.
After processing with a solution with detergent, be sure to wipe the floor with clean water, using again a well-wrung out rag or a special mop.
Finally, the floor is either wiped dry or left to dry naturally

It is not recommended to turn on heaters and walk on a washed, damp floor.

Do not forget that dry cleaning must be carried out before wet cleaning - a soft broom or vacuum cleaner with a special nozzle removes all dust from the surface of the laminate and baseboards. By the way, you cannot use a washing vacuum cleaner to clean laminate flooring. The only exceptions are the most advanced units in which a similar function is provided by the manufacturer.