Laminate floor

The smooth factory finish on most laminate floors makes them easy to sweep with any nylon-bristled broom. You may also vacuum dust, dirt, and grit from laminate flooring, but avoid using upright vacuum cleaners with beater bars, which may mar the finish. Select a machine designed for vacuuming hard floors or use a brush attachment.

Laminate floors may be damp mopped. Avoid wet (soak) mopping; excess water will seep between the planks, where it may warp or damage the finished floor (and promote growth of mold and mildew underneath). Proper damp mopping means pressing as much cleaning solution or rinse water as you can out of the mop before putting the mop onto the floor.

When damp mopping, use a properly mixed solution of water and mopping detergent. This will clean the mop and floor without leaving strong odors in the home. Rinse the mop often and wipe up the cleaning solution and loosened soil completely.

Laminate manufacturers recommend against the use of floor wax and many cleaners and polishes made for vinyl and tile floors.

Unlike a “site-finished” hardwood floor, laminates should never be sanded or refinished. Doing so will ruin the manufactured surface in a hurry, and the floor will have to be replaced.