Archive for July, 2011

How to Care for Your Laminate Flooring.

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Laminate flooring is becoming more and more popular among homeowners and interior decorators because of the benefits that they provide. For one, they are much cheaper than traditional flooring like solid wood and carpet. Second, they are durable and long lasting and can withstand constant wear and tear. Third, they are easy to install which is helpful for people who love to do DIY projects.

Laminate floors can last for 10 to 25 years, depending on the quality of the laminates and how you take care of them. Although they are cheap, you should still do your best to make them last as long as possible to prolong the time when you need to replace the flooring and also to save money. Caring for your laminates is easy to do. Just follow the tips outlined in the paragraphs below.

  • Regularly sweep the floor to keep it clean and dust-free. In dust prone areas like under the furniture or behind the door, you should use a damp microfiber mop to collect all dirt debris and dust balls. Do not use soaking wet mop or cloth on the laminates. Moisture or high humidity makes the laminate floors and even most types of wood expand.
  • Put doormats outside the exterior entryways to remove or at least reduce sand, moisture, and dirt from and on your shoes before entering the house. It would be more difficult to clean your laminate flooring if there are trails of water and dirt on its surface. Be sure to tell all the members of your household to briskly wipe the soles of their shoes on the doormats before entering the house.
  • Choose non-scratch rugs or pads to minimize scratches on the surface of the flooring. You can choose a rug or pad with rubber underneath. This type of rug or pad is not only scratch-free but also prevents slipping which can be dangerous to you and your family.
  • As much as possible, avoid stepping on the laminate flooring with your stilettos or shoes with pointy heels. This could create small depressions on your floor that would make it look uneven especially if there are already too many of them. Remove the shoes before stepping on the floor or do not step on it too hard and too long with your pointy heels.
  • For furniture legs, use a protective covering that you can put under the legs to prevent them from scratching the floor. This is not only advisable for laminates but also for other types of flooring like wood, carpet, or tiles.
  • Rearrange your furniture regularly to prevent indentation on the surface of the floor. However, when rearranging the furniture, do not slide the furniture over the floor surface to prevent scratches. Instead, ask another person to carry the furniture from one place to another. If the furniture is too heavy, like a grand piano or armoire, you can put a soft thick cloth under the legs to prevent floor scratches.

Caring for your laminate flooring is easy to do as long as you remember the tips mentioned above.