Let's admit; the laminate floor is an eye-catching element in the home. It not only exudes extra beauty but also makes walking more comfortable around the home. While the flooring looks stunning regardless of where you use it, it is notorious for collecting footprints and dirt.
That means you have to be careful when it comes to preventing or cleaning footprints on laminate floors. Laminate floors can only add value to your home when you know how to keep footprints off the floors.
In many cases, laminate floors have grooves that make removing or cleaning footprints challenging using conventional methods. Also, you must use the right cleaning method that increases and maintains the shine of the hardwood floors.
If your laminate flooring always looks dirty or there are footprints on it, here's how you can get rid of them.
How do I make my laminate floors not show footprints?
Footprints, no matter what size they are, can make laminate flooring look dirty or dull. The following could be the reasons;
- You were working in the yard and had to come in with your shoes.
- Your furry friend goes outside and comes back with dirt and sludge on its feet.
It is worth mentioning that if you don’t clean footprints on the floor right away, they can leave a permanent stain. Dirty footprints look terrible and can also damage your shiny, glorious laminate flooring.
If not cleaned or fixed timely, you may have to change or replace the flooring entirely- which is a complex and time-consuming process. Don't forget that changing or replacing laminate floors is a costly affair.
However, the good news is that it's possible to save time and money by following a few easy steps. Here, you will also learn about some mistakes that make your laminate floor look dirty, along with practical ways to fix them without scratches and marks.
How to clean footprints on laminate floors?
As mentioned above, if your laminate floor has a footprint, it needs your instant attention. Here are a few steps you can take to clean footprints or marks that have stained the floor already. You can remove the footprints, dirt, debris, and pet hair to maintain the home depot floor finish and breathe life into your home's ambiance.
Step 1: Vacuum the floor to Remove Debris
The first step is vacuuming, which you may know as 'dry cleaning.' This is one of the primary ways to remove dirt from the hardwood floor. It is handy and helps you clean the floor within 3 to 4 minutes. If the dust sign or footprint doesn't contain oily or greasy ingredients, vacuuming will be enough to keep the laminate floor clean.
Cleaning the floor with a vacuum is an ideal way to get rid of dust, dirt, pet hair, and silicone particles on the floor. If the debris remains on the floor, sweep it from time to time. It would help if you did this at least twice a day. When dry cleaning the floor, avoid using any wet material
This method is also effective for other floor types, including real wood and engineered and natural flooring. If you try to clean the floor surface using a robotic vacuum or other cleaning methods without vacuuming first, it can cause scratches. That is why it's ideal for cleaning the laminate floor with a vacuum cleaner first.
Step 2: Sweep or Mop the Floor
A homemade cleaning solution is an ideal formula to clean the laminate floor. It's great to mop the floor with. You can select from a wide variety of tools such as wet mop and dry mop. Using a damp mop is the best way to clean the laminate floor regularly.
It can remove footprints quickly without causing any damage. Of course, cleaning floors with a dry mop daily is a more straightforward way to remove the stains of daily footprints from the floor surface.
It would help if you had the following things to make a cleaning solution;
- Vinegar
- Mop
- Water
- Bucket
- Soft Clothes
how to make a cleaning solution to keep footprints off laminate floors
Though there is no harm in using regular or cold water, it is best to make this solution with lukewarm distilled water. It is more effective to reduce or remove greasy dirt or footprints effortlessly. In addition to cleaning, using a warm water solution can help you protect laminate flooring from germs.
If your floor has excess dirt that is hard to remove with only lukewarm water, apply a cleaner (specifically for laminate flooring) to make it spotless.
Step 3: Use Vinegar Solution
Take 50 to 60ml of pure vinegar. Add it to 3L of lukewarm water. Mix the solution well and add it to a bottle. Spray this powerful cleaning solution on a mopping pad and apply it to the footprints. Leave it for 5 to 10 minutes, and then clean the marks.
Step 4: Apply Window Cleaner
You might have never used window cleaner to clean the footprints or marks on your laminate floor. However, it is a smart way to clean or remove even stubborn marks on the hardwood flooring. All you need is to apply window cleaner to the footprint and clean it with water. Rub it with a soft rag to clean up the stains and prevent scratches.
Step 5: Clean with Nail Color Remover
This cleaning method is easy and handy to clean footprints on laminate flooring and marks of wax or gum. Before applying nail polish remover:
- Use a plastic knife to pull out wax from the floor gently.
- Make sure you don't rub it as it may leave scratches on the surface.
- Apply remover and clean it with a soft cloth.
The method is helpful for the different hard types of marks.
Cleaning Footprint vs. Preventing Footprint on Laminate Floor
Since you know how you can keep footprints or marks off the laminate floor, it is time to learn how to prevent them from dirtying your floor again. It is essential to keep a laminate floor clean by using traditional and natural ways. Here, we enlist some professional tips to keep these marks from ruining the look of your floor.
Step 1: Remember to Clean Regularly
There is no better way to refresh or rejuvenate the shine and look of the laminate floor than scheduling a cleaning time. When it comes to preventing marks, you need to be careful about your daily cleaning schedule. We say this because regular cleaning doesn't allow any dust and dirt to stay.
Also, when you clean your floor regularly, you don't have to go into the deep cleaning process. Cleaning daily with distilled water, cleaning solution, or mineral spirit reduces the chances of the marks or footprints coming back. In fact, it acts as a long-term solution for footprints.
That is to say, it is essential to clean every day to maintain or upkeep the nature hardwood floor. As for deep cleaning, you can do it once a week. This way, your floor will be harmless for kids and pets.
Step 2: Apply Distilled Water And Mineral Spirits Mixture
The cleaning solution of mineral spirits with water is the best type of mixture to clean the laminate floor. When cleaning the laminate floor, you need to do some research to choose a mineral spirit th2at's low-cost and fragrance-free.
Once you pick a suitable one, add some distilled water. If you don't have distilled water, using regular water can also do the job. Mix the solution well and use a bath towel or mopping pad to clean. Mop the area gently. Make sure you dry the laminate flooring with an old cloth after mopping.
Why do my laminate floors always look dirty?
As mentioned above, laminate flooring adds a lot of value and beauty to the home. But it happens only when you clean your floors using the right techniques. People tend to make common cleaning mistakes that make their laminate floors look dirty no matter what method they use. Here are a few reasons your laminate floors always look dirty and tricks to fix them.
Using Wrong Mop
Yes, you read that correctly. Using the wrong type of mop can make a huge difference when cleaning a laminate floor. It may spread the footprints while leaving the dirt on the floor.
Thus, the best way to mop a laminate floor is to clean it with a "flat-style mop." It comes with microfiber pads or socks that can go over the mop's head and collect dander.
Cleaning the floor with a flat mop minimizes dirt that grinds into the seams and scratches the surface. It also lessens the amount of water you need to clean the floor.
Too Much Water
Of course, you need an ample amount of water to clean a dirty laminate floor. However, using too much water with laminate floors affects their look and quality. It can seep into the tiny cracks between floor planks which may result in swelling. It can cause damage to the laminate floor that is costly and irreversible.
As a little amount of water can go a long way on your laminate floor, you must dust or dry the floor after regular cleaning. Spot clean the dirty or sticky sections using a spray solution and mopping to keep your beautiful furniture safe from oily substances.
Wrong Cleaners
It may be tempting to use the fanciest cleaners that promise to make the floor look spotless. However, not all fancy-looking and expensive cleaners can make your floor look shiny and beautiful. Some can dull the shine if you overuse them. That means whenever you're buying a laminate floor cleaner, make sure you read the instructions and list of chemicals in it.
Use a little quantity of the cleaner with water first to test if it suits the floor. Sometimes, light moping with a cleaning solution is enough to remove the footprints. Moreover, you may also add a few spoons of glass cleaner (ammonia-free) to your moping solution. It will help you avoid damage or discoloration on the laminate floor.
Sweeping and Vacuuming
The laminate floor needs to be swept often to keep it clean. Dirt can scratch and dull the finish of the floor and make it look dirty. However, sweeping improperly can also damage your laminate flooring. When using a vacuum cleaner, make sure you turn off the brush roll to avoid scratching your floor.
Warp-Up
All in all, while cleaning or mopping regularly is important, you can have your techniques. Remember that not all commercial products are effective for the laminate floor. It is better to use tried and tested cleaning methods mentioned above or consult with a professional home care specialist to keep footprints off laminate floors.