Cleaning Tips For Laminate, Parquet & Co.

Vacuum once, maybe wipe again – the cleaning of the floors is done at home or not? For a sparkling result and a long life, every floor covering, no matter carpet, wood, stone or plastic needs the right care.
Cleanadviser will show you how to do it right.

First Vacuum cleaner

No matter which floor you got at home, coarse dirt such as crumbs or stones that you have carried inside with your shoes as well as dust have to be removed first with the vacuum cleaner. And that please thoroughly and regularly, but at least once a week. This is the basis for a thorough cleaning and a long life for any floor.
Of course, this also works with a broom or a floor wiper with special dry wiping but a Dyson V 10 is probably one of the best choices for that job.

Next Damp Basic Cleaning

After dry cleaning with a vacuum cleaner or broom, it is necessary for all floors, except the carpet, to wipe with a damp cloth. Only damp means not wet and that the cleaning should be done with a very well-wrung cloth or mop (it must not drip), so that only a slight moisture film remains on the floor. Standing wetness is absolutely to be avoided. In case of emergency you should work with a dry cloth to remove too much wetness. The reason for this is that floating laid laminate, parquet or cork parquet as well as all floor coverings with click connection are in danger of causing moisture in the area of the joints. Then the soil swells up and warps. And nobody wants that. Which special features are to be considered in the (damp) cleaning of the individual floor coverings, Cleanadviser will show in the following:

Laminate

Laminate flooring is one of the most popular floor coverings because it is cheap, robust, self-laying and cleaning and care is child’s play. When it comes to wiping, the most dirt is usually removed with a vacuum cleaner. When wiping, just use a damp cloth or mop covering with a splash of general-purpose cleaner or laminate care. But really just a shot. Excessive dosing of the detergent results in a smear film and unsightly streaks on the laminate. If the laminate floor is not very dirty, it will also be clean from just water without cleaning additives.
To avoid stains, always wipe up liquids immediately. For stubborn stains, try the following: put some laminate cleaner on a dry (microfiber) cloth and patiently wipe the stain off. Please never put the cleaner directly on the laminate. Dirt that has dried on, such as a chewing gum, can be removed mechanically by gently lifting it off with a plastic spatula.
What should be used under no circumstances! Spicy detergent and scouring cream or hard brushes as well as hard sponges. They scratch the surface.

Parquet And Floorboards

Floors made of real wood, such as parquet or planks, give any room a warm, natural atmosphere, but unfortunately sometimes are a bit expensive. That’s why you should value the proper cleaning. For the parquet this means to protect the flooring, the parquet cleaning should be done best every day dry and only once a week wet. Ideally, use a cotton-covered floor wiper. The soft structure of the cotton fibers at least attacks the surface of the soil and absorbs dirt particles pretty good.

The other type of care depends on whether you have a sealed or unsealed or oiled parquet floor. With sealed parquet, there is a special protective layer on the surface that protects the underlying wood and prevents the ingress of dust, dirt and moisture. This makes the floor easier to care for. When cleaning you should just pay attention to some points. As a rule, lukewarm water is sufficient for cleaning but you may also use cold, black tea for cleaning – this makes the floor shine again. If the parquet is more polluted, it helps if you give a splash of ammonia to the water. If the floor has stains, you can use turpentine for removal in the varnished version.
But carefully!

For unsealed parquet flooring, the following should be considered. So not use microfiber cloths – this can damage the wood structure. You can combat stains by rubbing in the affected area with spirit, allowing it to work in and then wiping it with a damp cloth. Regularly, preferably once a month, the soil should be waxed and brushed with a hard wax.

The same applies to a floorboard. If treated regularly with oil or wax, the plank floor is insensitive to dirt or liquids. For everyday cleaning, you should make sure to use a gentle cleaning agent, so that the wood does not dry out.
Attention! For the first time or newly oiled surface may only be dry cleaned during the first two weeks.

Tiles

Tile floors are the most uncomplicated all-rounder among the floor coverings when it comes to proper cleaning and care. If the coarsest dirt is removed, the wet cleaning is followed by a mop or scrubber and a cloth. The water should be as warm as possible so that any encrustations (especially in the kitchen area) can be removed more easily. A conventional all-purpose cleaner in the wiper water supports the cleaning of the tiles significantly. Important: Change the water regularly. If it is dirty, this dirt can settle in the joints and it becomes more difficult to clean them. The tiled floor can now be air-dried or wiped dry with a well-wrung microfiber cloth to avoid unpleasant streaks and streaks.

Cork

Cork flooring got many excellent properties. It is antistatic, repels dirt and has a positive influence on the indoor climate. No wonder that this flooring is becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, it is not the most easy-care. First of all, the basic cleaning is quite simple. A cork floor that is subject to average stress should be cleaned wet every week. It is best to use a floor wiper or mop made of microfiber, which does not soak so much. A special cleaner is not needed, instead you can resort to a home remedy. Vinegar is here the remedy of choice. Simply add half a cup of vinegar (about 4 ounces) in 2 gallons of water – the cleaning solution is ready. Take care, however, that no moisture remains after wiping. This can lead to spots. In addition to weekly cleaning, cork should be thoroughly cleaned every four to eight weeks with a special cleaner, depending on whether it is a sealed or painted or waxed or oiled cork floor, another cleaner is needed. But it should be always a pH neutral one.
For the proper cleaning of a sealed cork parquet you need a paint soap that does not build up a soap film and is suitable for the frequent cleaning of sealed floors. For stubborn dirt, a special intensive cleaner or stain remover from specialist retailers also helps.
Waxed or oiled cork floors should be treated with a floor-friendly wooden floor soap, which consists of natural vegetable fats without the addition of fragrances or solvents. The moisturizing properties not only clean, but also care for the flooring.
Tip! Work best with two buckets – one for the soap solution, the other to wash out the cleaning utensils. This should only contain clear water.

PVC Flooring

PVC floors are very sturdy, but if they are not regularly cleaned, they can become dull and dull due to soiling. The care is extremely simple, it can be easily cleaned with water and conventional cleaning agents. It gets even more thorough with vinegar. Simply mix hot water and vinegar in a ratio of 1:1, damp on the floor and wipe dry once. The advantage of PVC floorings it is a gentle and inexpensive cleaning. For more stubborn stains or grease also helps some detergent. And against the annoying black stripes, as you get from soles, any dirt eraser helps.

Natural Stone Floors – Marble, Slate or Travertine

Floor coverings made of natural stone such as marble, slate, travertine or granite should never be cleaned with acidic products. Because natural stone, contains lime, which dissolves in conjunction with acid, the stone structure is then destroyed. Also scouring agents are prohibited.

Only agents specially made for the purpose of cleaning natural stones or a methylated spirit water solution should be used.

Carpet

The best way to maintain a carpet that is as clean as possible is to remove soiling and stains as quickly as possible – ideally immediately after they have been created from the carpet. Do not rub, press or scrub but carefully pat dry with a cloth. A rescuer in case of acute emergency is mineral water with as much carbon dioxide. It spills juices, sauces and other stains out of the fiber in no time and prevents impurities from penetrating deeper for the time being. Carpet foam reliably cleans carpets, but requires a certain amount of exposure time depending on the make and is generally not necessarily inexpensive. Oxygen based agents are environmentally friendly and promise good results. Sometimes it can also be almost worthwhile to invest a small amount more and to book a professional carpet cleaning company.

In addition to the commercial agents for carpet cleaning household baking soda is the all purpose weapon for every type of stain and dirt due to the sodium hydroxide content. Just sprinkle some baking soda on the stain and then carefully pour hot water on the dirty spot. The heat opens the fiber pores, the soda dissolves the dirt particles. Leave to work for a few hours, then carefully dab or vacuum remaining powder. Do not rub! Repeat as often as necessary.

Due to its bleaching effect, vinegar can only be used for cleaning bright carpets. Depending on the stain intensity, dab a medium to large sip of vinegar in the cleaning water and dab the stain with it.

Salt is a good remedy for red wine stains on the carpet but it should be put immediately after the red wine got to the floor on the stains to absorb them. Allow to soak in and vacuum.
Attention! Also treat the stain softly and only from outside to inside. If the red wine is already dried, mineral water and vinegar water will help (see above) but before doing so, test on a hidden part of the carpet. It may bleach!

by Precious in Oct 2018