Cleaning Laminate Floors

Green cleaning laminate floors...

The laminate floors in your home are a beautiful part of the interior décor but they can really show the dirt. You want to keep them clean but you've made a commitment to reduce the chemical cleaners you use to protect both your family and the environment. Good for you! Cleaning laminate floors the eco-friendly way is a terrific way to keep the floors in good condition while you get rid of toxic chemicals in the home.

The best way to clean your laminate floors is by reducing the amount of dirt that comes into the house. This sounds like one of those "Duh, why didn't I think of that?" suggestions but it's not surprising that many homeowners overlook this option. That's partly because so many of us have been conditioned to think that chemical-based cleaning products can handle any mess.

Few things could be less accurate, especially when it comes to laminate floors. One of the reasons most people purchase laminate floors – aside from their obvious beauty and versatility – is their easy maintenance. Using chemical cleaners on a laminate floor, even ones recommended by the manufacturer, can be dangerous in households with children and pets. Chemical cleaners leave behind a residue that can hang around for a long time. It's not the kind of thing you want coming in contact with babies and pets.

What's more, dirt and other little particles, such as small stones, settle on the floors and can actually scratch and gouge the flooring, leaving exposed places where dirt can take up residence permanently.

So the first step in eco-friendly cleaning for laminate floors is to keep dirt from coming inside. This can be accomplished by putting doormats on the outside and area rugs on the inside of entrances. These will capture dirt before it gets ground into the laminate flooring. Small rugs can be taken outside and cleaned easily.

Next, protect the floor as much as possible from scratches, nicks, dents and gouges that allow dirt to accumulate. Avoid dragging or scraping heavy items across the floor, instead, move furniture by lifting (get help if it's heavy!) or place felt pads beneath the furniture so you can slide it across the floor without causing any damage to the flooring.

Clean a laminate floor by sweeping it with a dust mop or a dry mop. Brooms don't work well for this purpose because they typically just spread the debris around, whereas dirt will cling to a dry mop. You can then take the mop outside and give it a good shake onto the lawn.

This method will work even better if you make some mop covers out of cotton or polar fleece. Either one picks up dirt naturally, which makes cleaning up a breeze. Then you can remove the covers and launder them for another use. It's easy to make one: Simply measure the mop head and cut some fleece to fit, then attach it to the mop with ties or Velcro.

Another way to keep laminate floors clean is to wipe up spills the instant they occur. Don't let water sit on laminate floors; any liquid will damage the floors quickly. Another option is to sprinkle baking soda over the spill, then whisk away the soda after it has absorbed the liquid. (By the way, baking soda is a mainstay of a "green cleaning" home kit. Always keep a good supply of it on hand).

By green cleaning laminate floors you will help keep the finish, and your floor will look beautiful for years to come.