Pro Tips to Keep Your Laminate Floors Looking Beautiful for Years

Laminate floors are the new trend in town. While marble floors will always have their own space in the home décor industry, laminate floors with their beautiful hard-wood finish, durability and versatility are slowly and surely making their mark.  It is also considered to be very easy to maintain and will go well with any style of home decor.

What is Laminate Flooring?

Laminate floors are made up of several materials bonded together under high pressure. Most laminate flooring consists of a moisture-resistant layer under a layer of HDF (high-density fibreboard). This is topped with a high-resolution photographic image of natural wood flooring. It is then finished with an extremely hard, clear coating made from special resin-coated cellulose to protect the laminate flooring that makes it perfect for your home interiors.

Why Choose Laminate Floors for Your Home Interiors?

There are many advantages to choosing a laminate floor for home interiors. It is inexpensive when compared to similar-looking hardwood floors. Pricing for laminate floors varies depending on the quality and finish of the product. It is easier to use laminate flooring to be laid over concrete floors or mosaic or stone floors, or tiled floors. If you have any levelled and water-proofed floor, you can use laminate flooring as part of your home decor. Easy installation, lower pricing, and durability are three key advantages of using Laminate flooring.

The most obvious advantage of laminate floors is that it gives your home a beautiful flooring option similar to hard-wood floors but at half the price. Laminate floors can be laid over existing tiled floors, concrete floors, stone or mosaic floors – namely any kind of levelled and water-proofed floors. Laminate floors are designed to be easy to install and do not need nails or glue. Hence, while you get a new floor for a low cost, your existing floor is also untouched and unharmed in every way.

The only drawback of using laminate flooring is that it is not as durable as sturdy, high-quality tile.

Cost of Laminate Flooring

The cost of laminate flooring varies widely due to quality variation. It can start from 75 rupees per square foot and go up to 2000 rupees per square foot or more. Because of a vast range of designs and quality, the cost depends on the type of laminate flooring a person is buying.

Taking Care Of Laminate Floors

Getting a beautiful home interior is one thing, and maintaining it well is another. Even the best and most expensive home decor can look shabby and outdated if not appropriately maintained. The same goes for beautiful laminate flooring. Laminate floors are durable and long-lasting, but not taking the right care can result in serious damages. As it is, laminate floors are pretty resistant to scratches, spills, moisture and most other factors that damage hardwood floors. Here are the five tips followed by pros to maintain the laminate floors looking as good as new for years.

1. Shoes Off!

If possible, keep your shoes off. Shoes and slippers carry a lot of dirt, moisture and dust from the balcony, bathroom, and outside the home. Most people have separate outdoor and indoor footwear. If you don’t want to walk barefooted, then keep mats on the doors. Even a clean shoe can carry a lot of dirt, sand, and particles not easily visible to the human eye.

Not carrying dirt via footwear to your room will help you maintain the floor, and the entire room will stay cleaner. It is also recommended to clean up spills immediately. The longer it stays on the floor, the higher are the chances of it leaving a stain. You can use a soft dry, or damp cloth to wipe off the spills. Whether you want to use a cleaning product or not will depend on the spilt material. There is a protective layer on top of the floor; if the spilt product stays on it for long, it tends to wear down the protective layer.

2. Consistency is Key

When cleaning laminate floors, it is important to be gentle. So, first, take a broom with soft bristles and sweep away all the dust. You can even take a soft cloth and do this. If you have pets at home, you may find that pet hair sticks pretty easily to laminate floors and can be hard to clean with just a broom and mop.

Regular cleaning will keep your floor looking lovely. Once a week, do a light cleaning and once a month deep clean your floor to maintain it well. For general cleaning, you may use a soft broom or a brush, or vacuum. Avoid anything with hard bristles, as it may cause harm to the floor over a long duration. Clean the floor in the floorboard directions; it will help you clean the grooves properly. Quick mopping is also a great maintenance tip for the floor. You may also use a manufacturer-approved product for the water. It will keep the floor and ambience look and feel fresh. For deep cleaning, remove the dirt before and dust it properly before bringing out the bigger guns. Otherwise, you will end up with a scratched and damaged floor.

3. Use the Right Product

Avoid using harsh tools and chemicals on your laminate flooring. Many brands sell cleaning products created explicitly for laminate flooring. If you cannot find one, you can use a little bit of vinegar or hot water to clean the floors. Make sure that you wring out the mop well and use a dry clean cloth to wipe it afterwards.

4. Don’t Let Spills Dry

Your laminate floors are fully prepared to handle stains – its built to be tough, yes! So, if something spills, do not lunge for the nearest top-of-the-shelf chemical cleaner. Most of the times, a simple wipe with a soft damp cloth is enough to deal with food spills and you will not have any stains either. The important thing is not to let the spill dry because you may end up scratching the protective surface of the laminate panels while attempting to clean a dried spill. If the floor gets stained by oil or paint, use some acetone remover to gently wipe the spot and then immediately clean with a damp cloth. For stains that do not go away even with this method, call an expert.

5. Steer Clear Of Chemicals And Abrasives

By now you must have figured that it is really important to protect the resin-coated top layer of laminate floors to ensure longevity. So keep steel-wool scrubs, scrub pads, chemical-based cleaners, and cleaners with a soap or detergent base away from your floors. Do not attempt to wax or polish your laminate floors in order to make them shine, either. The only chemical that you should use on a laminate floor is laminate floor repair paste for repairing minor nicks and scratches.

Soda, gum, blood, wine, ink marks, scuffs, and crayons can quickly leave stains on the floor. A plastic knife can be used to remove gum, a window cleaner can clean bloodstains, and a damp cloth can remove soda, wine, ink, and crayon marks. A melamine foam can be used to erase scuffs and heel marks. In case you drop polish on the floor, you can use a nail paint remover to get rid of the stain. Always do the spot test before using any product on the floor.

6. Use Water, But In Moderation

Water is a natural cleaner and while it has no chemicals that can harm your laminate floors, using too much of it can also have a bad effect. If not used the right way, water can easily seep in between the laminate panels and cause the underlying wood to warp and become lumpy – not something you’d want to happen. To avoid this, make sure you damp cloths for a quick wipe and clean up any liquids that may spill on the floor quickly.

7. Once A Year, Go For A Deep-Clean

Despite your daily cleaning routine, there will be some amount of hazing and film build-up. It’s unavoidable. Hence, we advise a once-a-year deep cleaning from the best in town. Trust us, the pros know how to get the gunk out of invisible places – like where the skirting profile is attached to the wall. This way, you can ensure that your laminate floors will last for their entire lifetime which is a good ten years or so!

With proper maintenance and care, your home decor and laminate flooring will stay beautiful for years. Just like anything else, laminate flooring also requires a bit of effort and care. HomeLane is India’s leading home interior company that provides complete interior designing services, including laminate flooring. If you opt for laminate floors for your home, get only the best home décor providers to outfit your home.