How to care for laminate in the apartment

How to care for laminate in the apartment? Carefully. The most difficult thing is to get rid of the ancient Soviet habit of scrubbing, flooding and rubbing. The top film of laminate is durable, but will not withstand the constant pressure of aggressive chemicals and iron brushes. Therefore - more gentle, more patient.

Daily care

To laminate in the apartment served for many years, no need to disturb him once again. A simple vacuum cleaner with a soft nozzle is suitable for daily cleaning. A standard brush is not suitable, it can leave scratches on the surface. Nozzle-steam generator is also not an option. A powerful steam jet at constant pressure perfectly damages the acrylic film of the upper layer and penetrates remarkably into the technological gaps between the panels during cleaning.

There is no desire to pull out the vacuum cleaner every day and clean the floors in the whole apartment? Well, who canceled the good old broom? In order not to chase the dust all over the apartment with a whisk,you just need to barely wet a rag wrapped on a broom and gently collect the dust particles.

Council Do not use a washing vacuum cleaner for laminate care. It leaves behind a lot of water, which can damage the coating.

And if you can not wait to wash the laminate

The Soviet habit with the effort to scrape the surface when cleaning does not give rest? Itching to wash the laminate with a generous portion of water with detergent? Then it's easier to immediately remove everything and drag it into the trash.

Even moisture resistant laminate can not be poured with water. But wiping twice a week with a well-wrung damp cloth or a soft cloth is even necessary. It is advisable to take either pure water or a special alcohol-containing agent according to the manufacturer's recommendation.

By the way, the water should be at room temperature, perhaps a little warmer. But by no means hot!

Council It is strictly forbidden to use any soap! It is alkali, though soft. To spoil the coating - enough three rubbing soapy water. The same applies to cleaning powders. Abrasives scratch the acrylic film very well. Of course, the acid so beloved by many housewives must also be forgotten for a while.

If there are still scratches ...

Sometimes, even with all precautions, scuffs and scratches appear on the top of the laminate. Grief-skilled craftsmen on the Internet strongly recommend trying to clean these places with an ordinary school eraser. And what does it give? In addition, that teasers on the panels will be even more?

Other "masters" propose to use a flannel cloth with olive oil. Say, smeared, rubbed thoroughly and ready!

Only here laminate is not at all parquet, which is saved with oil. Fat oil stain from the panel who then will clean?

Manufacturers of laminate have long invented methods for its repair. Shallow scratches are masked with wax pencils, then polished.

Large chips and deep scratches restore acrylic putty. After drying, a special colored paste is applied. Then gently cleaned and applied acrylic varnish.

And further. No matter how impressive this movie looks, you don’t have to walk on this floor in heels and street shoes. Otherwise, you will have to crawl on your knees, smearing scratches. The same applies to wet feet after showering or applying creams on the feet. Extra stains from bare feet - do you need it?

CouncilIf the above means were not at hand, and chipping on the floor catches the eye, then there is another method. True, for him you need to have at least some skills in laying laminate boards. A panel with a scratch is removed under the furniture, and the intact is put in its place. Just changing places.

How to wash laminate

The most optimal when caring for a laminate is a microfibre cloth. When buying, you certainly need to touch it with your hands, because microfiber is of different density. Hard not to take!

It is strictly not recommended to use a sponge for washing dishes. The downside is always rough, and these are inevitable scratches. At first they will not be visible, then the dust will be stuffed into them more and more. As a result, an ugly matte coating will appear.

Metal scourer, brush with a hard pile, a rough household cloth - forget forever when approaching the laminate! In such cleaning tools, the boards shrink in horror, frown, and reject the colored coating.

Council How to determine whether the fabric is suitable for cleaning? Very simple: hold her on the inner bend of the elbow. Unpleasant? So we postpone.Feelings are soft? We arm and go!

Specific spots

How to care for laminate in the apartment? No matter how you look after it, ordinary people live in the apartment. It happens and will spill something, drop it, children may accidentally paint, guests come. Do not ask everyone to stop breathing towards the floor.

First of all, when any liquid is spilled on the floor, it is necessary to collect this liquid as soon as possible so that the coating does not swell further. And only then to dance on the nature of the resulting spot:

1. For universal cleaning suitable solution of ordinary white vinegar 9% in water. The proportion of 1 to 5.
2. Traces of markers, varnishes, lipstick, ink, markers are perfectly removed if the stain is gently wiped with a soft cloth with acetone.
3. Gum or candle wax stuck? First, the damage is cooled with a piece of ice, then carefully removed. You can use a wooden spatula - so less harm. If the coating is still damaged, then there are special coloring pencils.
4. Dropped a meal, left a fat spot? We'll have to look for a detergent with a neutral acid-base balance. Anyway, it is useful in the economy.
5. Cream, glue, chocolate, blood, juice almost do not leave stains on the laminate, if they are removed immediately upon appearance. Old stains will require the intervention of only a special detergent and the owner’s careful patient hands.

Not bad copes with stains on the flooring of ordinary white spirit. Just do not leave it on the surface for more than five minutes. Gently quickly rub, remove the remnants of a damp cloth, immediately wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Council Before removing any stain, you need to try how the laminate reacts to the cleaning agent. It is advisable to do it in an inconspicuous place. Ideal - under the furniture. At least, nobody sees the damage there.

Subtleties of care

1. Wipe the boards when wet cleaning should be strictly longitudinal panels. So there will be less divorce and scratches, if suddenly there is a grain of sand on a rag.
2. Speaking of sand. If you put a high pile mat at the entrance to the apartment, the dirt and sand will remain on it. So the laminate will scratch less.
3. Do not polish the floor with wax or rub to shine. The top coating itself is fairly smooth, even if it is matte.And after rubbing it will become simply traumatic.
4. Any detergent is undesirable to use often. Once a month - quite enough. On other days it will be enough clean water.
5. For an apartment it is better to choose polished boards. Matte look spectacular, but caring for them is an order of magnitude more difficult.
6. Sometimes, even if the floor is cleaned with plain water, there are stains in the illustration of the panels. So it was necessary to frequently change the water to clean, and after washing it is recommended to wipe the boards dry. Naturally soft, clean cloth.
7. Can not be used in the care of the panels ammonia. Instead of supposed gloss, ammonia will dissolve a protective acrylic coating.
8. When purchasing a new laminate care product, you should always try it on an inconspicuous area. If everything is normal, then you can wash the cover everywhere. You never know what the manufacturers write there! And what if this type of laminate is very capricious?
9. The felt or cork glued to the furniture legs will allow the laminate to decorate a home for several decades without wear.
10. To be sure that after cleaning the laminate will survive, it is better to insure and buy a special tool.It costs a little more than ordinary washing liquid. But compared to the new overlapping of the floors damaged by chemistry, this waste is mere pennies.

Council Sometimes it is useful to read what is written on the packaging of the panels by the manufacturer. It happens that there are specifically indicated the necessary means for the care, useful recommendations and other important little things.

Laminate - enough durable coating, if properly care for him. Of course, there is no need to be afraid to breathe on the floors, but hard cleaning with an iron brush is also superfluous.

Video: how to wash laminate without stains