How To Clean Floating Floorboards
Floating floorboards are a great addition to your home. They are pretty easy to install, and make your house look quite sophisticated. They are a better option than the wooden floors.
A floating floorboard contains interlocked rigid boards. It is nothing more than a simple flooring installation system. You might also be using one at your home. They are named floating floorboards because they do not use any glue or nails to set in their place. Instead, they are placed on top of a more rigid surface. To keep themselves steady and correct in place, they use friction and the board’s weight.
If you have recently decided that you would like floating timber floorboards installed in your home, then you are probably wondering how to keep them clean. In this article, you will find tips on how to care for your floating floorboards and much more.
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Best Ways To Clean Floating Floorboards
Floating floorboards are not challenging to maintain. They are made of high-quality, durable material. There are different methods of cleaning different types of floating floorboards. The best way is to clean it gently and frequently. Make sure that you do not overuse chemicals or cleaning solutions in the process. Use them only when it feels necessary.
A regular sweep can keep your floor looking clean. Protect your floorboard from soaking up liquids. The liquids might be spills or a soggy mop.
Floating timber floorboards can warp if you soak them for too long. They are also affected by extreme heat. Below are the recommended methods of cleaning floating timber floorboards properly without damaging them.
Cleaning Floating Timber Floors
Sweep the floor regularly
If you do not want to get yourself stuck in a situation where your floor is filthy, then you must regularly clean it. Sweeping and vacuuming remove regular dirt and dust from the floor. If your floor is not muddy or sticky, then sweeping and vacuuming will be enough to keep your floor clean and maintained.
Wipe off spills
You need to be careful with the floating timber floors because spills can cause damage to the wood. It can make the timber swell. Use a soft cloth to remove spills immediately from the floor. It would help to remove stains and falls from the floor as quickly as possible. If the stains are sticky, clean them with a damp cloth and then with a piece of dry material.
Mop the floor properly
Mopping is not a standard process for cleaning wood floors. It is necessary only if the stain is stubborn and you fail to remove it through sweeping or spot cleaning. To clean the floor, use a microfiber mop and wash it with warm water.
Make sure that you remove any excess water that might get into the wooden floor and damage it. It would help if you moved the mop in the direction of the grain to avoid causing damage. If the flooring has very stubborn stains, you can use a cleaning solution but minimally.
Air dry
You can use a soft and dry microfiber mop to soak any remaining moisture from the surface. It will ensure that no liquid gets into the floor and your flooring does not have any streaks. Let the floor air dry for better results.
Use a timber refresher
A timber refresher adds a shine to your timber flooring. It can bring any dull floor back to life.
Cleaning Laminated Floating Floorboards
Laminate floating floorboards are much more aesthetic than regular timber floating floorboards. It is a plank that consists of many layers of different hybrid materials. The layers in a laminated floor include a wear layer, a pattern layer, a core layer and a balancing layer.
These floorboards are durable and scratch-resistant. They are available in various patterns, and are quite expensive. Below are tips on cleaning floating floorboards.
Vacuum away any dirt
The easiest and the most convenient way to clean laminate floors is to vacuum or sweep away dirt regularly. Make sure that you use a vacuum to remove even the tiny particles from the floor. They might accumulate and cause scratches later on.
Wipe off spills
As is the case with any other floorboard, make sure that you wipe off any spill or stain from the laminate floor. Otherwise, the liquid might seep into the layers and result in warps and ultimately a damaged foundation.
Use warm water to mop
Warm water helps to remove stains and other bacteria from the floor. It can remove greasy stains as well. If you use a wet mop, remove as much excess water as you can. It will help your floor last longer. You can use a dry mop afterwards to ensure that the floor is dried thoroughly.
Natural Methods Of Cleaning Floorboards
Hot Water
As you already know, hot water is quite effective in cleaning stains and makes the floor look all new and neat, but you need to be careful. Do not take scorching hot water because heat can damage the floors. Make sure that the water is just lukewarm. Remove as much excess water from the mop as you can before using it on the floor. It facilitates deep cleaning.
Vinegar Solution
Vinegar is one of the most effective products that you can use to naturally clean a timber floor or laminated flooring. Vinegar is entirely suitable for floating floors. It does not cause any damage; instead, it cleans the floor in ways no other solution can. In fact, some professional lease cleaners use vinegar for this purpose.
You can make a cleaning solution by adding 60 ml of vinegar and 1000 ml of water into a spray bottle. Make sure that you do not use vinegar directly on the floor as it can be abrasive.
Common Do’s And Don’ts When Cleaning Floating Floorboards
The occupants of a house try their best to keep the floorboards as clean as possible. But ordinary people cannot handle floorboard maintenance as a professional such as Like Cleaning Services Group would. If you are not willing to spend some dollars on hiring a professional for your home, then keep these points in mind while cleaning the floorboards.
- Read all the cleaning instructions carefully. These instructions come with the flooring when you get them installed in your home.
- Carefully mop the floor with a fresh microfiber mop. Your floorboard needs a clean and gentle mop after every two months.
- Ensure that you do not use any cleaning chemical or other product that is not suitable for the type of floorboard you are using.
- Consider a DIY cleaner for your laminated floor. It might be hot water or a vinegar solution.
- Protect the surface from any future damage. Use furniture pads, floor mats and rugs to avoid wear and tear.
- Use household items and other cleaning tips to remove stain or any other unwanted material from the floorboards.
- Trim your pet’s nails to avoid scratches on the floor. It is one of the most underrated methods to keep your floorboards durable.
- Do not forget to use a welcome mat at the main entrance of your house. The dirt from outside the house might get stuck in the floorboards and make it look dirty.
- Do not use too much water on your floating floorboards. A traditional mopping method would be a complete disaster for the floating floors.
- Do not use abrasive tools on the floorboards. They can cause permanent scratches. When cleaning the floor, use a soft-bristle broom to make the floor last longer.
- Never let any stain sit on your floor for too long. Remove the stain as soon as you can. It will protect the floor from damage due to harmful liquids or other substances you may be forced to use.