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Question:

We installed laminate floor in our home and have never mopped it, however I have damp clothed it w/a solution of the following:  in a 12 oz bottle I put in water and a cap of white vinegar – is this considered acceptable?

Answer:

For day to day maintenance an occasional damp mop, quick sweeping or light vacuuming with the hard floor attachments are usually all it takes to keep your laminate floor clean. Do not use soaps, detergents, or cleaners with wax because they may leave a film, dulling the floor. You can mix 1 gallon of water with 1 cup vinegar or ½ cup of ammonia per gallon of water. Laminate floors must never be waxed, polished, sanded or refinished and never use a wet or jet mop when cleaning.

For more information on laminate maintenance: http://www.wfca.org/laminate/care.aspx

Below are descriptions of common carpet issues and how to deal with them!

Sprouts: If your carpet shows parouts, don’t worry, it isn’t growing. With cut pile carpet, small tufts or sprouts can stick up above the surface. Don’t pull them. Clip them off with scissors.

Snags: Pulling or snagging can occur when a sharp object like a loose shoe nail or a child’s toy hooks on the fibers. Don’t pull the snag. Clip off with scissors.

Dents: Remove a dent by stroking it with the edges of a coin. You can also use a hair dryer (hot air) or a steam iron very lightly to raise the dented area while you tug up ward on the tufts.
CAUTION: DON’T LET THE IRON TOUCH THE CARPET.

Crushed Pile: Vacuum regularly with “beater bar” type vacuum, or use a plastic or wooden carpet rake to restore matted down pile.

Burns: Should your carpet endure a burn, remove the tops of the darkened, burned fibers with a curved fingernail scissors. If the burn is extensive, your carpet may require patching or replacement.

Shedding: Some shedding is common in new carpet with cut pile. The loose fibers are easily removed through regular vacuuming and in no way affect carpet quality. This condition will diminish after a few weeks or months depending on vacuuming frequency.

Footprints: All cut pile carpets show footprints. This is not a defect. It is much more prevalent on deep pile carpet made from bright fiber. To minimize footprints, you might want to choose a very dense low pile carpet made from Solutia’s mid luster nylon.

Piling: Sometimes certain types of carpet, or heavy traffic, can create little balls of tangled fibers and lint. Just pull them off by hand or clip them with scissors.

This information is from the Wear-Dated consumer website.

1.       Vinegar and water is not a good cleaner to clean every type of flooring. In fact, vinegar can eat away at the sealers on floors like natural stone.

2.       Furniture should not be dragged across the floors when moving to vacuum or clean under the furniture. This can cause permanent scratches that cannot be removed.

3.       Hardwood floors should not be generously mopped with soap and water. Water can make hardwood expand and then contract leaving cracks or gaps in the floor.

4.       Sponge mops, rag mops nor steam mops should be used to clean hardwood floors. Mops with terry cloth heads should be used instead. These mops are specially designed to clean hardwood floors.

5.       Vacuums with beater bars should not be used to clean every type of carpet. Shags and other carpets need vacuums without beater bars.

6.       Stairs should be vacuumed regularly. These are easy to ignore because they are hard to clean, but they are just as important as the rest of the house.

7.       The dirt from walk off mats at each entrance should be cleaned in order not to track in more dirt after the floors are clean. There’s no point in cleaning the floors if you are just going to track in more dirt when you walk back in the house!

8.       Bleach should not be used to clean grout.  Bleach can permanently discolor grout.

9.       Multiple cleaners should not be used on top of each other. This can cause build up and haze issues.

10.   If possible, the best cleaners to use on floors are the ones that are approved by the manufacturer. If you are unsure of who the manufacturer is – your best bet is to use a cleaner that is specifically designed for use on each individual type of floor.

Question: I just moved into a condo that appears to have very good quality laminate floors. I noticed that there are a couple of marks on the floors that I want to get rid of. It actually looks like the previous owner had a piece of furniture in the room that left sorme sort of dye on the floor. I have no idea how to remove the stain. I have never had laminate flooring and do not know what to use to clean marks left on the floor.

Answer: Good for you for checking to see what to do before putting multiple cleaners on the floor! Multiple cleaners can leave build up and films that are difficult to remove. If you know who the manufacturer is, I would use the cleaner that they recommend. Otherwise, I would use a cleaner that is specifically made for laminate floors. The dye could be from water that found its way onto the base of the furniture. Follow the instructions provided on the bottle of laminate cleaner and some elbow grease should be all you need!

Question: I have Wilsonart Estate Plus Laminate flooring – Kota Slate.  I am interested in using a new product called the H2O Mop which employs steam to clean and sanitize the floor.  They claim that this product is usable on all types of flooring, including laminate, with one caveat, that the floors are sealed.  It uses steam which is immediately sucked up, exposing the floor to minimum moisture.  I would like to know if this cleaning method would be safe to use on my flooring or if the steam or heat would be detrimental to it.  It looks to be very efficient in its cleaning.

Can you recommend this cleaning method for my flooring product?  Have you had others who have used it and shared their experiences?  It seems that you would like to recommend it to customers if it is a successful method for cleaning your floors.  All info regarding this mopping system can be found online.  It appears to be a better cleaning system than others (Bona)offered at this time.  I would appreciate any feedback/recommendations that you have.  Thank you.

Answer:

According to H20 Mop’s technical / customer service they confirmed that the product is safe on floors that are sealed, but they did say to be cautious with the joints of the laminate. They said if the steam can get down in those joints then it could cause delamination. They have heard reports of the laminate coming up or delaminating in the corners. This could also make the joints expand and contract leaving your floor warped or buckled.

Since laminate is such a low maintenance product, I would recommend following the advice on our website:
rather than taking the chance of harming your laminate floors. Although if you really want to use the product, they do recommend testing the mop in an inconspicuous area first.

Using a manufacture approved floor cleaner should be all you need to keep your floors clean and sanitized!

Q & A with the technical department at the National Wood Flooring Association:

Q: What species of hardwood are most likely to fade?

A: Brazilian cherry and American Cherry

Q:How much do these species change color?

A: They can darken up to 3-4 times their original color.

Q:How long will the floors discolor?

A: The floors will continue to discolor or age with time, but the majority of the aging happens within 3-6 months. The process slows down and that point, but still continues.

Q: If the floors change color in the first 3-6 months, is it best to wait to put area rugs down?

A: If at all possible, it is best to wait 3-6 months before putting area rugs down.

Q: What causes floors to fade?

A: Too much UV light can bleach the wood.

Q: Are there products that can be applied to the floor that have sunblock in them?

A: No, nothing can be topically applied to the floor. The finishes already have UV light retarders in them.

Q: What can help the fading of hardwood floors?

A: Low E glass windows and some types of window treatments can help protect the floors.

Q: What finish has the least effective retarder?

A: Oil Modified Polyurethane

Q: Is the discoloration considered a flaw?

A: No, some people call this an aged look or a patina and realize that it is a natural characteristic of wood.

Q: What can you do if you already have area rugs down and have discoloration?

A: You can move the rugs a couple of inces every month so that there is no stark color change or visible line.

Question:

We have recently had a limestone floor installed in our bathroom. The installer had previously applied a sealer.   I have looked at your web page and find it helpful, but my question is “can I use a Swiffer wet mop for day to day cleaning”?

Answer:

The Swiffer wet mop is safe to use on sealed limestone. One very important thing to remember is that sealers do not last forever and have to be reapplied depending on the amount of traffic your floors receive. Another thing to keep in mind is that limestone requires very little maintenance. For daily cleaning, you can simply sweep or dry Swiffer the floor. You only need a liquid cleaner when you have spills or stains.

FYI – If you’re looking for coupons for P&G products, through January, 2009 you can receive $120 of P&G coupon savings by mail when you buy $50 of P&G products.   For details check out their website at www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/rebate

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about Murphy’s Oil Soap and hardwood floors. After a long conversation with technical support at Murphy’s here’s what I found out. These questions and answers as well as more information are available on their website. If your concern with Murphy’s was like mine and concerned the rumors about Murphy’s leaving a film on hardwood floors, check out a previous post addressing this concern.

What is Murphy Oil Soap made from?
Murphy Oil Soap is a safe, naturally gentle soap, specially formulated for cleaning wood floors, furniture, and other household surfaces. And it leaves your home smelling fresh and clean. Murphy’s contains no harsh detergents, ammonia, or bleach.

Will Murphy’s products leave a residue?
Murphy’s leaves no residue at all! Be sure to dilute the Original Formula and use products according to label directions.

Is rinsing necessary?
Because Murphy’s leaves no residue behind, rinsing is not necessary. Be sure to follow label directions for best results. Always remove excess water.

How can a water-based cleaner be safe for wood floors, furniture, and other wood surfaces?
Murphy’s is recommended for cleaning finished wood. It is not recommended for cleaning unfinished or waxed wood because the wood may be water-sensitive. Most wood flooring and furniture items have water-resistant finishes, and Murphy Oil Soap is perfectly safe for use on these types of surfaces.

Is Murphy Oil Soap biodegradable? Are the bottles recyclable?
Yes, Murphy Oil Soap is biodegradable, and it’s possible to recycle the bottles.

Is Murphy’s safe for cleaning wood floors?
Yes, Murphy Oil Soap is safe to use on all finished wood surfaces, such as wood floors finished with polyurethane. So cleaning hardwood floors with Murphy’s is safe as long as the surface is finished. For extra cleaning convenience when caring for wood floors, try Murphy Oil Soap Squirt & Mop — it’s ready to use on wood flooring with no mixing or diluting.

Remember, Murphy Oil Soap should not be used on unfinished, unsealed, or waxed wood surfaces because they may be water sensitive. Test an inconspicuous area with plain water before using Murphy Oil Soap. Discoloration or dulling indicates the wood may be waxed or needs refinishing.

Can I dilute Murphy Oil Soap and use in the spray bottle?
Due to differences in formulation, do not use Murphy’s Original Formula or Squirt & Mop liquid as a refill for the Murphy’s Spray.

Is Murphy Oil Soap safe to use if I plan to recoat my wood flooring?
Yes! Tests show that new polyurethane coats adhere perfectly to wood floors cleaned with Murphy’s.

On what surfaces can I use Murphy Oil Soap products?
Murphy Oil Soap is ideal for cleaning finished wood floors, furniture, and cabinets. You can also trust Murphy’s to safely clean no-wax floors, tile, painted surfaces, laminates, marble, linoleum/vinyl, fabrics, and more! Murphy’s is the safe all-purpose cleaner.

How can I tell if my wood flooring has a finish or polyurethane coating?
Most wood floors are coated with either a penetrating oil or a surface finish such as polyurethane. You can determine the type of finish on your wood floors by rubbing your hand on the floor. Do you feel a slight oily residue? If so, your wood flooring has been coated with a penetrating oil.

If there is no oily residue and the wood floors have a shiny or glossy appearance, then it likely is coated with polyurethane. In an inconspicuous area, scratch the surface of the wood flooring with a coin. If the finish flakes off, a surface finish such as polyurethane was probably used. Learn more about wood finishes.

Question: We were hoping that you could help get us some information about how to remove residue (we think it is MOP & GLOW) from our laminate wood floors. Any information?
Anything you can tell us would be helpful.  Thank you.

Answer: From the Mop and Glo website:

Q:   What causes a build-up on my floor?

A:   As with any wax or polish, MOP & GLO® Triple Action™ Floor Shine Cleaner should be removed periodically to prevent a build-up of old polish. This can occur if the floor is polished too frequently, and/or if not cleaned thoroughly in-between polishing.

Q:   How do I remove this build-up?

A:   Use a solution of 1/4 cup all purpose cleaner (such as LYSOL® All
Purpose Cleaner with out Bleach) and 1 cup household ammonia in ½ gallon of
warm water. Wet the area with the solution and mop.

I would test this in an inconspicuous area first. I would also recommend cleaning the floor with an approved laminate cleaner first, just to be safe. This may require extra cleaning with some elbow grease! If that doesn’t remove the Mop and Glo, then I would try what the Mop and Glo website recommends.