Is it possible to wash laminate flooring with a steam cleaner?
Laminate is the most popular floor covering, combining visual appeal, durability and low cost. It is easy to care for, but it has its own nuances. Cleaning the floor with large amounts of water is prohibited; the slabs quickly absorb moisture, become wet and become deformed.
A convenient cleaning tool is a steam cleaner. It works using water, but very little gets onto the floor surface. Removal of dirt occurs not due to the dissolution of the latter, but mainly due to the steam boost; the jet simply knocks deposits off the outer layer of the laminate. In this case, the condensate with which the floor comes into contact evaporates almost instantly and does not have time to damage the sensitive material.
Attention! For normal cleaning using water, a special moisture-resistant laminate is suitable. However, it can also suffer from constant mopping.
Laminate flooring of class 33 or 34 with temperature resistance is suitable for steam cleaning
Can a steam mop be used to clean linoleum?
And today linoleum remains the most popular flooring due to a number of its advantages.
The market offers a large selection of products that differ from each other in color and texture, which allows you to choose the coating option that will look harmonious in the interior. In addition, the material has excellent strength characteristics, it is waterproof, durable and undemanding in maintenance. This coating can be cleaned using various means and devices, which are available in a wide selection in stores. Today we will tell you whether it is possible to wash linoleum floors with a steam mop.
Which steam cleaner can be used to clean laminate flooring?
If the coating is of sufficient quality and suitable for hot steam cleaning, it can be processed with almost any unit. All steam cleaners operate according to the same principle and help quickly get rid of dust, dirt, hair and old greasy stains on the floor.
For regular cleaning, it is better to use equipment with the ability to adjust the temperature and intensity of the jet. Since the laminated surface is sensitive to moisture, it is better to set the minimum settings for the household unit before cleaning.
An important requirement for a cleaning device is that it must be equipped with a special fabric attachment. You cannot clean laminate flooring with hard brushes. They are designed to use a steam cleaner to treat small contaminated areas, but they will not be able to cope well with a wide area of the floor. In addition, brushes can leave microscopic scratches on the outer layer of the laminate. Over time, more damage will occur, and the floor covering will lose its attractive appearance and quality characteristics. A napkin made of natural soft material, meanwhile, does not harm the surface and does not disrupt its structure in any way.
Learn how to properly care for linoleum
Wet cleaning is a necessary step to keep your home clean. And although linoleum does not require such careful handling as some floor coverings, there are certain rules for cleaning it.
- To wash linoleum, use only soft cloths. Hard material will leave scratches on the coating. After washing the floor, either throw away the used rag or wash, rinse and dry thoroughly. But it’s better to take a new one.
- For daily wet cleaning of floors without heavy soiling, wipe them with a cloth soaked in warm water. Weekly cleaning requires great care: use a soap solution to wash linoleum - grate 100 g of laundry soap and dissolve in slightly warm water.
- For severe stains, use a solution of liquid soap and vodka. For 1 liter of water you will need 1 tsp. liquid soap and 200 ml of vodka. Wash the floor with this solution, wipe very dirty areas especially thoroughly, and then rinse with clean water and wipe dry.
- The cheapest and easiest way to clean linoleum is water with vinegar (1 glass per bucket of water). Use it for daily cleaning of the area where food is prepared and eaten. In other rooms, wash the floor once a week. This method will save you from stains on the floor.
- The only thing cheaper than vinegar is the water in which you boiled the potatoes. Just remember that it must cool to room temperature.
- If you spill wax on the linoleum, carefully remove it with a scraper. Wipe the remaining stain with gasoline and immediately wash the floor with warm water.
- If there are a lot of grass marks on the linoleum in the hallway, wipe them down with water and a little bleach. Immediately after this, blot the treated area with a napkin well soaked in lemon juice.
How to properly clean laminate flooring with a steam cleaner
Washing laminate flooring with a steam cleaner follows a simple algorithm. The scheme allows you to effectively remove dirt from the floor surface without damaging the coating itself:
- The first step before cleaning is to prepare the room for wet cleaning. All large debris and scattered items are picked up from the floor. Furniture is moved so as to provide convenient access to walls and corners.
- Before cleaning, remove dust, wool and other dry dirt from the surface of the laminate with a vacuum cleaner or broom. If you skip this step, then after using the steam cleaner, microscopic scratches may remain on the coating.
- The required amount of water is poured into the unit in accordance with the instructions and put into operation. A special fabric nozzle is installed. If you don’t have one, you can tightly wrap a wide brush with a regular rag, but this is not advisable. Hard lint can still pass through the fabric and scratch the floor.
- After the steam cleaner reports that it is ready for use, begin the actual cleaning. The floor in the room is washed in the direction from the windows to the doors; there is no need to press the nozzle firmly against the coating. Cleaning steam is released in batches to effectively distribute the impact force.
- Complex stains on the floor can be treated several times. This increases the likelihood of surface damage, but a steam cleaner is still gentler on laminate flooring than a wet mop. On old stains, you can apply a little vinegar or a mild chemical and additionally rub the problem areas with force with a regular rag.
When cleaning laminate flooring, do not use gels or solutions containing glycerin or beeswax. Under the influence of a steam cleaner, they will melt and leave a new stain on the coating, and it will be almost impossible to remove it. For the same reason, laminate with mastic and wax as part of the top layer cannot be processed at high temperatures. A steam cleaner will ruin the floor in the apartment and ruin its integrity and attractiveness.
A steam cleaner not only removes dirt from the floor, but also disinfects the surface
Warning! Laminate flooring should be cleaned with steam regularly - once every 1-2 weeks. This will avoid the occurrence of complex contaminants and reduce the load on the coating during cleaning.
What to consider when choosing a steam cleaner?
Among floor surfaces, the device can also cope with linoleum, carpets, parquet and tiles. It is also used for cleaning furniture, windows and mirrors. This device differs from a conventional vacuum cleaner in that it emits hot steam. It is a more maneuverable and efficient option.
If it has become clear whether it is possible to wash a laminate floor with a steam cleaner, now you need to look into another issue. How to choose a model, which is better?
To decide on a suitable steam mop, you don’t have to look only at the popularity of the manufacturer. If nothing is written about it, then it is better to look for something else. Here are the criteria that will help you choose the right steam cleaner:
- Can I steam clean laminate flooring if there is wool everywhere? This question mainly concerns housewives who have pets. This is not a problem for a steam mop. But it is worth purchasing additional attachments.
- It is better to take a device designed to operate for at least 40 minutes.
- You should look at the cord. Because if its length is not enough for all the rooms of the house, it will be problematic. Since during cleaning you will need to either switch from socket to socket or use an extension cord.
- The size of the steam cleaner will affect the health of the owner. If the difference in height is too great, then the load on the spine will be felt in any case. Since you will have to work for at least 20-30 minutes.
- The same goes for the weight of the device. If the tank is small, you will have to add water to it frequently. And a big one will be quite heavy to carry.
- If your home has a large area, it is better to choose a model that will cope with cleaning faster.
It is recommended to pay attention to the characteristics. Namely, check whether the steam mode is indicated, which is suitable for laminate.
Reviews about whether laminate flooring can be cleaned with a steam cleaner
Andrey Vladimirovich Ivanov, Moscow
After the renovation, at first, out of habit, I washed the laminate flooring with a mop. But then I found out that this was harmful for the coating, and besides, there were still contaminants in the narrow joints between the boards. I decided to use a steam generator and did not regret it. It takes very little time to clean the floor, the effect is much better than manual cleaning, dirt can be removed even from hard-to-reach places. There is no deformation on the laminate - it looks like new.
Kuznetsova Anastasia Aleksandrovna, 28 years old, Ryazan
For the first time after purchase, I used the steam cleaner only when cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, as well as for cleaning windows. But then I found out that you can also wash laminate flooring with it. After the first cleaning, the floor was literally transformed; it was visible to the naked eye that it had become much cleaner. The unit did not cause any harm to the laminate. But I’m still wary of using it weekly and carry out general cleaning once a month, and the rest of the time I wipe the floor with a slightly damp cloth.
What to wash with
When choosing detergents for linoleum, you should know that not all of them are suitable for such a coating. The fact is that the top layer of the product is highly sensitive to the effects of alkalis and acids, so for care it is recommended to choose gentle compositions that are diluted with water. So. Before purchasing a detergent, carefully read the instructions for its use.
If you want to make cleaning easier, a linoleum vacuum cleaner with a steam cleaner will help you. Such equipment has proven itself in cleaning many floor coverings, including linoleum. Cleaning linoleum with this device is a pleasure. All you need to do is fill the reservoir with water, plug in the cord, put on the desired attachment and run the mop over the surface of the floor covering.
A steam mop also cleans linoleum well. The principle of operation is simple, it generates steam that can clean even the most difficult dirt on the floor. In addition, during cleaning, the coating is also disinfected. And since linoleum is not afraid of exposure to moisture, you can clean it with a device with a steam cleaner at least every day and not be afraid that such cleaning will damage the appearance of the flooring. The use of a right mop is also convenient because it does not require the use of chemical compounds to clean the floor. It will clean the floor surface from dirt even without them.
Attention! Before cleaning your floors with a steam mop, first try it on a small area of linoleum. If no changes occur with the material, then you can continue cleaning the entire floor.
The steam mop is convenient and maneuverable, which allows you to clean even in hard-to-reach places. It has a gentle and soft effect on linoleum, so you don’t have to worry about the surface of such a coating being damaged.
Recommendations for caring for laminate flooring
To ensure that the floor looks like new after cleaning, without stains or streaks, follow the correct sequence of care for laminate flooring. Before washing the laminate floor, do a dry cleaning - vacuum and wipe the dust off the furniture. Remember that even grains of sand can scratch the floor during wet cleaning. If there is heavy dirt on the floor, for example, traces of dirty shoes, you need to carefully wash them off first.
During wet cleaning, it is advisable to open the vents or windows. This will allow the water to evaporate faster and, accordingly, reduce the risk of wood rotting.
The optimal water temperature for washing laminate flooring is at least 40 degrees. Water at a lower temperature will leave more streaks and will also take longer to remove contaminants.
Tap water is usually hard and contains harmful impurities, so it is better to use filtered water or a mild vinegar solution. This floor cleaner will give the flooring a bright shine, eliminate unpleasant odors and get rid of germs and mold.
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