Laminate Wood Floors

I use the Hoover Floormate and I love it. It vacuums first then scrubs and suctions it up at the same time. Hoover makes a cleaning solution for the Floormate that is safe for laminate floors and I assume kids and pets. Since it suctions it up I don't think much is left on the floor. It is so much easier than a mop and bucket and it cleans beautifully. Just plug it in, fill it up and go!

I dont know about the separation. I have that problem too and have no idea what to do about it. Good luck!

My husband is a flooring inspector and has told me the benefits and downfalls with laminate floors. He has told me that any water on the flooring can make it warp or separate. This can be a down side to it. I would dry mop it, then I would take a barely damp rag and wipe it. Don't saturate the floor. I would say that if you still have a warranty on the floor call the manufacturer. I hope this helps!

I use IMMACU-10 on my floors. NO chemicals, enzyme based so safe for EVERYONE. No film, no residue, just clean. If you are local to the Fishers area, I can supply you w/ product. If not, you might be able to find it online. VERY reasonable in price. I use it on laundry too and it takes out pretty much everything!

I'm a real estate investor and actually have seen this in one of my investment properties. Unfortunately, the only way my crew says this can be fixed is by redoing the floors. Supposedly,this is from it not being installed tightly enough. I thought there would be a way to add a little spacer or something in to make it hold together, but after talking to other people in the field, if a floor is not put down properly, the teeth that hold the pieces together break and the floor needs redone. So, if I were you I would just kick the pieces forward with the heel of your foot when you notice it's separated, and try to just deal with the inconvenience until you are ready to replace it. Most all of the boards will be able to be reused, just the ones where it comes apart the most should be replaced.

Also, I have the swiffer wet jet and the multi purpose solution that you can buy for it works awesome! They have a wood floor cleaner, but it will leave streaks, so only buy the multi purpose. No streaks, and no time spent making your own cleaners.

I don't know about the separating part but I use a vinegar and water solution that works great for cleaning. For big messes I use a mop and go back over with a towel to dry. For touch ups I use a spray bottle and a microfiber pad/mop. It doesn't leave a cloudy/streaky residue and it is safe for children and pets. It also has a disinfectant quality to it that is as effective as bleach for most things without the harmful chemicals.

Hi. I am a SAHM, mother of 2. Our home inspector told us not to use a cleaner on ours b/c of the type they are... Trader Joes has an all purpose cleaner. I sometimes spray that on a damp mop b/c I can't stand not using something. Be sure to not let any water stand on those floors..that will make things worse. Call or go to Home Depot about the separating.. you may be able to get a sealer. Sweep often and damp mop often. Unless something bacterial etc gets on them don't worry about using a stronger cleaner, in that case spot clean those places if raw meat or something like that drops on them. Good Luck!

Armstrong makes a cleaner for laminate floors. I think Lowe's sells it. I always used Swiffer wet jet on my laminate floors and it seemed to work although I had to change the pad more often to not leave streaks. I think the separating is normal. Not sure what you could do, but you can ask at Lowe's or Home Depot and see what they suggest.

Where do you live? The shrinkage could be from cold weather and dry heat, and will change with the season. I use warm water with a little bit of glass cleaner. That is what was recommended to us. HTH~

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A....I also have laminate floors which are Pergo. Pergo is guaranteed for 20 years not to scratch, come apart,etc. Are yours Pergo? You may want to check with the company and see what they tell you. I do know you shouldn't let water sit on them. I mop with a Pergo cleaner or sometimes water and vinegar solution, but mop it up and not use too much liquid on them. Good luck....

Shaklee's Basic H2 will clean just about anything! The product is all natural with no chemicals so it's safe around kids/pets and has hundreds of uses. It's super concentrated so a little bit goes a long way! For wood floors, they suggest 1 tablespoon of BH2 to 1 gallon of water. I'm actually a distributor and would be happy to send you a free sample if you want. Just let me know!

-C.
http://shaklee.net/carriebarta

my laminate floor maker said mix vinegar and water. 1/4 cup to 3 c. water. That's all I;ve ever used and my floors look great. I put it in a spray bottle. It smells till it dries and then they are clean and beautiful.

I agree with Stephanie - I use a vinegar and water solution on my floors. I was told by the installation person that anything else would be damaging to the floor. (Mine are cherry, too. Armstrong's top of the line product with a 30 year warranty.) Vinegar is slightly acidic and so it takes off dirt and cleans it adequately. Can you slide the pieces back together? Mine slide very slightly in a few places, but they are floating floors, so that's probably normal to a certain extent. I would call a floor place and ask them about it and then find out if there's anything to be done. They do move a bit over time, but if you are talking large gaps, that's not normal. I bet you could get an estimate on fixing them for free and at least you'd know what you are in for.

Get a steam mop! They are expensive (around $80 for the one I have, the shark) but save money in the long run. They clean with steam. All you do is put tap water into the mop and plug it in. It is ready to mop in 90 seconds. After you mop, the pad is machine washable, and there are no chemicals on your clean floor! Also, it dries in seconds!