Engineered timber floating floors, or laminate floors, are widely appreciated for their durability and affordability. However, their maintenance can be quite a daunting task since they’re rather vulnerable and damage-prone. Luckily, natural cleaning solutions, such as white vinegar, can be used. Are you looking for tips and tricks to clean your laminate floors? In this article, we’ll list the best ways to clean a laminate floor using white vinegar. 

How to Spotlessly Clean a Laminate Floor with White Vinegar

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To ensure your laminate floors remain in pristine condition and retain their shiny appearance, regular maintenance is of utmost importance. While white vinegar might not be as commonly mentioned nowadays, when combined with black soap, it becomes a highly efficient household cleaning product. When mixed with water, it offers an efficient solution for maintaining laminate floors, particularly if they’re sealed. 

However, it’s essential to exercise caution when using white vinegar to mop wood floors, as it’s often advised against. To proceed safely, always dilute the vinegar in water and test a small, inconspicuous corner of the floor prior to using it floor-wide. Moreover, avoid leaving puddles of water on the flooring while mopping. 

Check out our 4 simple white vinegar floor cleaning solutions below. 

1- Clean with a white vinegar solution

Begin by sweeping your laminate floors with a mop to remove dust. Make sure the floor is properly swept to prevent any scratches. 

Then, in a bucket, pour ½ cup white vinegar into 4 L lukewarm water. Add 3 drops of essential oils. Soak the mop in the just-made solution, wring out the excess water, and run the mop all over the flooring. Make sure to have a backup solution in case your floors are really dirty, and the water turns murky. 

Instead of this solution, you can also:

• Use a mixture of white vinegar + ¼ cup apple cider vinegar + 4 L lukewarm water. 

• Add 3 teaspoons of white vinegar and half a litre of lukewarm water to a spray bottle. Spray the solution all over the floor and run a soaked mop over the surface. If you happen to be using a steam mop with a replacement pad, you can add the above-mentioned ingredients directly into the water reservoir. 

Avoid using a dry mop, it could damage the flooring. Cotton fibre mop heads are also advised against since they absorb way too must water and will soak your floors. A sponge mop is best. 

Once the floor is cleaned, make sure there are no traces of the product left behind, as it may damage your flooring. Leave the windows and doors wide open to allow decent airflow and help the floors dry faster. Avoid treading on the floor while it’s still damp; wait until it’s completely dry. 

2- Use a vinegar solution to remove stains

To that effect, you’ll need a clean cloth (or rag), a white vinegar and water solution, as listed in Method 1. Soak the cloth in the solution and handwash the stained areas. 

While cleaning, use a different clean cloth to dry the floor. You could also use a sponge to scrub the tough stains. 

Another option would be to:

• Add the same mixture to a spray bottle and spray it all over the stained areas before scrubbing with a cloth. 

• Use the less abrasive side of a sponge to properly scrub the area, rinse with lukewarm water, and dry with a different clean cloth. 

• Mix 3 teaspoons white vinegar and 500 ml distilled water in a mop’s water reservoir. Avoid oversteaming the floor. Lift the mop off the floor before steaming to limit the impact. Then, dry the floor with a different clean cloth.

3- Clean with vinegar and vegetable oil

Mix 2 cups white vinegar and 2 cups preferred vegetable oil in a spray bottle. Shake the solution thoroughly. Spray this solution over any stains on the floor and scrub using a cloth or, alternatively, use a clean mop for more convenience. Afterwards, dry the surface with a different cloth, wiping in circular motions. Plan for a backup solution in case the water becomes rancid.

Otherwise, you can:

• Prepare an orange vinegar solution. Fill a glass jar with fresh orange peels. Add white vinegar, and stop 3 cm from the brim. Close the lid and allow the mixture to sit for 1 to 2 weeks. Then, filter and keep it in a spray bottle. Clean your floors as above mentioned, with a solution containing ¼ cup orange vinegar and 8 L water. 

• Prepare a floor finish with ¼ cup olive oil, ⅓ white vinegar, 1 L lukewarm water, and a few drop of essential oils. Mix well and use to polish the floors. You can also use a damp mop or cloth. Lastly, use a clean rag to dry the floor, wiping in circular motions.

• Use a solution of Castille soap and vinegar. Mix ¼ cup Castille soap, ⅛ white vinegar, and 4 L water. Add a few drops of essential oils, and mix thoroughly. Then, wipe the floor with the solution and thoroughly dry with a clean rag. Next, add ¼ cup baking soda to clean soiled areas. Once clean, rinse the floor with clean water and dry it with a different, clean rag. 

4- Homemade recipe using liquid dish soap

This easy-to-make, homemade cleaner recipe will revamp your flooring. Not only will it remove stains, but it’ll also give it its former sheen. It only takes a few minutes to make. To 3 parts water, add 1 part vinegar, and 1 spritz of liquid dish soap. Thoroughly mix the ingredients in a spray bottle, then spray the just-made solution on the floor, and wipe clean with a slightly damp microfibre mop. 

More Tips to Clean and Maintain Your Laminate Floors

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Besides white vinegar solutions, there are other products that can be used to effectively clean a laminate floor. Let’s take a more in-depth look at a few. 

Microfibre dust mop

The microfibre dust mop is the go-to tool to effortlessly clean just about any type of flooring. It’ll clean just about anything, from dust, to pet hair, and even the tiniest of particles. Its swivelling head allows for speedy and efficient cleaning. Additionally, its shape means even the most hard-to-access areas can be reached, like beneath tables and chairs. The microfibre dust mop doesn’t need much water, which is perfect for laminate floors since they easily warp when exposed to excess moisture. It’s rather easy to use—lightly dampen the mop and no detergent is needed. Once the floor has been cleaned, run a dry cloth over the surface to absorb the moisture left behind. 

Household black soap

If your laminate floor is especially dirty and smeared in tough stains, you can use black soap to efficiently remove all dirt. Simply add a few drops on a slightly dampened microfibre mop and run it over the surface. Then, no need to rinse your laminate floor, just wipe it dry.

You can use Marseille soap instead of using household black soap, which too is a really good laminate floor cleaner. It’s also super simple to use. Add it to water and go about your cleaning routine. 

Wax milk

Wax milk, made of Carnauba wax, is a natural and effective product suitable for cleaning and maintaining the shiny appearance of laminate floors. To use, apply a thin layer of wax milk using a microfibre mop. 

Best Ways to Restore Your Floor’s Shine

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There’s nothing more annoying than a dirty, lacklustre floor. However, fear not, as maintaining a shiny and appealing laminate floor is within reach with the help of these few tips:

Mop regularly

The simplest way to maintain a shiny laminate floor is to make it a routine to mop or sweep its surface regularly. This effectively cleans the surface and eliminates minor stains. When dealing with newly installed flooring, opt for a warm water clean to preserve its sheen for as long as possible. However, be cautious to avoid excessive water usage while washing, as this can potentially damage the parquet.

Use specially-designed products for tough stains

When dealing with tough stains, avoid vigorously scrubbing laminate floors. Doing so could weaken and damage it. Instead, use specially-made floor cleaning products. Make sure to pick a cleaner that’s suited to your household’s situation since some products are rather aggressive. 

Apply a floor shine refresher

It’s near impossible to prevent your floor from wearing with time. However, there are ways to restore its shine by applying a layer of floor shine refresher. True to its name, this product is specifically designed to revamp flooring. Simply apply it periodically to restore your floor’s former sheen. For optimal results, we suggest applying it every 6 months.

Protect your floors

Laminate floors are a type of flooring that’s especially fragile and delicate. It’s especially prone to showing footsteps and reacting to the slightest furniture shift. As such, it’s important to protect its surface to ensure longevity. As a method of protection, you can add little felt stickers to the bottom of your furniture. The latter will act as a buffer between your furniture and the flooring. As for the aesthetics of it all, fear not, as there’s a variety of felt sticker designs available, each more aesthetically pleasing than the next. The choice is yours!

Does white vinegar damage flooring?

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White vinegar, when used correctly, won’t damage your flooring. It has quite the opposite effect in fact: it degreases, deep cleans, and adds shine. However, avoid using pure vinegar on flooring. Dilute it in water first to eliminate any risk of damaging the surfaces. Also, avoid cleaning with vinegar on a daily or weekly basis. It’s best to simply use on occasion. 

Precautionary Measures for Cleaning Wood Floors 

• Don’t leave stagnant water on the flooring after cleaning, as it could alter the resin.

• Avoid using an abrasive scrub brush on this type of flooring, as it could scratch the surface. Instead, use a mop or microfibre dust mop.

• Wring out the mop thoroughly, as excessive moisture can be detrimental to this type of flooring, causing the material to warp and wear.

• Avoid letting vinegar sit on the surface for too long; promptly wipe off the cleaned surface.