I have been regretful of our floor choice from day one of my laminate floor install. We choose them due to high traffic and pool access. I've searched for years for the right solution for the footprints and smudges that show up immediately after cleaning the floor. So, finally here it is!
Cheap and simple odorless mineral spirits (in the paint section of the big box stores next to thinners) and water. I make a 50/50 mixture and use a mopping pad, working backwards in medium sections. After each section, I take an old bath towel (or cheap one) and dry the section just cleaned. Wait until dry to walk on the floor. I've only done this once so far but NO footprints.
Previously, any solution: Swifter, Bona, Vinegar, etc., would show footprints immediately. Fingers crossed and I am calm after cleaning!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have laminate flooring and have been cleaning it with a Swiffer Wet Jet. Now every foot print shows up on the floor. How do I get the floor back to the way it was? It looks horrible right now.
You need to get down on your knees with a sprayer bottle of vinegar and water . Spray small area, wipe with a good thick grade of paper towel and wipe with a second paper towel and all the marks will be gone.It is very hard work but looks great when whole floor is done in this manner.
Try damp mopping with Murphy's oil soap for wood, rinse with a clean damp mop, and dry the floor by walking around on a big towel.
You might want to wear slippers between cleanings. ;)
I had the same problem with the Swiffer wetjet. I threw it away.
I got a big bottle of Zep laminate floor cleaner at Home Depot or Lowes. Works great on laminate floors. I got one of those Rubbermaid duster-mop that copmes with both the green duster and blue mop heads that just velcro on and it comes with a long handle. Easiest device out there. Got it at Home Depot.
I use vinegar and warm water only. I used cleaners and it put a haze on the floor. I thought at first that the vinegar and water didnt work well but if you keep using it it works well. I wet mop and then dry the mop off with a hand towel under the swifter mop.
I agree with the vinegar and water. The other cleaners leave a film that just shows off the traffic marks. The vinegar stinks for a little bit and then evaportes and leaves the floor with a beautiful shine.
You can keep the swifter. If you use a pair of pliers you can removed the top of the bottle. I agree with the others, refill it with a mixture of vinegar and water, you may have to scrub really hard the first time to get the footprints out.
Hi Steve, a couple of years ago, we got laminate flooring for our kitchen and dining room, the company and installers advised me to use only white vinegar and water 1/2 and 1/2 mixture in a spray bottle, and that's all I've ever used on it. I use an old swifter dry mop with a double thick layer of paper towel attached, for easy clean up.
Johnsons no buff and wax is what you need. Do not, I repeat do not use a sponge mop. Use a soft cloth or an actual mop for applying cleaner. This stuff is great.
I use pledge multi surface floor cleaner on my laminate floors. I use a green rectangular (Maybe 5x8" wide) mop that I found at the dollar store for $8.00. It is plastic, has a very thin, strip of white foam loosely attached to the bottom. It came with a white terry cloth elasticized pad that you use on the bottom. Extra pads are $2.00 each.
The trick to prevent streaking is to wet the terry cloth pad, wring it out good, squirt a small amount of the cleaner over a 3'x3' area, then mop it up. I put mine in a spray bottle and spray it. Just a very light spray.You will have to rinse the cloth pad out several times while mopping. Just throw it in the washing machine on wash day.
The floor should dry in four or five minutes. If not, you are using too much cleaner. Also, no matter what kind of vacuum cleaner you have it will not pick up all the dirt and dust. I found a mop kit at the dollar store for $5.00 (with dry pads) that I run over my floor with after vacuuming. You will be shocked at how much dirt/dust you pick. When the dusting pad gets dirty in one place, I re-attach it in another place. After that side is dirty, I turn it over and use it some more. Save those nickels and dimes!
These are also great for dusting, picking up dog hair, etc. The dogs leave tracks because their feet are damp from going outdoors or from stepping into water at their watering bowl. Haven't figured out a way to prevent that.
Try Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner. I use an OrangeGlo mopping pad that is dampened and it works great. The OrangeGlo Hardwood Floor Cleaner is NOT okay for Laminate, but the Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner is and it helped me with the streaking, having to dry it, etc. I just mop in on (just enough water to dampen pad) and it dries almost immediately.
With two little boys who are barefoot and tend to get milk etc. on my floors, there's always smudges and footprints on my laminate floors. The best thing is 1/2 White Vinegar and 1/2 Water in a spray bottle. I put an old bath towel on the end of a swiffer and spray and wipe with the towel.
I agree with the swiffer we jet, it leaves a film on the floor. I just got new laminate floor in my laundry room and Home Depot told me to use the Bruce's laminate floor cleaner. I also do the same thing as posted above and that is after running the sweeper, use one of the swiffer dry clothes and you will be amazed at the stuff still on your floor.
Patty
White vinegar with 2 or 3 drops of blue dawn dish soap. Put in spray bottle spray small areas lightly and use a two way mop with cleaner cloth on one side and shiner on other. I use a cedar (name brand) mop.
No, vinegar causes same problem! So I have to get on my knees and do my whole house bu hand? I do not think so.
I clean the floors with vinegar and water. I do it over and over again. As soon as we walk on the floors it leaves footprints. It drives me crazy any other suggestions to illuminate the footprints?
Vinegar is leaving a dingy film, and showing the footprints.. I need something else to get out the footprints. Do I need to rinse the vinegar off the floor?
For dogs? Not so much
that's what I'm lnquiring about, is there anything that could be put on these floors to prevent every footprint or shoe print, (whether the shoe is clean or your barefoot) to show up on my dark laminate floor. I can remove the prints, but as soon as you walk on the floor, the are right back. I hope there is an answer out there?
I accidently used Murphy's Oil Soap on my laminate floor. I picked up the wrong bottle, I had been using Thomasville Wood Floor Cleaner. They are the same color and I did not realize I had the wrong one until it was too late. The Murphy's Oil Soap left a film and every footprint and mark shows up. I have tried to wipe it down and even did it over with the Thomasville product. My living room floor is a mess right now. I did the bedroom only with the Thomasville product and it looks great! So I don't recommend using Murphy Oil Soap on laminate flooring. I have also used Bona on my laminate flooring, it never left foot prints.
