How to care for a laminate in an apartment?

Laminate is perhaps the most popular material for the floors. It is much cheaper than parquet, it is much less troublesome with it than with wooden floors, and it provides much better thermal protection than linoleum. In addition, in building stores you can find the most bizarre colors of this material, so you can give vent to your imagination and create an interior that no one else has. How to take care of laminate flooring in an apartment so that the material retains its qualities and external appeal as long as possible?- We'll talk about this in this article.

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What is laminate?

Before you start cleaning, it is very useful to know what this material is - then it will be easier to pick up detergents and equipment. The laminate consists of several layers:

• stabilizing, or lower;
• main, it's also a carrier;
• decorative;
• protective.

Important! The stabilizing layer adheres to the floor. It is usually made of kraft paper. The carrier layer is a dense wood-fiber board. The decorative layer is the one on which the drawing is applied. On sale you can find a laminate with a variety of patterns - for parquet, marble or granite, and even with a fantasy picture or even with a reproduction of the famous picture. Finally, the topmost layer is a protective film.

In addition, the laminate is distinguished by the type of fastening:

• lok;
• click.

Important! The laminate with clic mount has special latches, with which the panels are fastened together. The material where the lok marking is marked is hammered. This is a more budgetary option, but it tolerates moisture worse, which should be taken into account when cleaning.

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Two words about

laminate classes On the packages and price lists, you can see two digits - 21, 22, 23 or 31, 32 and 33. Sometimes the label 34 also comes across. The first digit of the marking shows which roomsintended material:

• 2 - living quarters;
• 3 - public buildings.

This, of course, does not mean that the material marked 32 or 33 can not be used in apartments. Very much even it is possible! It is simply more expensive than the one that is designed for rooms.

Important! If you want the floor to serve for a long time, choose a stronger one, even if it costs more. This is especially important if you are going to change the floor in rooms where it has a heavy load, that is, in hallways and kitchens. Moreover, care for the laminate class 33 is not much different from the processing of material 31 and even 21 classes.

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The main enemies of laminate

In any room, the floor is the most problematic part. Even if you walk around the apartment in soft slippers, there are corners where the environment is by definition aggressive. In the hallway you go in the street shoes, and in the kitchen quite often there is a high humidity and temperature drops. As with any material, the laminate has enemies capable of significantly reducing its life:

• dirt;
• water;
• sharp heels;
• falling objects with sharp edges.

The effects of these factors should be avoided whenever possible. You can take quite simple preventive measures:

1. Lay the mats in front of the front door and behind it.
2. Select a place near the entrance where everyone will take off their street shoes, as well as a place to store it.
3. Try to keep street shoes clean.
4. Plumbing should always be in order.
5. Do not allow the dirt on the laminate to dry.

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What you need

If you just resurfaced floors and do not know how to care for laminate flooring at home, take a walk to the hardware store. You will be very useful:

• neutral detergents;
• soft cloth;
• a mop with a soft nozzle;
• plastic bucket;
• masking paste for the color of the decorative layer;
• polish for laminate.

Important! When caring for a laminate, aggressive detergents can not be used. Avoid abrasive pastes, as well as liquids and gels containing chlorine, acids and alkalis. Abrasive paste leaves scratches, aggressive liquids can dissolve the protective layer. However, since with this coating any dirt is washed off quite easily, you probably will not need any extreme ways. In addition, you do not fit:

• washing powders;
• detergent.

In the store you can easily find detergents designed specifically for laminate processing. The price range is very wide, so that the family, even with a very modest income, has the opportunity to pick up something suitable. The type of coating for which this or that agent is intended is indicated on the package.

The means for laminate washing should:

• be safe for everyone, including children and animals;
• is dust-repellent;
• is easy to wash off with ordinary warm water.

Important! If there is still a scratch on the laminate that can not be removed with a special paste, or an indelible stain - it's best to simply swap the panels in places, removing the damaged corner to where it will be less visible.

Rag

It is not necessary to use old shirts or bathrobes for wet cleaning. You already certainly do not remember from what fabric they were sewn. Some materials, suitable for clothes, are completely inadequate for cleaning, because they absorb water poorly.

In addition, they may have buttons, buttons or zippers that can scratch. It is best to buy a special large napkin for washing floors in the store. It perfectly absorbs water, it is easily wrung out and does not damage the coating.

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What kind of cleaning is possible?

How to take care of the laminate of class 33, as well as any other? The material of class 33 is more resistant to unfavorable conditions, after all, it is designed mainly for the fact that it will be walked by a whole crowd of people in street shoes. Regardless of which laminate flooring you have, there are only two options for cleaning:

• is dry;
• is damp.

Important! Dry cleaning is recommended to be done every day, wet - once a week.

Dry cleaning

Dry cleaning of the laminate - it's quite simple. The main thing is that you spend it regularly. For such cleaning you need:

• a common household vacuum cleaner;
• soft brush for vacuum cleaner;
• brush or broom with soft pile.

Important! The protective layer of such flooring perfectly repels the dust, therefore, to properly care for the laminate in the apartment, it is enough to just walk once a day with a vacuum cleaner - and your floor will always shine like a new one.

Wet cleaning

Some types of laminate do not tolerate moisture at all. The most problematic in this sense are materials of grades 21 and 22.Therefore, often do not wipe them.

Important! Laminates, where the first figure on the marking is a triple, are more resistant to moisture. However, in this case, abuse of wet cleaning is not worth it.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Pour warm water into the container.
2. Dilute the detergent according to the instructions on the package.
3. Wet a rag or mop.
4. Pull it out well.
5. Wipe the floor.
6. Allow the floor to dry or wipe it with a dry cloth.

Additional conditions and secrets to easily care for laminate flooring in the apartment:

1. Try to use detergents that do not form foam. If the foam is, the floor will have to be wiped with a damp rag the second time, that is, double the effect of moisture on the laminate.
2. In most cases, it is not necessary to wash the detergent with an additional portion of water. But before carrying out wet cleaning, it is necessary to carefully read what is written on the packaging of liquid or gel.
3. Take into account one more simple rule. The harder you squeeze a mop or rag, the less divorce you get.
4. If you have laminate floor 33 or 32 class, you will greatly facilitate the life of a washing vacuum cleaner. He will perfectly cope with washing the laminate - and not at all affect its longevity.

Important! Wet cleaning should not turn into wet cleaning. The rag should be squeezed very carefully.

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If there was a scratch

Even the most accurate mistress on the floor sometimes gets scratches. Unsuccessfully moved the furniture, someone from the guests came on sharp heels, nahuliganil child - in general, there are enough reasons. What to do?- Your assistant is a special masking paste that will help you easily take care of the laminate in the apartment:

1. Do a dry or wet cleaning.
2. Dry the floor.
3. Apply a thin layer of paste.

Important! Such a paste not only masks small cracks, dents and scratches, but also perfectly restores the protective layer. It is for this reason that you should use it, not paint.

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If the laminate is in the kitchen

The floor in the kitchen is particularly vulnerable, since it regularly receives droplets of grease and water. In the kitchen at the most inopportune moment, a sink can flow, which, of course, will not bring any benefit to the laminate. Therefore, take care of the laminate in the kitchen especially carefully. However, the methods of care are no different from those that you use in other rooms:

1. Every day the floor needs to be swept or vacuumed.
2. If drops of water and grease are on the floor, they should be immediately removed.
3. Once a week, do wet cleaning using products that dissolve well in water.

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Laminate polishing

If you prefer a shiny laminate, you will sometimes have to polish it. However, "polish" is not a very suitable word, because it is not done the way it is when caring for parquet. To polish the laminate, special polishes are used - they can also be found in the most ordinary hardware store with a large assortment of detergents.

Application rules to ensure that the care for laminate class 33 was appropriate:

1. Clean the floor of dust and dirt.
2. Scratch the paste.
3. Apply the polish according to the instructions.

Important! Do not use polish more than once every six months.

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A few words about home remedies

Despite the fact that it is not difficult to buy a detergent marked "for a laminate", you should always have vinegar at your fingertips - 3% or 9%.It perfectly cleanses the laminate, and does not leave any divorce.

If heavily soiled, you can use substances such as alcohol, acetone or a solvent - depending on what the spot is from.

Important! To understand what kind of care is needed for laminate flooring, it is enough to know that alcohol perfectly erases the chewing gum, and acetone is suitable for paints.

Apply all of these substances on a single principle:

1. Apply the product on a dry rag.
2. Wipe off the stain.
3. Carry out a wet or dry cleaning, depending on the situation.

Important! Applying aggressive solvents, initially try them on a less visible for the view of the flooring and make sure that the product does not cause any harm to the material.

Liquid soap can be used to remove greasy stains. If during a New Year's or romantic party stearin or wax got on the floor - remove them with a plastic scraper. In the same way, you should do the same in the nursery, if your baby has stuck flat cakes of plasticine on the floor.

We hope that you are convinced that there are no difficulties in taking care of laminate flooring in an apartment, especially if it is class 33 material. The main thing is to clearly understand what should be done regularly, and what is not recommended at all. Then your floor will last a long time and will not lose its color, swell, get scratches and other damages.