Caring for and maintaining laminate

Bring home the beauty and richness of wood or the rustic charm of natural stone.  Our range of stunning, practical and easy fit laminate flooring opens up an exciting selection of opportunities for you to create a look you'll love.

What is laminate?

There are 4 basic layers that together make up a laminate floor plank.  The top layer is a wear layer ...

Bring home the beauty and richness of wood or the rustic charm of natural stone.  Our range of stunning, practical and easy fit laminate flooring opens up an exciting selection of opportunities for you to create a look you'll love.

What is laminate?

There are 4 basic layers that together make up a laminate floor plank.  The top layer is a wear layer to add strength as well as heat and stain resistance to your laminate flooring.  The second layer is the decor layer which is the part where the design is printed, so for example, the wood grain.  The thickest layer of your laminate floor is the third layer which is specially formulated to add strength, stability and to prevent moisture from seeping through.  The final layer of your laminate flooring is a backing to protect the laminate from moisture that comes from below your flooring, without this your laminate floor would warp so it's a really important part of making sure you have the best possible flooring.

Laminate flooring allows you to create a natural and beautiful floor in your home and it is also one of the most hardwearing flooring types on the market. These benefits have made it a popular choice in modern homes, but you still need to care and maintain your laminate flooring if you want to keep that high quality look for longer. That is why Carpetright has created this handy guide to laminate care.

How do I Care For my Laminate Flooring?

Modern laminate flooring creates a stylish look in your home, it is quite hard to damage and relatively easy to care for!  However, it’s still worth following a few basic guidelines to further maintain your floor’s beauty. We have created our laminate care guide to help you look after your new laminate flooring.

Laminate Stains and Spills

Laminate flooring is very similar to vinyl flooring. It is very easy to stain or damage if spills are not cleaned up, so it is important that you know how to avoid, manage and remove stains and spills as soon as they occur.

Cleaning Your Laminate ...

Laminate Stains and Spills

Laminate flooring is very similar to vinyl flooring. It is very easy to stain or damage if spills are not cleaned up, so it is important that you know how to avoid, manage and remove stains and spills as soon as they occur.

Cleaning Your Laminate
You should never use polish, wax or varnish on your laminate flooring. This is because most laminate flooring has a pre-finished wear layer which does not require further treatment. You should also never mop your laminate floor as excess water can damage your floor. Simply use a damp cloth to wipe the stain away. To clear away dirt and sand, simply sweep your floor with a soft brush.

On occasion, you may need to use a special laminate cleaner but you need to choose these carefully. If you’re unsure, your flooring manufacturer should be able to recommend certain stain removers. The use of everyday products can also help. For example, using acetone for cigarette burns or nail polish spills and using mineral spirits to remove grease or tar.

Damaging Your Laminate
As well as staining your laminate flooring, it is also important to remove liquid spills immediately as water can affect the look of your floor. If water seeps below the base boards and under your floor, your laminate floor could become warped and damaged. This is why we do not recommend mopping laminate floors. Simply use a damp cloth to wipe them over. We have put together our laminate care guide to help you care for your new laminate flooring.

Laminate Scratches

Scratching your laminate is easy to do and hard to remove so you need to mindful of how you treat your laminate flooring. The use of easy glide protective buttons or felt protectors can protect your laminate floor from heavy appliances and furniture while simply cleaning away surface dirt and sand will help avoiding ...

Laminate Scratches

Scratching your laminate is easy to do and hard to remove so you need to mindful of how you treat your laminate flooring. The use of easy glide protective buttons or felt protectors can protect your laminate floor from heavy appliances and furniture while simply cleaning away surface dirt and sand will help avoiding scratching.

You should also be mindful of the cloth you use when cleaning your laminate floor. Never clean with abrasives, scouring pads or steel wool as this will scratch and damage your floor.

Depending the source of the laminate mark, there are some practical things you can do to keep your laminate floor mark free.

For rubber marks, from a shoe or wheel, you should be able to simply remove the mark using a dry dust cloth. However, if you are cleaning away grease marks then Carpetright recommends mixing 2ml of lemon juice or plain vinegar in a bucket of clean water ...

Depending the source of the laminate mark, there are some practical things you can do to keep your laminate floor mark free.

For rubber marks, from a shoe or wheel, you should be able to simply remove the mark using a dry dust cloth. However, if you are cleaning away grease marks then Carpetright recommends mixing 2ml of lemon juice or plain vinegar in a bucket of clean water (5-10L). This mixture should be then used to wipe the laminate with a well-wrung cloth. We have put together our laminate care guide to help you care for your new laminate flooring.

Laminate Fading and Discolouration

Our range of laminate flooring does not fade under the influence of direct sunlight or artificial light giving you a lasting laminate look in your home.

How Else Can I Protect my Laminate?

You need to ensure that you care for your laminate flooring from the time it is fitted. Placing a dirt trapping mat at all entrances will reduce the amount of dirt coming into the home and onto your laminate floor. Our range of rugs are a great compliment to laminate flooring ...

How Else Can I Protect my Laminate?

You need to ensure that you care for your laminate flooring from the time it is fitted. Placing a dirt trapping mat at all entrances will reduce the amount of dirt coming into the home and onto your laminate floor. Our range of rugs are a great compliment to laminate flooring but you should use a non-slip rug underlay to prevent potential accidents.

You should never use a steam cleaner on your laminate as this will damage the laminate. Your laminate flooring should come with a set of care and maintenance instructions and a manufacturer’s warranty. Take your time to carefully read these documents and refer to them if a problem occurs.

If you are unsure about any aspect of caring for your laminate, consult the manufacturer or please ask your local Carpetright store for more practical tips on caring for your laminate.