Is there a way to clean up a film on a laminate floor?
Posted on December 27th, 2010 in Bissell Steam Cleaner | 7 Comments »
Just recently bought a home that is 11 years old. I bought a bissell sweep/mop steam cleaner and began steam cleaning the floors. After 2 or 3 cleanings I noticed a film on my floors. I am assuming this is cleaning solutions/oils that have built up over the years. Should I continue stem cleaning until I have cleaned all of this up or should I stop. If I should stop is there a way to clear up this film?
7 Responses
Use a microfiber mop and water instead. Steam is very hard on laminate floors. It can warp them. Microfiber cleans really well. (You want a wet mop, but not dripping. Again, too much water can warp laminate.)
This Wikipedia cross-section shows you why Microfiber cloths don’t leave streaks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Microfiber-vs-Cotton.png
You can buy microfiber mops just about anywhere these days: Target, Walmart, Kmart, Home Depot, hardware stores…even Dollar General.
Good luck.
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try cleaning with something else a couple of times
a solution of white vinegar and water will remove almost any film have used it many times
You shouldn’t have used a steam cleaner from the start because steam cleaning laminate flooring is definitely headed for disaster. Laminate flooring is made with a fiber core that expands when it comes in contact with moisture. Therefore, using steam which is heat and moisture known as humidity can easily cause it to warp and ridge at the seam.
My guess is that this is just the steam cleaner doing its job. Here are a few tricks that may help. First, as someone mentioned, I would alternate what you clean with. Between steam cleanings it might but useful to actually clean with a basic mop and bucket. This was you can test and see if the film residue is left behind after a traditional mop and bucket or not.
Second, I would make sure you are using the best steam cleaner available. It sounds like you have a big job to handle. Check out this post from the consumer reviews site Viewpoints.com. This post lists the top steam cleaner, based on tons of consumer reviews. http://www.viewpoints.com/thegoods/Best-Steam-Cleaners
Happy cleaning!
try floor cleaner stripper or ammonia and water
Just pour 1 cup of warm water into a bucket, along with 1 cup of white vinegar. Add 1 cup of rubbing alcohol to the bucket, which will break through the film, without harming the laminate finish. Pour a squirt of liquid dish soap into the bucket. Dip a mop in the solution.Wring the mop out, to twist out as much water as possible. Mop over the floors as you normally would, applying extra pressure to areas with heavy film. Repeat as needed until all film has been removed from the laminate flooring.Then wipe over the floors with a dry, clean mop to collect any excess moisture.