When spring arrives and the first rays of sunlight flood the apartment, many people feel the urge for a significant change. Windows are cleaned, cupboards are thoroughly wiped, winter shoes are put away and the floor is cleaned. We can show you how parquet flooring, laminate flooring and similar can be spruced up for spring in no time.
There’s no question: whether oiled or lacquered, parquet is one of the most popular floorings. While oiled parquet has a particularly natural look, lacquered parquet offers an impressive sheen. To ensure that a wooden floor brings pleasure for a long time, special care must be taken when cleaning it. This starts with the choice of parquet cleaning agent, which needs to be matched precisely to the surface it’s going to be applied to. For example, there are special wood floor soaps. You simply mix these with the right amount of water and you’re ready to go.
Before starting with wet cleaning, sweep the room with a soft broom to remove coarse dirt and dust. This prevents small stones from causing scratches during mopping or streaks from being formed due to wet dust. If you use a vacuum cleaner, the setting for smooth surfaces should be selected. This generally extends a small ring of brushes to prevent the nozzle from scuffing against the floor. It is also worth taking a look at the rollers on the vacuum cleaner. If they tilt quickly and then slide hard over the floor, it is better not to use the vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, the danger of scratching the parquet is too great.
Once the coarse dirt has been removed, wet cleaning can begin. The water/cleaning agent mixture is best applied with a commercially available, non-fluffy mop or cloth. It is important not to wipe too wet – the usual recommendation is “slightly damp”. If there is too much moisture, the wood may swell. The mop or cloth should thus be wrung out thoroughly before application. If the floor dries very quickly after being cleaned, this is an indication that the mop has just the right level of wetness.
Laminate flooring looks similar to real wooden flooring, but is generally a bit easier to care for. To ensure that it reaches a good age and does not lose its shine, however, a few small things should be noted.
For normal mess, simple vacuuming is usually sufficient – but occasionally you should also wipe the floor with a damp mop or cloth. After all, small mishaps within everyday life happen to everyone every once in a while that leave traces on the floor. For example, a blob of jam that was only half-heartedly cleaned away with a paper towel during breakfast. As a rule, clear water is sufficient for cleaning; special cleaning products such as CC-Laminate-Cleaner are suitable for more stubborn mess. Apply the cleaning agent with a well-wrung mop and the floor will shine like new again.
When it comes to cleaning laminate flooring, less is more. If too much cleaning agent is used, unattractive streaks may form on the floor. Another cause of unwanted streaks on the freshly wiped floor may be dust and other dirt particles. To avoid this, it is worth first vacuuming the floor or wiping it with a dry duster before wet mopping starts.
