The high gloss finish of these floors is often the most high-maintenance aspect of this product, but with a few simple tips, you can keep your high gloss laminate floor looking beautiful for years to come!
Easy Tips Today To Restore That High-Gloss Shine on Floors!
High gloss laminate flooring is a popular choice for homeowners looking to create an elegant, high-end look in their homes. But it can be challenging to maintain the high gloss finish of these floors. Luckily, there are some simple tips you can use to keep your high gloss laminate floor looking beautiful for years to come!
You want that high-gloss shine back on your floors and don’t know how? In this guide we share a few easy steps that will have your high gloss laminate floor shining like new in no time at all!
Another interesting read: The Cost of Installing Herringbone Laminate Flooring
Tips To Keep In Mind Before You Start Cleaning
Like any other type of floor, laminate floors can also be damaged if the wrong cleaning techniques are followed or if the wrong cleaning products are used. Here is a quick look at a couple of important things you should consider before you wash laminate flooring.
What High Gloss Laminate Flooring is Made of
Plastic makes up approximately 80% of high gloss laminated floors. Therefore most high shine laminate floors are not wood but a combination of an abundant amount of resin and cellulose fibres (waste paper). The high-quality vinyl that makes up high gloss lamination floors combines polymers and plastic resins. If you touch high gloss laminate flooring, you will notice the high-gloss surface.
Easy Steps for High Gloss Laminate Floor Cleaning
To clean high shine laminate floors, avoid using oil soap as this may cause the surface to be sticky, as well as cause damage to high gloss laminate floors. If you use water, make sure it is not hot, as this will also cause the high shine flooring to darken due to its inherent quality of absorbing more than conventional wood does. Ensure that your high gleam laminates look shiny and after mopping, use a high-quality, high shine laminating floor cleaner to maintain the high gloss.
Glossy Laminate Flooring Absorbs Water
High Gloss Laminate Flooring is made of high-grade plastic instead of conventional wood or high-quality vinyl. These two materials are excellent for high wear purposes; however, they absorb more than high shine laminate floors, which causes them to darken when exposed to water. Once the colour change is obtained, it becomes difficult to remove the discolouration without damaging the high glossy surfaces.
Maintenance Tips for High Gloss Laminate Floors
High-grade resins and cellulose fibres in high gloss laminated floors make them extremely hardy. This means that high glossy layers are more likely to scratch than conventional wood or high-grade vinyl lamination floors. However, if you use high-grade mops and only dry your high gloss laminates with a soft cotton towel after mopping, then your high shine floors will last longer than you can imagine. High-quality microfiber fabric towels are recommended for this purpose as they won’t leave any scratches on your shiny surface.
High Gloss Laminate Flooring Scratches Easily
High gloss laminate flooring is exceptionally high shine flooring. This means that if you use high heat to dry high gleam floors, then your high-shine feet will darken due to the resin and plastic material of high gloss laminates absorbing more than conventional wood or vinyl. To avoid darkening, your high-quality microfiber fabric towels should be used for drying high shine laminate floors.
How High Gloss Laminate Flooring Reflects Light
High Gloss Laminate Flooring combines plastic and cellulose fibres (waste paper). As such, its high-grade finish reflects light very well. However, they absorb more than conventional wood does. Therefore high gloss laminates are more likely to darken when exposed to high heat or humidity. Once high-gloss flooring has darkened, it is difficult to remove this discolouration without damaging the high shine floors. To avoid this, be sure to use high-quality, high shine laminate floor cleaner after mopping your high gloss laminates high gleam floors.
How to Clean High Gloss Laminate Flooring
If high gloss laminate flooring is new or you haven’t walked on it for a while, there will probably be dirt and grime that needs to be cleaned out of the laminate flooring. Follow these tips to clean high gloss laminate flooring effectively.
Step 1 – Vacuum
Most high gloss laminates are made of high-quality porcelain or aluminium oxide, both of which can scratch easily. For this reason, high gloss laminate floors need frequent vacuuming to remove dust and other particles from the surface of high gloss laminate flooring.
Step 2 – Sweep or Dust Mop
Dampen a microfiber dust cloth with water, and use it to remove dirt, grime, and smudges from high gloss laminate flooring. Never use ammonia or any solvent-based cleaner on the surface of high gloss laminate floors. You can purchase special cleaners made for cleaning high shine finishes at many home improvement stores.
Step 3 – Apply Polish
To increase the shine of your high gloss laminate flooring, apply an acrylic polymer polish every month or so, depending on how quickly the finish dulls over time. Do not use waxes or silicone polishes, as they will make your laminate flooring look worse by darkening the finish. However, if you notice that the high gloss laminate flooring is becoming dull, polish it to restore its lustre.
Step 4 – Avoid Water
High gloss laminate floors are not very water-resistant at all and should never be exposed to standing water. If you spill something on your high gloss laminate flooring, immediately wipe it up with a dry cloth or paper towel. If you notice an oily residue after seeing water, vacuum the spot first before wiping it up.
Step 5 – Remove Stains
To remove stubborn stains from your high gloss laminate flooring, follow these steps: First, scrape away as much of the stain as possible using a plastic spatula or credit card. Next, make a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm water, and use the key to scrub the area with a new sponge. Finally, wipe away the stain using a microfiber cloth, and dry it by mopping up any water that remains on the surface of high gloss laminate flooring.
Step 6 – Wax or Refinish
Sometimes, if you notice that your high gloss laminate flooring is dull or scratched, you can strip off the old finish and wax it to restore its shine. If this method fails to work, try having the high gloss laminate flooring refinished by professional sandblasters who can remove scratches from your high gloss laminate flooring so that you don’t need to discard it.
What High Gloss Laminate Floor Cleaner to Use
High-quality microfiber fabric towels should be used for drying high shine laminates. High-quality microfiber fabric towels are recommended for this purpose as they won’t leave any scratches on high shiny floors.
To clean high gloss laminate flooring, start sweeping or vacuuming the floor to remove any dirt or debris. Then, mix warm water and dish soap, and apply it to the floor with a mop or rag. Rub the solution into the floor until it’s been fully absorbed, then rinse the floor with clean water and dry it with a cloth or towel. Don’t use abrasive cleaners or steel wool, as they can damage high gloss laminate flooring. Here are some other high-gloss laminate flooring cleaning tips:
- When using a high gloss laminate floor cleaner, only apply the cleaner to a small area at a time. This will help prevent streaks from forming on your high gloss laminate flooring.
- To keep high gloss laminate flooring clean during high foot traffic, use entrance mats at each doorway. These will help minimize the amount of dirt and debris that gets tracked onto your high gloss laminate flooring each day.
- When high gloss laminate flooring is new, it should be cleaned every day until its high-gloss shine has dulled. This process should take about two weeks. Once the high-gloss shine has faded, high gloss laminate flooring can be cleaned 1-2 times per week, depending on foot traffic in your home.
- If high gloss laminate flooring is used in a high traffic area or near kitchens or other areas where it’s susceptible to water damage, consider using high gloss laminate flooring tiles instead of planks. A tile is easier to replace if it becomes damaged.
High gloss laminate flooring is one of the most accessible floor surfaces to clean and maintain regularly because there are no grooves that trap dirt and debris like other floors, such as hardwood or stone. Also, high gloss laminate flooring is typically scratch and scuff resistant which means that high gloss laminate flooring should remain to look for many years to come.
Conclusion
High gloss laminate flooring is pretty easy to clean, but you need to use the right type of cleaning products and follow our instructions carefully, or you can end up discolouring your floors or create unsightly scratches on the coating.
As long as you follow the instructions in this guide, we are confident that your floors will be shiny and good-as-new. Plus, they will stay in great shape for many years to come.
If you enjoyed this guide and want to learn how to do other tasks or repairs in and around the house, then you should also have a look at the other guides we have on Healthy Handyman. With our website, you can learn how to do just about anything yourself.
