How to Clean a Laminate Floor

LESLIE: Harold in Washington needs some help with a flooring problem. Tell us what’s going on.

HAROLD: I have laminate flooring …

TOM: OK.

HAROLD: … and it does not feel right to me. I am totally blind and it seems I can’t really clean it to where it feels right.

TOM: Hmm.

HAROLD: And I’m wondering if there’s any kind of finish that can be put on laminate flooring.

TOM: You know, not really. The way laminate flooring is built, it’s built in layers and you have a medium-dense …

LESLIE: And the finish is built into it.

TOM: Yeah, you have a medium-density fiberboard and then you have sort of a color layer and then you have an aluminum-oxide topcoat. And the aluminum-oxide topcoat gives you a very, very durable surface and it seals in the design or the décor coat underneath. It’s actually very beautiful stuff but you’re right – I never thought of it this way – it does feel a little bit different than any other type of floor surface; although I will tell you that it’s durable stuff and wears really well and as long as you’re doing basic cleaning – because, frankly, you don’t need to do a lot more than just damp mop that laminate floor, it’s going to wear very well and it’s going to look really good; even though it may not feel like, say, a vinyl tile floor might feel or a wood floor.

HAROLD: Alright, I thank you very much.

TOM: You’re welcome, Harold. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.