Using Steam Cleaners on Wood & Laminate Floors It’s that time of year again. The newspaper’s filled with “Black Friday” sales and everyone is planning their shopping strategy – the holiday season is upon us. For many, this means gathering together with family and friends. If you’re hosting a get-together, making sure your home looks its best is likely one of your top priorities. For the hardwood or laminate owner, this often begs the question, “Is it okay for me to use a steam cleaner on my floor?” As a customer service technician, I get asked this question a lot. The short answer is no! Read on to find out why. First, let’s look specifically at laminate in relation to steam cleaner use. Armstrong does not recommend the use of any type of steam cleaner on our laminate floors. The concern with these types of cleaners is that they simply generate too much moisture. For example, in a laminate installation where glue has been used at the joints, the resulting moisture due to the use of a steam cleaner can be enough to break down the adhesive.

Also, in instances where no glue is used, we have seen both peaked and swelled edges occur in laminate. While it may be possible that a steam cleaner does a sufficient job in maintaining the laminate, the potential risks of its use are too great to allow us to give our recommendation. Next, we delve into steam cleaner use on hardwood. As with laminate, we don’t recommend the use of steam cleaners on hardwood either. The number one rule of hardwood maintenance is never to use water. The use of a steam cleaner would clearly violate that rule. Here’s why: over time, the moisture generated from the steam would be absorbed by the floor boards. Eventually, it would cause these boards to swell in place which results in buckling. Once the board swells, it has nowhere to go and will begin to “pop up” over time. Excessive moisture could also have a detrimental impact on the finish of your hardwood floor. Keep in mind that it makes no difference whether your hardwood is of a solid or engineered construction in relation to steam cleaner use.

Each structure would still be negatively impacted when excessive moisture is generated on its surface, especially after several uses. This is the most common time of the year for folks to focus on maintaining their floors. It is my hope that this post has provided a bit more understanding of our reasons for cautioning against the use of steam cleaners in relation to hardwood and laminate floors. buy vacuum cleaner in sri lankaFor more information on the best practices for cleaning your floors, please visit the maintenance section of our website. swimming pool sand filter cleaner2012 is only a few shorts weeks away. cost of pool maintenance in las vegasBe sure to enter the New Year with your floor looking its best and performing at its peak.carpet cleaning cost estimator

Joe Sumpman, a Technical Services Representative, has four years at Armstrong under his belt. Joe is the consumer’s “phone a friend.” He can talk with you about almost any flooring topic – from installation methods to flooring warranties to finding a local retailer and more. carpet cleaner rental atlantaHe blogs about these topics too! best steam mop to clean vinyl floorsAt heart, Joe is a music and sports lover. And just for fun, he once decided to try skydiving! This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Floor Care & Maintenance, Hardwood, Laminate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. Homekeeping 101: Cleaning Your Hardwood Floor Whether you own your own home or not, keeping your floors clean and in good condition is an important step in general house keeping.

Flooring, particularly in high-traffic areas, takes a lot of beating and you may sometimes feel as if your floors are never free from injury and insult. If you have hardwood floors here are some tips for how to keep them looking their best. The mortal enemies of wood is moisture and dirt; both of which will most likely settle on your floors continuously. Standing water or liquids can warp the wood and cause it to swell, so addressing spills as soon as they occur is important. Dirt-catching methods such as using entry rugs, leaving your shoes at the door and regular vacuuming and dusting can stave off tiny particles like dust and dirt that can easily scratch the floor. To figure out the best cleaning method for your floor you need to find out how your wood floors are sealed or finished (usually either wax or urethane). If you've recently installed your flooring and are able to obtain a sample and get manufacturing details, then consider yourself fortunate. Samples are the best way to assess what exactly is underfoot and will enable you to test cleaning solutions and methods.

If you have no clue as to what exactly you have then try as best you can to determine if there is any top coat or finish. Floors treated with a urethane finish (usually a polyurethane or a polyacrylic) are the easiest to clean and a quick swipe of a damp cloth will do the trick. Here are the best rules of thumb for cleaning your hardwood floors, no matter what type of finish you have: Do not use ammonia, or harsh, abrasive cleaners Do not use furniture sprays which can leave a slippery, waxy build-up Do use a wood cleaner that is designed for floors. There are many on the market and you may need to spot-test your floors to see which works best. You can also make your own solution by mixing about a quarter cup of pH-neutral soap or Murphy's Oil Soap to a bucket of warm water. Use a sparing amount of water to clean and be sure your cloth or mop isn't dripping with water. Go over the floors a second time with plain water to rinse. Do use wood appropriate cleaning tools.