Contents:
- What is laminate?
- Washing and cleaning of laminate
- Deformity correction
- Useful tips
One of the most popular to date, flooring - laminate. It is more durable and aesthetically linoleum, modern and practical flooring. That is why laminate preference when choosing flooring. And the price he is quite acceptable. Only here, in contrast to the same linoleum flooring, known to us from the Soviet era, laminate causes some concern among housewives in the issue of care for those still unfamiliar to us flooring.
However, all is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. Caring for laminate flooring is surprisingly simple, although it requires some knowledge. One of the advantages of this coating can be considered easy to clean, but errors in the care affect its service life. Let's try to figure out how to care for the floor covered with a laminate to serve a long time he did not start to creak and a few months after installation. It is only necessary:
- Cleaning takes place every day;
- clean the dirt right;
- use special detergents.
It is these moments of care laminate we'll consider.
What is laminate?
Laminate flooring - a floor covering having a layered structure. The most vulnerable part of it - the top layer. A thin film protecting the wood panel from mechanical damage, moisture and ultraviolet light. This, indeed, is the laminating layer, which is made of acrylic resin or melamine. In addition to protecting the laminate against external influences, this film has a dust properties. Therefore, daily cleaning of laminate floor is limited to the use of the vacuum cleaner.
Wet cleaning is not necessary every day and because of the controversial water-repellent properties of the laminate. The fact that different rooms laminate manufacturers offer varying degrees of water resistance. However, for example, in a bathroom or kitchen is desirable to laminate stack, wherein the compound is applied to the locking wax. This will prevent water from entering the joints between laminated boards. For rooms with the usual level of humidity and less suitable waterproof coating, wet cleaning to be carried out not more than three times a week. However, the laminate also need to wash correctly.
Washing and cleaning of laminate
How to care for floors coated laminated boards, wet cleaning? First, for washing the laminate can be used only a specific household chemicals. But it is only in cases where it is necessary to remove stubborn dirt, such as, for example, traces of markers, lipstick or shoe polish, fatty and sugary food stains, glue, wax, chewing gum. Special means for cleaning laminate have a corresponding mark, but in urgent cases you can also use any detergent with a neutral PH ratio and even acetone (only in small quantities!).
How to remove stains from different laminate flooring? To do this, first apply the detergent on the stain and leave it for a few minutes. When the stain is dissolved, his brushes with a soft cloth dampened with clean water. Then wipe dry with a clean surface. If it becomes necessary to remove complex pollutants, that are specific for this or alternative means.
- For organic stains (juice, blood, oil, wine) use special cleaners or neutral.
- To remove synthetic or combined impurities (ink, felt pens, shoe polish, lipstick) is acetone, methyl alcohol, or brand Laminatclear or Loba.
- For purification laminate wax, glue or gum scraper used, but only after the complete drying or curing of contamination. Then carefully treated laminate by reducing paste.
When another everyday cleaning laminate wipe with a damp soft cloth without adding detergent, and then wipe it dry. The most important thing when washing laminate - Wring the cloth to prevent water from flowing into the joints between the boards. And for safe washing or cleaning laminate in any case can not use abrasive, alkaline and acidic cleaners and detergents, as well as very stiff brushes or scourers.
If there are scratches on the laminate, it is necessary to take advantage of special rehabilitation (repair) composition or a special paste. Such mini-repair will not just cover scratches, but actually restore liminirovannoe cover. Therefore, in a house where there are small children, pets, heavy furniture or furniture on wheels, a must-have restored paste suitable color to the laminate.
Deformity correction
Laminate flooring is usually a long time. But even such a modern and durable coating is subject to deformation. The first sign of strain laminated board - occurs when walking creaking. The most common cause of creaking are flaws in the installation of the laminate. And that no one is immune. The laminate may soon start after installation creak beneath his feet and walking in new buildings, in houses with uneven floors, in violation of stacking technology and the choice of poor quality, or simply unsuitable substrate. But even in the absence of all these reasons, the deformation of the laminate can provoke moisture in the joints between the boards and a high humidity in the room.
In addition to squeak that occurs when walking on the laminate, it may appear bumps or dents from heavy furniture or shock. Moreover, such distortion may occur as a completely new coating and on that is operated for a long time. Most modern coating laminate stacked by snap couplings. This makes it possible to eliminate the squeak of replacing warped boards. Laminate simply dismantled in a place where there was strain and replaced by new elements. We note that a similar procedure can be performed several times.
If swelling occurs after the repair and elsewhere floor, in this case it is necessary to fully pass laminate, pre-aligning the floor, replacing the substrate and warped boards. For laminate adhesive bonding such a procedure is possible in principle, but more laborious. Therefore, to avoid such incidents for the laminate is necessary to properly care for and respect the technology when it is laid.
Useful tips
- If there was a dent on the laminate, which violates only the aesthetic appearance of the coating. In this case, you can replace the damaged bar intact, swap them. For example, take the board from the invisible area (under the couch or under the bed).
- If the laminate appeared waxy film that possibly due to the reaction of the protective film with some detergents. In this case, the laminate wipe with water, dilute bite (four liters of water - a glass table bite). Chronic plaque pre-soften the usual hairdryer.
- Entrenched from scratches and dirt textured pattern will remove baking soda. It is diluted with water to a paste, applied to the contaminated area, and then wipe it with a damp clean cloth place.
- To make use gloss laminate composition prepared from a glass of water, one cup of vinegar, half cup of lemon juice and a tablespoon of dishwashing detergent.
- Matt stripes on the laminate is easily removed with a conventional eraser stationery. Eraser simply erase such streaks and spots with laminate.
- In areas where the floor gets dirty very quickly (kitchen, hallway), for daily cleaning, use a mixture of two tablespoons of baby shampoo and four liters of water.
Use these tips when cleaning, and then your laminate floor will always look neat and laminate serve long and faithfully. Caring for laminate afford any hostess. All in your hands! Good luck!