Cleaning laminate floors is an important part of your weekly schedule. Is it possible to use Windex to get your laminate floor cleaned properly?
You can use Windex to clean laminate floors as long as it doesn’t contain ammonia. Some simple glass cleaner mixed with water makes an effective cleaning solution that can be used for laminate flooring or many other areas of the home.
There are a number of things to consider when using Windex or any other product on laminate flooring. It has to do with the way that laminate flooring is made as well as the method that is used for cleaning.
If you make good decisions along the way, you can expect your laminate floors to look great for a very long time. Make a single mistake, however, and you could ruin the surface and end up with a dull-looking finish.
Can You Use Windex To Clean Laminate Floors?
First of all, we’re going to take a look at the way that laminate flooring is made. It is a number of different layers that are laminated together in order to form an artificial board that looks like wood but does not act like wood.
The innermost core of the laminate flooring is made of a resinous fiber. If you get any water or other moisture in the fiber, including Windex, it could expand and ruin the flooring.
That is why it is not generally recommended to mop the flooring. It’s something that is done by many people, however, and if you do it the right way, you can get away with it on occasion.
The key to mopping your laminate flooring using Windex is to dilute it in water. You don’t want to use the Windex full strength because it could cause damage.
That damage may not be evident at first but after you continually use the product, it can end up damaging the floor beyond repair. It is much better to dilute the cleaner so that you are primarily using water.
Fortunately, Windex is a cleaner that mixes with water very easily. They mix effortlessly, so just pouring a little Windex into a bucket of water is all that is generally needed.
You should also keep the floor as dry as possible. That is why it is not typically recommended that you clean the floor with any water-based product.
You can do it if you wring the mop out thoroughly and dry the floor immediately after washing it but it is likely to cause problems over time. As more and more water gets into the fibrous core of the laminate flooring, it will expand causing the floor to buckle and separate.
In this article, we will consider the use of Windex and other window cleaners for cleaning laminate flooring. We will also consider some alternative options that you may want to use instead of Windex.
Will Windex Disinfect Laminate Floors?
One of the reasons why people consider using Windex on laminate floors is to disinfect them. Will Windex disinfect your laminate floors?
Regular Windex without ammonia is not a disinfectant and will not kill germs on your laminate floors. You should not use ammonia on your laminate floors, so it is not possible to disinfect with regular Windex.
There are some reasons why you would want to disinfect the floor and other reasons why you would just want to clean it. Often, the difference is not as big as you would think.
For the most part, disinfecting a laminate floor is not necessary unless you have some type of special need or are in an industrial or medical setting. Cleaning the floor will often suffice and will keep your family happy and safe.
Will Windex Ruin The Surface Of A Laminate Floor?
One of the questions that are often asked about Windex is if it will destroy the laminate floor finish. What is the truth behind this question?
You can use Windex to clean a laminate floor without destroying the surface. It will not ruin a laminate floor as long as you dilute it in water and use Windex without ammonia.
This content is owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on Mar 11, 2023..
That being said, there are some ways in which you could damage the laminate floor beyond repair if you use Windex improperly. One of those is what we had mentioned about using Windex with ammonia, which should never be done.
On the other hand, if you get Windex or water in the fibrous inner core of the laminate flooring, it will cause it to expand. This will ruin your floor beyond just the surface.
The surface of a laminate floor is somewhat waterproof. You can get some water on it and as long as you wipe it up quickly, you don’t have to worry.
On the other hand, allowing water to seep down into the laminate flooring between the cracks will cause damage by swelling. In that way, Windex can ruin a laminate floor but it will not ruin the surface if used properly.
Is It Safe To Use Windex To Clean Laminate Floor?
Are you considering using Windex for your laminate flooring? Is it safe to do so?
You can safely clean laminate flooring using Windex if you take the appropriate measures while doing so. This would include not using Windex with ammonia and diluting Windex in plenty of water.
The safety of your laminate flooring is important because it is an expensive part of your home. The last thing you would want to do is damage the flooring in an effort to get it clean.
Anytime you get water on the laminate floor it should be dried up quickly. If you are going to mop it with Windex and water, you should wring the mop out thoroughly before mopping. You should then follow up with a clean towel to dry the floor.
What Other Cleaning Liquid Can You Use With Windex To Clean Laminate Floors?
If you are going to use Windex for cleaning your laminate floor, you want to do so safely. That is why it is important to know what cleaning liquids can be mixed with Windex.
If Windex contains ammonia, it should never be mixed with chlorine. You should not use ammonia on your laminate floor either, because it will cause damage. It is safe to mix water and some mild detergent with Windex, but it is better used in water alone.
This article was first published on Mar 11, 2023 by Wabi Sabi Group..
You should never mix chemicals that you are not familiar with. Even mixing two chemicals that you are familiar with can cause problems if you are not careful.
A classic example of this is mixing bleach with ammonia or any other acid-base product. The resulting gas is deadly.
Many times, Windex will contain ammonia because they claim it cleans better. It is a disinfectant but you should not use it on laminate flooring.
Your safest bet is to only mix Windex with water. It will clean fine if you do so, as long as you don’t oversaturate the floor to cause damage.
How To Use Windex To Clean Laminate Floors
Windex is a product that is sometimes considered for cleaning laminate flooring. How can you use it and get your floors as clean as possible?
The key to using Windex to clean laminate flooring is to use straight Windex or window cleaners without ammonia. You should also dilute it in water and only use enough to lightly mop the surface. Be sure to dry the surface after you are finished.
Use the following steps when cleaning your floor with Windex.
Step 1: Spot Clean – This may be the only time that you use Windex on the floor. In many cases, you just need to moisten the area so it is easier to spot clean whatever spill managed to get in the area.
Most people will simply grab a bottle of Windex for this purpose. It works perfectly fine, but you want to be cautious that you don’t oversaturate the area and cause damage to the flooring.
Misting the surface with some Windex will work great to clean any spot that is dirty. After doing so, you can clean according to your regular routine.
Step 2: Dry Mop – An important step in the process of cleaning a laminate floor is to dry mop. This should be done on a regular basis, perhaps even daily.
When you run a dry mop over the floor, you’re removing a lot of dirt and dust that could build up on the surface. It may not be much of a problem but if you’re going to wash the floor, you don’t want to grind it into the surface because it could eventually dull the finish.
Step 3: Mix – Mix Windex in water if you are going to use it as a cleaning agent. You only need to pour a small amount of Windex in a gallon of water to get the desired effect.
Make sure that you are using plain Windex and not one that is fortified with ammonia or another cleaning agent. You should also not mix other cleaners in with the Windex and water mixture.
Step 4: Mop – After wringing the mop out thoroughly, you can move the mop over the floor to lightly dampen it. This will help to lift some of the dirt off of the floor and to move it along with the mop.
Continue to wring the mop out thoroughly and on a regular basis. You will see the water getting dirty in no time.
Step 5: Dry – The final step in the process is to dry the floor. Use an old towel to get most of the moisture off the floor so it dries quickly and reduces the possibility of damage.
Plain Windex without ammonia can be used on laminate flooring if it is diluted in water. You should be careful not to get the floor overly wet because it could cause damage.
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WabiSabi Group is the owner of this article and was published on Mar 11, 2023 and last modified on .