Why cleaning wood, vinyl or laminate floors with boiling water can cause “serious damage”
Although there is no set rule as to how often you should mop hard surface floors in your home, household floors such as wood, laminate or vinyl should generally be cleaned at least once. times per week. The frequency with which you need to mop your floor may increase for a moderate or high traffic room.
Rooms such as the hallway or kitchen may also need to be sanitized regularly to kill germs from food dropped or brought onto shoes.
But if you’re considering using boiling water to mop your wood, vinyl or laminate floors, an expert urges homeowners to think again.
Declan Christie, Founder and Flooring Specialist at Luxury Flooring and Furnishings, explained: “There’s a notion of ‘warmer, better’ when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing with soap. water – although it is not [with flooring].
“You don’t need to use boiling water directly on your floor to disinfect it, as it can cause serious damage to most types of flooring.
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He continued: “Not only is hot water bad for your floors, but so is the steam it creates. Moisture mixed with wood can also be damaging.
“That’s why we also don’t recommend using steam cleaners on floors other than vinyl floors.”
Instead, Christie recommends washing your hands or mopping your floor with lukewarm water.
He said: “You want to make sure your flooring stands the test of time, otherwise it will become more expensive to replace.
The expert recommends opting for either a specialist cleaner designed for the specific material your flooring is made from, or making your own natural solution of water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and oils. essential.
He explained: “All you have to do is fill your bucket with the appropriate levels of water for your coverage area, then add 50ml of white vinegar, a great natural dirt remover, a cup of rubbing alcohol as a sanitizer and a few drops of your favorite essential oils, which will make your solution and your floor smell fantastic.”
Once you’ve finished cleaning your floor, Christie recommends giving it a “final wipe with clean, lukewarm water” and soaking up any remaining cleaning solution.
He said: “It also makes it safe for pets and children, who often have closer contact with floor surfaces.”