Swiffers are great cleaning tools and a lot of people use them – but it’s important to know when they are and are not appropriate. Laminate floors can be quite sensitive to the tools that are used on them, and if you apply an abrasive mop, you are very likely to scratch and ruin your laminate flooring. Fortunately, Swiffers should not be a problem.
Laminate floors look great and they are far less expensive than some flooring options, but they are not enormously durable. This can be a problem when you are cleaning them, because if you use anything harsh to remove the dirt, you may also damage the laminate.
Can you use a Swiffer on laminate floors? Yes, a Swiffer mop is fine to use on laminate flooring, and will clean it well without scraping or scratching the surface of the laminate. However, you should be careful not to use a very wet Swiffer, and you should avoid using the WetJet, as this will make your laminate damper than it should be, which could cause problems.
Do Swiffers Work on Laminate Floors?
You can use a Swiffer on a laminate floor without needing to worry about scratching or damaging it. Swiffers are soft and provide a good amount of surface area, making them efficient to clean with. They shouldn’t cause any damage to the floor, and they’ll allow you to sweep it or mop it pretty quickly.
A lot of people use Swiffers for cleaning laminate because they are non-scratch. Since scratches are a big issue with laminate floors, avoiding them is crucial, and you can do this by only applying soft tools when you are cleaning the floor. Avoid anything that will scrape dirt off, rather than gently loosening it. This should keep your floor shiny and attractive.
It is important to avoid using a very wet Swiffer on a laminate floor. Laminate floors have gaps between the planks, and if water works its way between the gaps, it can be hard to dry the floor out properly. The planks may warp and the laminate might start to bubble, which will ruin its appearance. Moisture is a major problem for this kind of flooring.
How Much Water is Okay on Laminate Floors?
You should minimize the amount of water you use on your laminate as much as possible. Water won’t destroy the flooring outright, but any water should evaporate from the surface within a minute or two, or you may be adding too much. It’s therefore best to thoroughly wring out your Swiffer before you mop with it.
If you accidentally apply a wet Swiffer to the floor, remove the mop and use a dry cloth to soak up the excess water. Wring the Swiffer out more thoroughly before continuing to clean the floor. The drier it is, the less you will risk damaging the laminate.
This means you should not use a WetJet on your floor. The water will quickly soak through the gaps between the planks and cause problems. Your mop should only ever be damp, and never wet. Don’t damp mop too frequently, but try to limit this to about once per month.
How Do You Clean a Laminate Floor?
Apart from using your Swiffer to damp mop the floor once a month, you should regularly sweep or vacuum the floor. Use a tool with soft bristles (whether a vacuum or brush) so you don’t scratch the surface of the floor. Removing grit before it has had a chance to build up is key to preventing scratches from forming.
Bits of grit, small stones, and other unidentified debris on your floor will create micro-scratches on the surface of the floor, and over time, these will grow. The cleaner you can keep your floor and the less debris there is, the longer your laminate will last.
Many people sweep their laminate floors daily. You might find that’s too often, depending on the amount of foot traffic and the room’s purpose, but remember that keeping the floor clean is key and should be prioritized.
Can You Use Detergent on Your Swiffer Mop?
It is generally best not to use detergent on your Swiffer mop if you’re mopping a laminate floor. Detergent may cause the floor to lose its shine and result in it wearing out more quickly. Using a small amount of detergent occasionally shouldn’t be harmful, but it’s often better to just use warm water.
On the whole, if you keep your laminate floor clean with regular sweeping, you should find that you don’t need detergent to clean the floor when you mop. Instead, submerge the Swiffer in some hot water and thoroughly squeeze it out, and then use it to mop the floor.
If you find stubborn or sticky patches, keep rubbing the mop back and forth across them to loosen them. You may need to get a soft cloth and rub them firmly to shift them. Don’t cover them with detergent, bleach, or other cleaning chemicals unless you use one that is specifically approved for use on a laminate floor.
Can You Use White Vinegar on Your Swiffer Mop?
If you need a bit more cleaning power or you want to disinfect your floor, white vinegar is a good option. It is a natural disinfectant that will not harm your laminate, so spraying some on your mop or adding it to the mop water can be a great way to clean the floor.
You should be careful not to use too much white vinegar, however. Like water, allowing it to sit on the floor may cause warping and bubbling. Squeeze your mop out thoroughly, as normal, before mopping with vinegar.
If you are going to apply the vinegar directly to the floor, dab it onto a cloth, rather than attempting to pour it on.
Final Thoughts
You can use a Swiffer mop on laminate floors; it is a soft enough surface that there is no risk of scratching the laminate. Make sure you have wrung the mop out sufficiently before using it to mop the floor, however, and do not use harsh chemicals alongside it.
