The 6 Best Laminate Floor Cleaners for a Restorative Shine
Updated: May 24, 2023With so many laminate floor cleaners on the market, we found the ones worth buying. These top picks make your surfaces sparkle and shine like new.
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The best way to maintain the beauty and luster of your laminate flooring is by caring for them correctly and cleaning laminate floors frequently. Over time, and with normal wear and tear, your laminate floors could fade and dull, and cleaning them with whatever is under the sink just won’t do. Along with the right tools—like the best mops for laminate floors and the best vacuums for laminate floors—you need to use certain products to clean laminate floor correctly.
According to the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA), when choosing a safe laminate floor cleaner, first and foremost, “never use any type of cleaner that works by excessive amounts of liquid or uses steam.” Liquids, steam and products that promise to leave a protective coating (like wax) can damage your flooring beyond repair.
So, stop using a steam mop on your laminate flooring and pick up one the best laminate floor cleaners listed below.
Best Overall Laminate Floor Cleaner
Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner
If you worry about dulling or damaging your laminate finish every time you clean, stop the madness and pick up a bottle of Black Diamond Stoneworks Floor Cleaner. This product won’t damage the existing finish of natural and laminate wood floors, and it has a triple-action poly shield additive that prevents gunk from sticking to the floor. An excellent problem-solver for messy cooks, drippy eaters and sloppy sippers—when spills happen, all you need to do is spray and wipe with a damp mop.
Pros
- Streak-free clean
- Hypoallergenic formula
- Works on all types of wood and laminate
- Safe for pets and children
- Eco-friendly
Cons
- No scent-free option
Best Value Laminate Floor Cleaner
Zep Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
Stretch your household budget with this Zep Floor Cleaner. It comes in a one-gallon jug and is ready to use on floors, baseboards, moldings and cabinet doors. Simply pour the liquid solution into a refillable spray mop or apply directly on the surface and wipe with a cleaning cloth or any microfiber mop head.
The professional-grade formula is made to spray and wipe, so cleaning laminate floors is a breeze. In addition to restoring shine and removing scuffs and spots, Zep cleaner also has a fresh scent, so it leaves your floors smelling and looking clean.
Pros
- Affordable
- Restores shine
- Fresh scent
- Works on cabinets
Cons
- Long 45-minute dry time
Best Laminate Floor Cleaner for Pet Owners
Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner
Let’s talk about pet stains, shall we? You know the ones we mean: Urine, fecal matter and other unnamed excrements. Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner is a dual-action, bio-enzymatic cleaner that eliminates all these messes—from everyday to severe—as it destroys odors and disinfects. Penetrating deep without ruining the floor’s natural finish, it’s safe to use around you and your furry friends.
Among the 5,600+ five-star reviews on Amazon, verified purchaser Brittany D. says it “works like a dream!” She explains: “It cleaned up the messes, eliminated the smell and didn’t mess up my laminate or tile. Plus the pups all potty trained now that he no longer goes back to the places he’d peed before. Definitely a Miracle!”
Pros
- Safe for pets and home
- Removes odors and stains
- Also works on sealed wood, linoleum, vinyl, concrete and ceramic tile
Cons
- Only safe for sealed or finished floors
Best Laminate Floor Cleaner for Older Floors
Rejuvenate All Floors Restorer
Over the hard-working life of your floors, stuff happens. Rejuvenate All Floors Restorer turns back the hands of time by filling in scratches and dings, as well as renewing the luster that years of normal wear and tear can dull. It’s one of those laminate floor cleaners that is so simple to use: just mop it on and let it dry. Your room will be back in commission, looking better than ever, in less than an hour. The only thing easier? These robot vacuums.
Cininie, one of the 11,000+ five-star reviewers on Amazon, says “you’ll be amazed” at the results. “My laminate floors are about 30 years old and had lost their shine. They had many scratches and were dull. After my first application, the shine came back and they look great. I did not expect to get such great results. I will not use any other product on my floors again.”
- Some buyers say it requires two coats
Best Laminate Floor Cleaners for a Deep Clean
Weiman Hardwood Cleaner
A wood-care specialist since 1941, Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner gives a professional, streak-free clean without clouding or leaving sticky scum behind. Squirt it on and lift dirt and grease safely off the finish without the need to rinse. Recommended for laminate floors and various hardwoods—you’ll get a rejuvenating shine, no floor sanding required. Not only does it help fade existing scratches, it also contains a micro-filling technology that prevents new ones from forming!
Just take it from the many happy customers, like Robbie B, who says: “I’ve spent 3 years bitterly regretting my decision to buy and have laminate floors installed. This was a last-ditch effort at getting them clean, not hazy, not sticky, not streaked and not reeking of off-gasses. The product has good slip and glide properties so it goes on easily. NO AWFUL ODOR and my floors look beautiful again. I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could.”
Pros
- Gets rid of greasy messes, dirt and grime
- Streak-free formula
- Plant-based ingredients
- Safe for kids and pets
- No sticky residue
Cons
- No scent-free option
Best Eco-friendly Laminate Floor Cleaner
Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish
Dirt dulls, but Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish makes floors shiny again with a toxic-free formula that’s safe you and the environment! Employing an advanced polymer technology specifically formulated to gloss and resist micro-scratches, it not only works on laminate and hardwood, but vinyl, tile, stone and other hard surfaces as well.
Quick Shine is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency as a green cleaning product and contains no aluminum, ammonia or formaldehyde. The cleaning solution works to restore a rich, glossy shine to hard floors without damaging their finish (or your health).
Pros
- Non-toxic-formula
- Fragrance-free
- Restores a rich and glossy shine
- Streak-free
Cons
- Not recommended for unsealed or worn wood floors
- Takes a long time to dry (30 minutes)
How We Chose the Best Laminate Floor Cleaners
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
What to Consider When Buying Laminate Floor Cleaners
Look for the following when choosing the best laminate floor cleaners for your home:
- A product specifically designed for use on wood or laminate
- Natural, non-abrasive, pH-balanced ingredients—always read the label before buying
Avoid the following when buying laminate floor cleaners:
- Heat or polishing machines
- Oil-based cleaners—they’ll leave streaks and residue
- Waxes or varnishes
- Bleach, ammonia or chlorinated cleaners
- Fabric softener sheets (they contain chemicals that leave a film)
FAQ
How do you preserve laminate flooring?
There are different ways to preserve the laminate flooring in your home. Here are our top cleaning tips to help maintain laminate flooring for years to come:
- Sweep or vacuum floors regularly
- Use a damp, soft cloth or mop (microfiber)
- The less water, the better; never soak the floors
- Avoid abrasive scrubbers or rough pads
- Wipe up spills immediately
Does vinegar dull laminate flooring?
Vinegar can dull laminate flooring, as well as any other abrasive or acidic solution. Just like abrasive scrubbers and rough pads, acidic cleaners will eat away at your floor’s finish, which causes it to lose shine over time.
Can you use a Swiffer WetJet on laminate floors?
Yes, you can use the Swiffer WetJet on laminate flooring. In fact, spray mops are the best option for laminate flooring, as they don’t over-saturate the area with liquid, which can cause damage.
If you’re curious about which mops work on certain floors, check out our list of the best mops for every type of flooring.
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