The Flooring Expert

Q: We just installed Pergo laminate flooring in our dining area - it looks great!! My question is - we have a 55 gallon aquarium that weighs roughly 650 lbs. when full of water - can we move our tank into the dining area safely? Will the weight hurt the floor?

Jessica

A: When it comes to any floating floor, such as your Pergo®, it is not advised to put anything that is especially heavy on one portion of your floor, such as book cases, cabinets, or aquariums. This being said, this can depend heavily on the underlayment you use as well. Dense underlayments, such as cork, can support weight better than the typical foam underlayment.

There are folks who will put heavy objects, such as pool tables, in a rec room over floating cork or laminate and have success with it. Being an aquarium keeper myself, I would be curious to know what type of tank you have and what type of base you used for it. A longer rectangular tank would spread the weight over a larger area and perhaps be more suitable. Although I would advise putting your aquarium elsewhere since this is a floating floor.

In the end, another thing to keep in mind is wood and water do NOT mix. So should a spill occur, whether when cleaning your tank, changing water changing items in the tank, etc., you run a big risk or ruining the laminate unless many precautions are taken. I personally lay down towels around my tank before doing anything that could involve spills and my tank sits over stone tiling.

To summarize: I would generally not suggest placing something heavy, such as your aquarium, over a floating floor. Wood and water do not mix; however, this is your floor and your home so you can do anything you like – just be prepared for consequences.

Q: We recently installed a Tap-N-Loc floor and love it! How is it cared for? May I use a damp mop on it. Is there any special care for it?

Thanks.
Diane D.

A: Diane I would first like to say I am rather happy that you love your new floor!

In regards to cleaning your floor I would not use a damp mop. For laminate (or any hardwood floor), I would suggest using a microfiber mop with BonaKemi's (also called Bona) cleaning products. You will want to sweep the floor to remove debris (such as pet hair) then lightly mist a small area and mop with the microfiber mop. Repeat the misting and mopping to clean your floor. You will want to keep regular maintenance as this will vastly increase the life span of your floor. Now for smaller areas, such as a mark from pet nails, you can use a lightly dampened cloth to clean the small area, but for normal maintenance I would suggest using one of the great cleaners from BonaKemi because this stuff can work wonders.

Also, here's a link to our floor care guide which has great tips on maintaining your floor.

• Floor Care Guide

Q: We are looking at putting hardwood floor / laminate in our home. Just wondered what you would recommend for a high traffic area, plus we have 2 kids and a dog. We need something durable. Our home has white wash oak trim throughout, was wondering also if this would be a wise choice for flooring being it is a lighter color.

Thanks!
Tami S.

A: When looking for a durable floor laminate is a great choice. As we discussed about Ryan W.'s dog Jin and his floor. A good AC4 or AC5 rated laminate with proper care taken will stand up great to the traffic of kids and a dog.

The key here is keep your dog's nails trimmed and ensure you used a good underlayment along with purchasing a good floor. You can also look into several engineered hardwood floors, such as Bellefloor or Philharmoniker, but if you want to ensure greater durability go with a laminate.

Try taking a look at Westhollow's Vise-Loc products, Pergo Select, or Quick Step's Perspective for a few great laminates that should fit your project. I would personally suggest using a 3mm cork underlayment below the floor to give it a great feel, reduce sound, and to have an underlayment which is naturally better at handling higher traffic.

Q: How do I bring the Pergo flooring back to a shine. My wife took care of them and she passed away 5 years ago. The cleaning lady mops them, but is there polish or something that can safely be used?

Carl O.

A: I'd first like to send my condolences. To help keep your floors clean and keep a good shine I would suggest using the cleaners made by Bona (BonaKemi). This stuff really is great when it comes to cleaning any wood floor. Just lightly spray areas of the floor and mop with a microfiber mop, and repeat until you've cleaned the entire floor.

One thing I will mention, avoid any polishes or products with wax as this will actually dull the appearance of the floor and can become a real pain to remove.

For some other great tips on taking care of your floors visit our Floor Care Guide.

Q: Hi, how are you doing. Could you please tell me what if anything can I use on my bamboo floors to make them shine? And we have a lot of heavy traffic on them.

Thank you
Rene M.

A: For any hard surface floor, especially wood floors, you will want to use a cleaner designed specifically for that surface. With wood floors, including your bamboo floor, you will want to avoid floors which have any wax. Cleaners such as Minwax tend to leave dull residue or cloudy appearance over the floor.

With wood floors I suggest using BonaKemi's line of products. Just ensure you lightly mist small areas at a time then use a microfiber mop. Cleaning once a week should maintain a good shine on your floor, but keep in mind it should not be glossier than when the floor was installed. For some more tips on taking care of your floor, visit our Floor Care Guide.

Q: How do you clean Westhollow bamboo floors?

By the way, Roger,Jon & Phil @ your Seekonk (MA) store are EXCEPTIONALLY
helpful. What a team!

A: Thanks for the great Kudos for our staff at Seekonk!

Cleaning bamboo is similar to any other hardwood floor. You will use a hardwood or bamboo flooring specific cleaner, I personally recommend using the products from BonaKemi. Here’s a quick breakdown for you:

Never use a damp mop - Damp mopping a wood floor or using something like a wet swiffer is damaging to your floor. Remember, wood and water do not mix. Excessive moisture can get into your floor and will cause your floor to warp, buckle, mold or rot.

Use recommended cleaners - Cleaners such as Orange Glo and Murphy's Oil Soap are not suggested. Oil based cleaners like Murphy's leave residue on your floor which will cause the floor to become slick or will dull the finish. Cleaners like Orange Glo, which have a built in polish, tend to leave similar residue as oil based cleaners.

Use a cleaner suggested by your floors manufacturer - We suggest using BonaKemi's line of hard surface cleaners, but ensure you get one specifically intended for your type of floor. Kept in mind that knowing the type of finish on your floor is crucial. Different cleaners are used for wax based finishes versus urethane finishes. Always consult your floor's manufacturer for suggested cleaners and cleaning practices

How to Clean Your Floor

1. Use a dry microfiber mop to sweep away dust, dirt, pet hair and small particles. You can also vacuum, but ensure the wheels on the vacuum do not have much grit on them.


2. Mix cleaning solution, if necessary, then moisten the microfiber mop head. Remember to wring out excess moisture so it is not too damp. In the case of having a spray bottle of cleaner, lightly mist area of floor the be cleaned.


3. Mop an area of your floor, and repeat as necessary to clean entire floor. It is suggested to use a “figure eight” motion when mopping and to follow the direction of your baseboards.


4. Allow your floor to dry or mop with dry microfiber mop head to dry. As long as you are using minimal amounts of moisture on your floor, it should not be necessary to actively dry your floor.

Tips to Protect Your Floor

Use felt pads on furniture - Place felt pads on the bottom of all furniture and furniture legs to ensure your furniture does not damage your floor. It is also important to ensure grit does not get between your floor and the felt pads on your furniture. After sweeping, check under furniture and furniture legs to ensure no grit has been trapped. Even small amount of grit can cause damage to your floor if they are under something heavy like a chair or couch.

Use bristle type mats at all exterior door entrances - Use of a bristle type mat will collect dirt, grit and small stones. This can prevent such items from entering your home and heavily reduce the chance of scratches or gouges to your floor.

Use area rugs near wet areas - In kitchens and bathrooms where sinks, refrigerators, dish washers and other water based appliances are located it is helpful to place area rugs in front of such appliances to prevent water from getting on your floor.

Clean spills or messes ASAP - Wet messes, especially pet urine, should be cleaned ASAP to ensure your floor is not stained. After cleaning messes it is advised to mop the area to ensure everything has been cleaned up.

Keep pet nails trimmed - As much as we love them, our pets can cause havoc on wood floors. Keeping your pet's nails trimmed will help to ensure no scratches or gouges are cause by your pet.

When moving appliances - Make sure to use some form of protection when moving appliances. Appliance delivery guys tend to over look using such items and even appliances with wheel can dent, scratch and gouge your floor. When moving appliances, first ensure your floor surface is very clean, as even the smallest amount of dirt and grit can damage your floor under such weight. Then use a protective item, such as 1/8” masonite boards to protect the area your appliances will be moving over.

Q: Hi, I just ordered and installed about 800 sq feet for your Westhallow laminate Silencer Traditions. It was easy to install and looks good. Only, after a few days shows tons of smudges, bare footprints, and water spots. Is there something I can do to the finish on the floor so it does not show this wear so easily?

Matt

A: With newer laminate (and all laminate in general) you will tend to see a bit more of the smudging/foot print type marks because of the finish used. This can be somewhat resolved by a regular cleaning schedule using a hard surface specific cleaner (this should also eliminate water spots). I am a huge proponent of BonaKemi’s line of products for cleaning floors. This stuff truly works wonders in what it can clean and how it can extend the life of a floor. Also keep in mind that by using the right cleaner you can avoid having residue on your floor which promotes smudging or marks like you are experiencing. For a bit of help on maintenance check out our guide to maintaining your floor.

If you are still encountering foot prints or smudges, try your best to keep up a few habits to prevent these from occurring. In a passing conversation with Tad A., our Director of Install here at iFLOOR.com, he jokingly said “just find a way to hover over the floor!” After a bit of laughing it prompted me to think, a few small habits can help prevent smudging and foot prints from our normal daily traffic. Wearing socks of course is the big one, but its understandable in a house with pets or children that we can’t always ensure every member of the family is trying to keep the floor’s appearance at the forefront of their minds.

In the end, this can also be a matter of the floor’s color and light in the room. Certain floor colors (much like cars) show dirt and marking more than others and bright light can bring this out even more. In the end, the best bet is to get a good cleaning schedule and be prepared to see a few marks at times.

Q: Hi Flooring expert,

Nancy Quon

A: My first suggestion to you would be to stop using the white vinegar and water solution to clean your floor. Although this works, it will dull the floor over time as you have been seeing. Use a wood cleaner that does not include a wax or shine to it (no Minwax or Orange Glo type products). Your best bet is the hardwood cleaners made by BonaKemi. There are other cleaners made for wood floors or bamboo specifically; however, BonaKemi's products are the best in the industry and any one who knows even a minimal amount about flooring will tell you the same thing.

Using a proper cleaner will help some, but it is unlikely you will see a full restoration of the shine you have when it was installed. If you choose to refinish your floor, this can be a somewhat complicated process. The first thing you need to determine is if you will refinish the floor or rescreen it. The screening process is easier, as you will only rough up one layer of finish and then add a few new layers of finish. Refinishing will involve removing all of the old finish, sanding down the floor some, then applying a new finish over the top.

The most important thing will be to get a high quality finish regardless of whether your refinish or screen your floor. Ensure that all of the finish is new and is not mixed with an pre-opened or older finish. If you choose to refinish, you will need to sand the floor all the way down to the bamboo and sand off a small amount of the bamboo. You need to leave the bamboo somewhat rough (usually 200 grit sand paper or so will do) as this will ensure that the first layer of finish will ad here properly. Before applying finish, ensure the floor is cleaned of all dust. Apply your finish in a thin, even coat. Allow this coat to dry, then lightly buff the finish (very fine sanding with a higher grit sand paper, 300 or so should be fine) then apply a new thing and even coat. Repeat this process until you have applied a number of finish layers that meets your approval. This should be 2 - 3 coats at a minimum. Give the finish plenty of time to cure before moving furniture back onto the floor and allowing any heavy foot traffic to go on the floor.

If you choose to screen your floor, then this process is simpler. All you will need to do is buff the top coat of finish to rough it up, then apply new finish. Again, apply as much new finish as you want, 2 - 3 coats is usually best, and ensure you buff between each new coat. Again, allow the new finish to fully cure before placing anything over it and avoid foot traffic.

Q: I am presently installing Mullican wood flooring throughout my house. It has a 25 year warranty and says it has an Aluminum Oxide finish. I am not certain how to clean it. Please tell me what I should use on it.

Your help will be appreciated.
Nancy Morton

A: Cleaning a wood floor is a pretty easy process. As far as cleaners are concerned, I personally suggest the cleaner made by BonaKemi. This stuff is honestly the best out there, just lightly spray small areas of your floor then follow up with a microfiber mop and it cleans and keeps a nice shine. Avoid cleaners which contain oil or wax as these tend to leave a milky or dull residue/sheen to your floor which can be very difficult to remove.

Another in home way to clean floors is by using a vinegar solution. You will want to mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of water. Then use the same method as other cleaners, lightly mist over small areas and follow up with a microfiber mop. This is a good solution if you run out of cleaner, but the quantity you need to make to ensure to solution is right and storage can be a pain - so I prefer to suggest Bona's products over this in-home mixture.

Past what product to use, maintain a regular cleaning schedule, once per week is usually good, to ensure longevity from your floor and to maintain its beauty. Also, make sure to use place mats at exterior doors to prevent dirt and grit from getting into your home and potentially scratching your floor.

Q: I'm looking for a way to remove hairspray from a laminate floor. Can you assist me?

A: A paste of baking soda and water is effective for removing hairspray buildup. Most hairsprays contain lacquer which tends to be difficult to remove and the usual suggestion is to try rubbing alcohol, but it does not always do the trick. Follow up with a bit of normal cleaner to ensure all residue is removed and you should be all set. Just remember, try your best to prevent water from getting into the seams of your floor while cleaning.

Q: I've installed a engineered Mullican flooring. How do you clean it? What I mean is if you want to mop, do you just use fresh water then dry it with a towel. I sweep it every day . I was wondering if you use so kind of floor cleaner or what on it.

Thanks for any help.

A: Cleaning a wood floor requires some very important information to ensure you clean your floor without risking ruining your floor.

The most important thing to keep in mind here is that when mopping, you will want to use the right cleaner and use a minimal amount of said cleaner. Avoid any oil based or wax based clears as these leave a dull or milky residue on a floor after use. I suggest using the cleaners made by BonaKemi as they are excellent.

The fact that you sweep so regularly is excellent. This will prevent grit from building up and increasing the chance to get any scratches. When mopping, you will want to lightly mist the floor with your cleaner, then follow up with a microfiber mop. Do NOT wet mop as excessive water can get into the flooring and warp or ruin it.

Mopping about once a week should keep your floor looking tip top. For more help on maintaining your floor, check out this floor care guide.

Q: We have marble flooring in our master bath, on which a cat has urinated in several places. It appears that the finish is gone and a residue is left, even after standard cleaning. Is there a way to clean and polish it without hiring a professional. It is such a small area.

Thanks

A: Typically with Marble a cleaning solution made of white vinegar and water (no more than 1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water) should remove the residue you are encountering. Wipe on with a towel then wipe away with a clean, dry towel. Ensure you do not leave any vinegar on the floor as it can etch into the floor over time if not wiped up. You could also look into a product called INTERCARE Stone Cleaner, which is a cleaner designed specifically for stone as the name suggests. After you have removed the residue or stain, then follow up with a stone specific polisher such as Marble Cream or Gold Plus Gloss Restorer (most of these can be found at stone or marble specialty retailers). This should get you back up to having a clean, beautiful marble surface.

Q: I'm looking to do some remodeling in my bathroom. It currently has a tile floor and my pets fur and general mucky muck gets trapped in the grooves when I try to sweep it up. The only way to get it clean is to hand scrub it. Blech! I was looking at laminate flooring in either a tile or wood finish. I'm afraid the wood finish may be hard to match to the rest of the wood floors in our house and I was wondering if the laminate flooring that looks like tile has the same grout-ish grooves in it or is it a flat surface? Does it pull off the look well or come off too fakey?

Thank you for your time!
Erin (who thinks cleaning is dumb)

A: The tile patterned laminates are actually fairly good at pulling off the tile look. Unlike actual tile, there is not a large difference in height for grout lines, but instead a light bit of texturing used to help accent to appearance and feel.

Depending on who makes the tile pattern, some are done very well, others not so much. Honestly in these cases I would suggest taking plenty of time to shop around, view samples and find the pattern which looks best to you.

To minimize hassle when cleaning, make sure you don't leave standing water on the laminate, as this can cause a world of problems, but past that basic vacuuming and sweeping with the occasional cleaning using a laminate specific cleaner should keep your floor tip top with minimal work.

Q: HELP!!!! I am having new engineered wood flooring installed in my 1968 home. I can't seem to remove all of the glue residue from the installation. In the living room I have Anderson Engineered hardwood purchased from and installed by a local flooring company. I wasn't pleased with their installers because they wanted to use WD-40 to remove the glue but it left an oily residue that when walked on I can see my foot prints. How do I get this glue plus WD-40 residue off the new flooring?

Now, for another question concerning the other rooms that will have a similar but different brand of wood flooring purchased from Home Depot and installed by an independent contractor. How do I remove the glue residue from this flooring by Focal (Manchurian Walnut 1/2" engineered )? The one room that is installed so far has been mopped per instructions on the Bruce Floor Cleaner I purchased that I thought would do the job. The glue is still there. I'm getting quite frustrated with this situation. Can you please help?

Thanking you in advance.
Dianah

A: Regardless of the type of flooring installed, when you have a bit of residue left over from an adhesive you will typically wipe it up with a damp wash cloth while it is still curing. If the adhesive has cured, then you will want to use a light amount of mineral spirits applied to a wash cloth. After you have removed the glue make sure to follow up with a cloth to remove any left over mineral spirits. Although mineral spirits are a mild remover, it can still do some damage to a finish if left on the finish afterward.

You could try using the mineral spirits to clean up the WD-40 residue as well, but follow up with a standard flooring cleaner to ensure none of the mineral spirits is left on the floor. Typically you can find mineral spirits at just about any store which sells home paint or aerosol paint cans and craft stores.

Q: When we purchased Westhollow® Cork Provincial Collection Lunenburg we were told that after a couple of years we would probably need to apply a new finish or sealant. It has been two years. What would that sealant need to be? My daughter mopped the whole floor with full strength Mr. Clean and so I am afraid the finish may be in trouble. We rinsed and cleaned with water. The manufacturer website said to check with the seller about care and maintenance. What do you suggest?

Thanks,
Chantel Mower

A: For any wood floor I would suggest using the cleaners made by BonaKemi. You will want to avoid any product which is wax or oil based as these will leave a dull or even milky sheen to the floor which can be very hard to remove. Also avoid using products which are overly abrasive or strong. Cleaners which are too powerful can eat at the finish layer.

With the Bona products you will want to spray a light mist of cleaner over small areas of the floor, then follow up with a microfiber mop. The key here is to not use too much cleaner, as excessive moisture is bad for wood flooring.

As far as refinishing or sealing a floor it is not always necessary to refinish a floor. You could however follow up with a refresher, which BonaKemi makes a great one that is often recommended for cork flooring. If your finish still appears to be to a similar sheen and clarity as when the floor was installed, then there will be no need to add to the finish.

Q: I used Murphy's soap on my maple hardwood floor this past Christmas; I didn't dilute it enough so I had a film over my floor and every mark noticeable. Since then, I have cleaned several times with the swiffer wood floor cleaner and it did get rid of the film. I still do notice that my floor now shows up every smudge mark which it never did. How can I fix my problem of smudging. It seems I'm cleaning my floor more than ever.

Thanks

A: With any oil or wax based products which are said to be usable for wood floors, getting this type of film is very common. I never suggest using products like Murphy's or Minwax because this is an all too common result and when it happens it can be almost impossible to remove without damaging or needing to refinish the floor.

As far as cleaning the floor is concerned I would suggest using BonaKemi's line of cleaners as theirs is the best out there. I would first suggest trying out their cleaner to see if it will remove the the film, it may take a few cleanings to see home effect and possibly a more vigorous mopping than usual, but ensure to not use too much cleaner. Should this not work, you could try using a white vinegar and water mixture. Typically as a regular cleaner the ratio is about 1/2 cup of white vinegar per gallon of water. Now you could concentrate this a bit, say to 1 cup per gallon and then test this out in a small area of the floor toward a corner. You will want to use very little and be careful as the vinegar in higher concentration can damage the finish on wood floors.

Another option would be to try very light amounts of mineral spirits. Typically mineral spirits (which is a very mild solvent) is used to remove excess adhesive which has gotten on the surface of a floor. Again, try using very little of this in a corner or less visible place (a closet for instance) before applying it to the entire floor. After using the mineral spirits, immediately follow up with a proper cleaner (such as the BonaKemi products) to ensure the mineral spirits do not remain on the floor - although mild mineral spirits can ruin a floor given time.

Q: We currently have a bamboo floor we bought from your company. However we don't seem to be able to remove some rubber stains. What product to you recommend to use on this type of floor?

Thanks,
Claudia

A: For cleaning I would suggest using the hard surface cleaner made by BonaKemi. This product is formulated for laminate and similar hard surface floors and is excellent for basic routine maintenance. To remove stubborn residue which may appear as a stain I would look into using a clean cloth and some mineral spirits. After wiping the area with the rubber, follow up with a proper cleaner to ensure no left over mineral spirits are left on the floor as over time this mild solvent can ruin finish if it remains for too long.

Q: I’m an architect based in New York. Few months ago I proposed your 3’ horizontal carbonized bamboo (Westhollow bamboo, style series II premium) to some clients of mine for residential use.

Thank you,
Luca

A: Before we dig too deeply into how durable a floor is, let's first define what portion of the product's durability affects the various types of damage a floor can encounter.

Dent resistance is a matter of the floor's hardness, which is found by looking at the Janka hardness rating for the species of flooring. The Janka hardness test measures the amount of force required to push a steel ball with a diameter of 11.28 millimeters (0.444 inches) into the wood to a depth of half the ball's diameter. The result is expressed in pounds-force (lbf). Carbonized bamboo has a Janka rating of 1120, this means that it is more brittle than white oak (which sits at 1360). A person in stiletto heels, weighing 125 lbs. exerts approx. 2,000 lbs. of pressure per square inch. This means that any normal person wearing high heals exerts enough pressure to dent a carbonized bamboo floor just by walking over it.

Scratch resistance is primarily a matter of the finish on the floor. Certain finishes are better at resisting scratches than others - typically these are finishes containing larger quantities of aluminum oxide. The Klumpp finish, which is featured on Westhollow's bamboo floors, is a UV cured polyurethane with aluminum oxide. It is built to help resist scratching, but no floor is impervious to damage. If grit or dirt is allowed to stay on the floor, even regular foot traffic can cause scratching as this dirt or grit is dragged over the floor.

It is possible to take a few measure to prevent these kinds of damage and to ensure a long life time for your floor, even softer floors like carbonized bamboo. Having a regular schedule of maintenance - vacuuming and mopping will help prevent particulates from remaining on your floor. Using place mats at exterior doors will help prevent grit and dirt from coming into the home. Keeping heeled shoes in good repair and ensuring the rubber pads are in place will help cushion the impact of walking over a floor. Also, having slippers or wearing socks in your home rather than normal shoes will help prevent grit and excess pressure exertion on your floor, which will help prevent denting and scratching. Use felt pads or furniture cups to protect the floor from moving furniture causing any damage.

Now, if this routine is in effect and dents and scratches are still occurring then there is a chance that something may be wrong with the product itself and the manufacturer should be contacted. This is typically very rare, but in some cases a portion of the curing process for the floor might not have happened properly and a product which appeared in proper condition could have a defect. I stress that this is rare and typically basic care practices can prevent a majority of damage a floor would receive.

Q: We have just installed an engineered floor in our small basement bathroom.

Ronald H.

A: Unless this particular floor has a wax finish i would highly suggest not waxing the floor. Over pre-finished floors or floors featuring any non-wax finish, when you apply wax to the floor you are likely to get a dull or cloudy appearance over your floor. The reason for this is that the wax does not truly get into the floor, like it would with a wax finish, so it sits over the top and distorts the appearance of the actual finish, rather than adding a gloss level.

As a general rule, do not use any cleaner which has wax or is oil-based over pre-finished wood floors or wood floors without a similar finish to the cleaner (wax finish for wax, oil finish for oil-based cleaners). This includes cleaners like Minwax, Murphy's Oil Soap and similar products.

As far as a cleaner is concerned, I would suggest looking into the hardwood cleaner made by BonaKemi or ask your floor's manufacturer for what they suggest. When it comes to sealing in order to be safe there are two things you can do here. For best effect (though it takes time and a bit of cash), you could screen the floor and apply 2-3 coats of fresh finish over the top of the floor. This type of site finish work helps to get an even layer of finish and sheen over the entire floor after its installation is complete. The alternative here would be to get a color-matched sealant, preferably one which is semi-elastic, and put a small amount of the sealant in the seams.

Now most of this work is not necessary as long as some basic precautions are taken. First thing is to ensure a proper mat is near any showers or bath tubs, this will help to prevent excess water from getting on the floor. Clean up any spills asap and prevent standing water or wet clothing from sitting on the floor. With a few precautions, you should massively limit any chance of water damage to your floor.

Q: I have installed laminate flooring. I own a Bissell steam hard flooring cleaner. It heats water until steam comes out and its special padding mops the floor. I have used it on vinyl and ceramic tile. Bissell says that it is safe for laminate. However, I am afraid the heat of the steam may eventually warp the laminate. What do you say?

A: This is a matter of opinion in some cases, but I had a quick chat with Tad A., iFLOOR's Director of Install, to get his opinion as well. We are both in the same boat here, we don't have any experience using the Steam Mop with a wood floor and we share a concern similar to yours. Simply put, hot moisture over a floor seems like a recipe for disaster.

Typically, we suggest an appropriate cleaner, such as those made by Bona/BonaKemi or one from your floor's manufacturer, and a microfiber mop. Now, if you wanted to continue using the steam mop, I would suggest first asking your floors manufacturer for what they suggest and if the warranty would remain in tact when using the Bissell mop. Follow-up with Bissell if you want to be safe here, if they are willing to replace your floor should the warranty be invalid due to using their product which they claim is safe for laminate, then you're good to go with the Steam Mop.

Personally I would stick to a more typical floor cleaner and microfiber mop. According to Bissell it is safe for laminate, but personally I am a bit skeptical about using a steam mop over wood flooring.

Q: How do I clean a Pergo laminate floor?

A: Cleaning laminate floors is a fairly simple process. First make sure to sweep or vacuum the floor in order to remove larger debris and grit. If you are vacuuming, make sure to not use the beater bar attachment as this can scratch most wood floors, including laminate. After sweeping/vacuuming, use an approved cleaner, such as BonaKemi's hard surface cleaner. begin by lightly misting a small area of the floor, then mop with a microfiber mop. Do not directly spray cleaner onto the mop and ensure you do not wet mop the floor, the mop should be lightly damp at most when cleaning.

After you have cleaned the first area in this method, repeat until the entire floor has been cleaned. Make sure the floor is dry once mopped over, if not, you are probably spraying too much cleaner. Just go back over the area some more with the microfiber mop until it is dry. Make sure no standing moisture is left on the floor as this can cause future, problems, less is more when it comes to using a cleaning solution on wood floors. Also, make sure the cleaner you are using is not an oil or wax based cleaner. Products like Murphy's Oil-Soap and Minwax leave a dull residue on the floor which can be very difficult to remove.

Q: I recently put down a porcelain floor in my entry and kitchen and now wish it had more shine, is there anything I can use to give it shine?

A: There is a yes to this question, but I would also advise against it. Porcelain tile, once complete will come at a certain gloss level that it is intended to stay at. There are top-coating sealants and waxes out there for porcelain tile which are meant to be applied post installation and can give matte tiles a shiny appearance; however, the problem is that because porcelain tile is so dense, the products can't penetrate the surface and instead form a new surface layer.

This new layer will show traffic patterns, is easier to scratch, and also can potentially peel up and flake in spots because it is simply not bonded to the tile. If the porcelain was not properly cleaned ahead of time, the sealer/wax can take on a hazy or full appearance and multiple coats of sealer can cause a discoloration appearance in your tile. When these problems occur, it can be rather costly to strip and reapply new layers of sealant.

You could add a sealant to get some shine, though I would honestly not suggest doing this. You could simply try a few different cleaners to see if one ensure a better gloss level from basic cleaning, but in the end tile is typically not meant to have its gloss level changed post installation.

Q: I have an alloc wooden floor. Ive tried cleaning with different products that say they are safe for real wood floors. (Scotts liquid gold wood wash and Scotts wood cleaner and preservative.) This last one looked like I put oil on the floor and it just stayed there. They all seem to leave a residue and you can see where we have walked. After a day or two, it looks dirty again. Then I tried vinegar/water damp mop. This made the floor look dull with streaks.

Can you please help?
Patty

A: Although advertised as safe for wood flooring, the Scott's cleaners, which are an oil-based cleaner, can cause dull or oily residue to pre-finished wood floors. Most wood flooring these days comes with either a urethane or acrylic finish modified with aluminum oxide which typically does not mesh well with oil or wax based cleaners. These cleaners tend to leave the exact some problems you are dealing with - dull or streaky appearances, oily-residue and show traffic again rather quickly.

The biggest problem is that even when using a vinegar-water solution cleaner, which is pretty close to the preferred cleaners for pre-finished wood floors, after using an oil-based cleaner they can cause the streaking you are seeing. Your best bet here is going to be looking into a cleaner such as the ones made by BonaKemi, which are water-based cleaners designed for pre-finished wood floors. It may take several cleanings to get rid of the residue remaining on your floor, but this should do the trick. If not, you can look into using a white vinegar and water solution that is slightly more concentrated than the normal 1/2 cup of white vinegar per gallon of water ratio, but I do warn you that excessive use of this mixture or going too concentrated can permanently dull your floor's finish.

As another suggestion, make sure you are avoiding any polishes, or cleaners which have an additive to "increase your floor's shine" as these will leave similar residue issues that can be almost impossible to remove without screening or refinishing your floor.

Q: I will be building a new office and am considering using cork flooring. I am concerned about how it will wear under areas where an office chair will roll on it all day.

Thanks,
Bill

A: Cork can work very well in an office setting, in fact we have a very large area here at the office which is all done with a floating cork floor from Westhollow. One benefit to the slight cushion cork has is that it will give under the chairs, which can help cushion the impact of movement. If you are fairly concerned about scratching, you can change the casters on officer chairs to a softer rubber rather than the typical hard plastic, but from my experience here as long as the floor is kept clean and grit and debris is kept off the floor it should perform well.

My biggest advice here would be to use 6mm cork underlayment if you choose a floating cork floor. Any other underlayment which is less dense will cause more movement in the floor as weight is displaced over it, such as when walking, and this additional movement can be trouble when office chairs are moving about.

Cork can work very well, just ensure that the floor is regularly cleaned and dirt and grit is prevented from getting on the floor and you should have little issues with office chairs messing up your cork floor. Keep in mind, the finish is not as abrasion resistant as laminate, as it needs to be more flexible, but with cork's give it helps to prevent damage to the floor.

Q: I purchased a Shaw laminate floor about 6 years ago. I was told by the sales associate in the flooring department at Home Depot to treat the floor just like a laminate counter top. So I started out mopping it with pine o pine. That left a definite streaking on the floor. So I stopped that right away and went to a product "Bona Hard Surface Cleaner." The label said it was recommended for laminate flooring and left no dulling residue. I have notice a definite dulling and no shine whatsoever on my floor for a few years now.

Sue
Pearland, TX

A: Typically when switching between cleaners after finding that one cleaner is causing a problem, you can see something like a dull appearance. I can't say I've known of any issues with the Bona products when used initially, as many of the cleaners out there made by companies mimic a formula similar to Bona's.

What is likely happening here is that the streaking you saw from the pine o pine, left a residue layer that the bona tried to remove, but instead caused the dull appearance as the two cleaners react with each other. Now you could try using mineral spirits to remove this, as mineral spirits is very mild, but if you do make sure that you wipe with the mineral spirits, then follow up with a mop which is lightly damp over the floor, then take a terrycloth towel and go over the floor to ensure any remaining moisture is pulled up.

It may take a couple of tries to get up all the remaining cleaner, but remember not to use too much of the mineral spirits and do NOT leave mineral spirits on the floor without following up shortly with a damp mop or some regular cleaner.

Shaw's R2X is very similar to the Bona Hard Surface cleaner, and should work for you once you remove the current residue. If you continue to have troubles remove this residue, I would suggest contacting pine o pine as the residue/dull look you are getting is most likely caused by the initial streaky appearance from the pine o pine. Remember, when cleaning wood floors, less is more - lightly mist a cleaner over the floor then follow up with a dry microfiber mop.

Q: Can I use a irobot to clean my laminate floor? If not what is the best way to clean them?

A: Tough question, and technically the answer here is yes and no. Before we get going, I do want to say that these little guys are pretty cool. The Roomba, being the most well known of the iRobot line is quite the little invention and a few folks around the office here love theirs.

Now let's dig into the question. iRobot specifically states their scooba (the floor washing version) is safe for sealed wood floors. Scooba uses a special cleaning solution made by Clorox, which gives me a small amount of concern because I can't tell you if it would cause streaking or a dull residue over the finish of most wood floors. The other thing to pay attention here is that it suggests that any floor which you normally mop, a scooba will work for. With hardwood, you don't do traditional mopping, but think more like a swiffer here, very little liquid, just a light mist, then follow up with a micro fiber mop. Technically iRobot states that it is safe for sealed floors, which all prefinished floors are, but I would be cautious because I'm not sure how much liquid it uses and if too much gets into the seams it can spell disaster.

I think you would be a bit better off with something like the Roomba, using it solely to replace sweeping, then follow up with a proper hard surface floor cleaner like BonaKemi or one suggested by the floor's manufacturer and a microfiber mop.

Typically when cleaning wood or laminate floors you will want to regularly sweep the floor, or vacuum if your vacuum has an attachment without the beater bar, then follow up with a proper laminate floor cleaner and a microfiber mop. With the cleaner, less is more, use only enough to lightly mist a small area then follow up with the microfiber mop. Once done its a good idea to over the floor with a terrycloth towel or similar, on the end of your mop pole to pull up all remaining moisture, just to make sure it gets fully dry.

Q: I have Bruce Hardwood Oak prefinished flooring in my kitchen. I use Pledge Hardwood Floor Cleaner and a large terry mop and all seems fine. My husband and I recently saw a steam cleaner and we were wondering if that would be better. Our floor installer said water was the floors worst enemy - which made me wonder about the long term effect of steam cleaning. By the way we love our Bruce Flooring.

Thanks advance for your help.

A: I would avoid using any form of steam cleaner on a hardwood floor. Your installer is right on, water can be the worst enemy of any wood floor, but so can shifts in temperature. With a steam cleaner, you would be very quickly applying both heat and moisture to your floor, which means for a brief moment as the floor is heated, it will expand, then contract as it returns to its normal temperature. This expansion and contraction, albeit minor, can cause gapping to occur over time.

The current method you are using is good and suggested. Using an approved cleaner (no wax or oil-base cleaners), spray a light mist over the floor then follow up with a microfiber or terrycloth mop head to clean and dry the floor. The easiest way to think here is akin to a swiffer, a small amount of cleaner goes a long way with wood floors. You can also lightly damn your mop, but make sure it is very little moisture as you don't want excessive moisture or standing moisture on the floor. Its sometimes advisable to follow up with a dry terrycloth towel to ensure any and all remaining moisture is removed from the floor.