How to Clean Laminate Floors (Properly and Naturally)

June 10, 2025 | Cleaning Tips

Laminate flooring is a top choice for homeowners for good reason — it’s durable, affordable, and brings the look of real wood without the high maintenance. But to keep it looking its best long-term? It comes down to how you clean it.

Here’s a simple, effective guide to cleaning laminate floors the right way — without damaging the finish or leaving streaks behind.

Why Proper Cleaning Matters

Yes, laminate floors are low-maintenance — but they’re not indestructible. Cleaning them the wrong way (too much water, harsh products, steam) can lead to warping, swelling, or surface damage.

The good news? Keeping them in great shape is totally doable with the right tools and a little know-how.

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RinseClean™ Spin Mop & Two Bucket System

EasyWring™ Spin Mop & Bucket System

H2prO Flat Mop System

Before you start cleaning – understand the basics

Even though laminate floors look like hardwood they cannot be revarnished, so it’s worth your time and effort to keep them clean and free from grit and moisture.

You can put mats by exterior doors and felt pads under the feet and corners of heavy furniture and chairs to prevent scratching.

But it is important to keep laminate clean, as dust, dirt, and grit particles may scratch the surface over time. It is also important to make sure water doesn’t pool on laminate, so make sure you clean up spills quickly.

Should you mop laminate flooring?

Before we explore the best mop options, let's address the question of whether you should mop laminate flooring at all. The answer is yes, but with care.

Laminate floors are not as forgiving as other flooring types, and excess moisture can seep into the seams, causing damage. That's why selecting the right mop and using proper techniques is crucial.

What is the best mop for laminate floors?

The following two mop types are excellent choices for laminate floors.

H2prO Flat Mop System

Sleek, compact, and powerful, the H2prO Flat Mop System includes ultra-absorbent microfiber mop heads that lift dust, and dirt, without the need of harsh chemicals. So no streaks! It features a refillable tank and battery-free water jets to control how wet you want your mop pad to be. This makes it an ideal choice for laminate, where less is more.

Whether you’re doing a quick refresh or a full room clean, H2prO tackles it all.

Microfibre spin mops

Spin mops have gained popularity for their efficiency in cleaning laminate floors. They are perfect for tackling deeper cleaning tasks without excessive moisture. Vileda Spin Mops feature a foot-activated wringer, which controls the moisture level in your mophead. For particularly stubborn stains, try our Deep Clean mop heads, which were designed with a custom scrubbing pad to buff out tough stains.

All Vileda microfibre mop heads remove over 99% of bacteria with just water.* Or, pair them with an enzyme cleaner like Vileda PACS Hard Floor Cleaner.

This is the best way to mop laminate floors

The best way to clean a laminate floor involves using a microfibre mop and mopping in the direction of the floor planks. Here are some detailed tips:

Start by sweeping your floors thoroughly. This process removes loose dirt and debris, making your mopping more effective. Here are some tips:

Start by sweeping the floor to eliminate larger particles.
Mop with a spray mop or microfibre spin mop, making sure to control the moisture level in your mop head.
Remember to always mop in the direction of the floor planks to prevent streaks

Wrap-Up

Whether you're a natural-cleaning purist or just want to avoid streaks and damage, gentle care and smart products are the way to go.

Looking for tools that work with your floors, not against them?

Explore Vileda’s range of microfibre mops — designed to clean effectively with just water, and safe for use on laminate, hardwood, and more.

**Removes, over 99% of E. coli and Staph. aureus from pre-finished hardwood flooring and ceramic tiling using tap water, as tested at an independent accredited lab.