Some recommended items that are very inexpensive are Swiffer wood floor wet jet products, windex and a microfiber mop that works without cleaners at all. If you want to try the old-fashioned highly recommended method of simply water and vinegar, follow these instructions to know what to do.

How to Clean the Floors

1. Before you start cleaning laminate floors, vaccuum or dust the floors to pick up any loose materials or dust balls. This will make the washing much easier.

2. To make your homemade cleaner, mix 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar into a gallon of water. When you install your flooring, they might recommend ammonia, but vinegar is less damaging. Don't use water alone because it will leave water spots if it is not neutralized with the vinegar. You may also experiment by adding 1/3 cup of rubbing alcohol since some say it reduce streaks.

3. The mop you use is important, because a regular, old-fashioned map is difficult to wring out, as is a self-wringing mop, so they can both result in too much water seeping into the floor which can warp it.

A good solution is too use an old towel, soak it in the vinegar mixture, ring it out by hand, and then wrap it around the mop head. Otherwise, terry mop covers are sold that attach to mops with elastics. If you prefer, you can also use a swiffer wet jet.

4. Let the floor dry on its own - you do not need to rinse or dry it unless you are in a hurry, in which case use another old towel to dry only.

This method is ideal for doing the entire floor, but for spot treatments, spray on a tiny bit of windex and wipe with a paper towel. To clean laminate flooring in this way will save you money and hassle and it will prevent your expensive sealant from being damaged by harsher chemicals. If you use a recommended laminate floor cleaner, just check the ammonia content and limit the amount to keep your floors shiny and looking new.