How to Clean your Pergo Floors

You can buy a lot of expensive floor cleaners for Pergo and other laminate floors.

Whoever sells you your new floor will surely have some cleaner either suggested or manufactured by the company that makes the floor. It will cost in the range of $10 -$15 per small bottle.

Often there’s a special, expensive mop to go with it.

Don’t be silly! Try some of the “homemade” ideas below. They’ll save you a lot of money and may very well be better for your floor.

Make sure you use as little liquid as possible when cleaning. It’s best if you dry the floor with clean towels or terrycloth right after to avoid water spots. If you can, open some windows or train some fans on the floor. Most floors – Pergo, hardwood, and carpeted floors – are all better if they dry quickly.

Pergo floors also tend to streak and attain a film from some cleaners. It can be very frustrating after cleaning because it will still feel sticky and the floor can start “squeaking”.

Don’t forget: brooms with stiff bristles, vacuums with beater heads, and any other item that’s sharp, can quickly damage a Pergo or any other laminate floor.

It’s important to remember that pergo is not wood- It’s a laminate floor. Don’t use products made for wood floors as it could damage it. Do not clean it with products that leave a residue and it can settle in the cracks and make the floor squeak, not to mention dull or damage the finish. You need to care for it just as you would any other laminate floor in order to keep it looking it’s best.

Vinegar and Water

Well, fellow Pergo owners, there’s a better and cheaper way. It’s vinegar, the best, safest and most inexpensive cleaner in the world – next to pure water, maybe!

Go buy a big gallon or larger bottle of white vinegar. Then pick up a terrycloth mop cover from a home store. It will fit over a Swiffer mop head.

• Mix up a spray bottle full of vinegar and water.
• Use 1/2 cup vinegar in a 32 ounce spray bottle and fill the rest of it with water.
• Next spray the Pergo flooring with some of the vinegar solution.
• Then wipe it up with the Swiffer that’s covered with the terrycloth mop cover.
• Make sure you get it fairly dry.
• The vinegar smell dissipates as the floor dries.

Pergo actually recommends vinegar as a cleaner in the above amounts.

I also want to mention that Mrs. Clean is a real house cleaning company. We use vinegar and water to clean all hard floors (Not stone floors!) We have to use the best thing for the job to keep our customers happy- And it’s definitely vinegar and water.

Ammonia and Water

Pergo also recommends using ammonia, if you prefer it to vinegar.

You can use it in the same ratio as the vinegar to water ratio above and then damp mop using the same method. Keep in mind that vinegar is better for the environment.

Plain Water

If for some reason you’re dissatisfied with the vinegar and water idea or ammonia and water idea, try plain, old tap water. You should use it the same way you use vinegar and water. Damp mop it on (you don’t want to get Pergo too wet) and dry mop it off.

Vinegar, Alcohol, Dish Detergent

So you feel the need to add a little detergent? Mix up a solution that’s 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and three drops (only!) of dish detergent.

Wipe on/wipe off. Again, remember, this is DAMP mopping. Pergo doesn’t like too much water. The alcohol should help it dry quickly.

Swiffers

Many owners of Pergo and other laminate floors just love their Swiffers. The whole Swiffer Wet Jet with cleaner costs about $20 and lasts a really long time.

Use the regular Swiffer liquid, not the liquid meant for hardwood floors. Pergo is not hardwood. Don’t spray the liquid (use the “Wet Jet”), or you’ll end up with the dreaded streaks.

Just use the Swiffer cloth dampened with the Swiffer Cleaner. Pergo warns against using the jet feature as it gets the floor too wet.

Windex

Windex, it turns out, does a good job on Pergo floors. It has ammonia in it so it dries quickly, too.

You just spray on the Windex and then wipe it up with a Swiffer cloth attached to a Swiffer, a terry cloth mop, or a clean, white cloth.

So there you go! One of the ideas above should work for you on your Pergo or other laminate flooring. Pergo is beautiful but don’t forget to treat it right!