Is Using Pine-Sol To Clean Laminate Floors A Good Idea?

Known for its strong scent, Pine-Sol has been a trusted cleaning product brand for floors in homes and businesses for decades. If you've recently had laminate flooring installed, or if you've just never used Pine-Sol for floor cleaning, you might wonder if you can use this product without causing damage. After all, not every floor cleaner is suitable for every type of floor. Plus, in Pine-Sol's case, the bottles and online product details don't specifically mention its use on laminate. However, according to a 'How-To' article by Pine-Sol, the popular pine-scented cleaner can indeed be used to clean laminate floors safely, but with a caveat.

The article recommends Pine-Sol Original Pine Multi-Surface Cleaner for your laminate floors. You can buy a 60-oz bottle at Home Depot for about $7. Pine-Sol also adds that you can use other scents; they just won't have the same germ-killing power as the original scent. The most crucial thing to remember is that you must dilute the formula with water before using it and avoid letting it sit on your floors for too long. This is to prevent oversaturation, which could damage the surface of your laminate floors.

To clean your laminate floors with Pine-Sol, all you need is a mop, water, and a bucket. Or, in place of the mop bucket, you can use an old plastic water bottle or milk container to store the diluted solution. This allows you to pour the cleaner directly on the floor, but you'll want to rinse the mop before you're done mopping to remove any remaining Pine-Sol, and be sure to wring your mop well before the next pass.

Mix ⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) of the cleaner with a gallon of warm water. Don't need the whole gallon? Use half a gallon and add 1 tablespoon of Pine-Sol. Dip the mop in the bucket and wring it out. If water is dripping from the mop, it's too wet. Remove enough moisture to leave it damp, not saturated. If you're using the container method, you can wet the mop in the sink first or just pour the solution on the floor and mop over it. With either method, don't let water pool on the laminate floor, as this can cause staining or damage if not mopped up quickly. It's easy to tell how wet your floors are by looking at them, so if you didn't use a lot of water, you can let the floors air dry. If you use too much water or just want to speed up the drying process, a microfiber towel can soak up the excess liquid.