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Jamie asked: How do I remove salt deposits from laminate flooring? A bucket of water containing Epsom salts was spilled by my cat onto the laminate flooring in my living room. The water was mopped up. I sprayed a product specifically made to refresh the flooring. It looked like it helped the laminate, but when I returned from work, the floor was smeared and white spots were all over the place. Help!
Salt can be damaging to laminate flooring if not removed promptly. It can eat through the protective coating and the abrasive texture of the salt can produce small scratches on the surface. Here are the steps to remove the salt and bring the luster back to your flooring.
You Will Need:
- Vinegar
- Dish soap (Dawn works well)
- Floor cleaner
- Warm water
- Buckets
- Soft cloths
- Mops
- Rubber gloves
Steps to Remove the Salt:
- Begin by filling a bucket with one part warm water and one part white vinegar.
- Use a soft cloth for smaller areas or a mop for larger areas. If washing the floor by hand, protect your skin with rubber gloves.
- Moisten the sponge or mop with the mixture and work it onto the salt stains on the floor.
- If the stains are thick, allow the vinegar to set on the stain for a minute.
- Wipe away.
- Work in small areas and repeat applications until the salt is removed.
- If the vinegar does not cut through all of the salt stains, fill a bucket with warm water and a small amount of dish detergent or floor cleaner.
- Use another clean cloth to scrub the floor with the soapy water. Use a mop for larger areas.
- Once the salt is removed, rinse the floor with clean water.
- Remove any excess water with a dry cloth. This is an especially important step for wood floors to keep them from warping.
- Allow the floors to dry completely.
- Spot treat any remaining areas as needed.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Do not apply any floor waxes or sealants until the salt is removed. Otherwise, it will seal the salt in.
- The cleaning methods above are safe to use on all sealed flooring types. If you are unsure how the flooring will react with the cleaning product, test a small area first. Apply the cleaning product and allow it to set for an hour. Remove and allow the area to dry completely. If there are no adverse effects, it is safe to proceed with the rest of the floor.
Can’t wait to try this! My job is to clean a church hall floor that is used from everything from floor hockey, basketball, badminton to social gatherings.
The salt gets very easily tracked in during the winter.
Since this is my first time as a custodian (semi-retired), I’m sure I’ll get to use this site often!
Thanks!
How do I stop water from coming up from my concrete floor that had rock salt on it?
Casey,
If you have water coming up through an indoor floor, that means there is a larger problem, such as a crack in the foundation or in the concrete floor, a burst pipe under the floor, or a broken sump pump. The only way to stop the water would be to remedy the problem. However, this time of year, it may be caused by all the melting snow raising the water table in your area. So in theory, once the water table returns to normal, so will your floor.
Source: AquaGuard – Basement Waterproofing and Foundation Repair
Can this be done on hardwood stained and varathaned steps? Or will the vinegar eat through the finish? Any suggestions?
Jeannine,
Yes, this process can be used on varathaned steps. It should not be used on wax-sealed steps as it can cut through the finish, but polyurathane finishes are fine with vinegar. Just don’t leave it on to soak for a long time; water-based solutions are always risky for wood if allowed to soak.
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – Cleaning Wood Floors with Vinegar
Good to know.