How To Clean Pergo Floors (Step By Step Guide)
Pergo floors are the same as laminate flooring, but Pergo is simply the brand name. Actually, Pergo has a patented way of producing their laminate that makes it more durable and shinier than all the rest. In fact, they are the ones who invented laminate flooring way back in 1977 so they know what they are doing.
Cleaning Pergo floors is as simple as dusting with a dust mop once in a while or using a vacuum with a hard floor attachment. To deep clean, use a soft cotton cloth or cloth mop moistened with a gentle cleanser. Pergo suggests mixing one cup of vinegar OR one-third ammonia mixed with a gallon of water.
You should never use a steam cleaner or an excessively wet mop on your Pergo floor. It is also not good to refinish or wax your floor. But enough about what you cannot do with your Pergo flooring. Let’s talk about what you can do with your Pergo floor.
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Natural Cleaning of Your Pergo Flooring
To naturally clean your Pergo floors, you will need a few simple things you probably already have in your home. These include:
- A soft-bristle broom
- Dust mop
- Soft cotton mop
- Bucket
- Vinegar
- Water
- A soft cotton drying cloth
How to Damp Mop Your Pergo Floor
You will be damp mopping your floor typically about once a week on average. However, you should clean it whenever it gets dirty enough. Here are the basic steps to cleaning your Pergo floor.
Step One
Sweep or dust your floor with a soft-bristle broom or dust mop. This should be part of your daily cleaning. A Swiffer dust mop is also a good choice. Sweep all of the loose dirt and debris up before damp cleaning.
Step Two
Mix one cup of household cleaning vinegar to one gallon of warm water in a bucket. Alternatively, you can substitute the vinegar with ammonia.
Step Three
Submerge your soft cotton mop in the solution until it is completely saturated.
Step Four
Make sure to ring out the mop thoroughly before using it on the floor. Damp mopping is fine for Pergo and other laminated floors, but wet mops are out.
Step Five
Clean the entire floor one section at a time. Rinse the mop several times during the process. But always be sure to ring out the mop well. You want to keep your mop almost dry when cleaning the floor. And if you do happen to get too much water on the floor, just use your drying cloth to sop it up.
What About Stubborn Stains?
There are always going to be accidents no matter how careful you are. Especially if you have kids or pets. A spill or drip here and there is not a big deal. But sometimes a challenging spot appears that you need to take care of. Some of these include:
- Wine, juice, grease, and chocolate can be removed with warm water and a non-abrasive cleaner on a soft cloth. Mix one-part mild dish soap with 10 parts water. Apply it with a soft cloth and rub thoroughly. Dry with a soft dry cloth.
- If that does not work, try a small bit of ammonia and water. Leave it for 10 minutes and then rub it gently with a soft brush. If that does not work, call the Pergo company and ask for assistance.
- Ink, lipstick, crayon, marker, tar, and nail polish can all be removed with a small bit of alcohol or nail polish remover. Be careful to only use a small amount.
- Gum and wax can be removed with a blunt plastic scraper after it hardens.
Cleaning Pergo Flooring with a Steam Mop
There are a number of manufacturers of laminate flooring, Pergo included, that do not recommend using a steam mop to clean their products. According to experts, it actually does much more harm than good. The heat and moisture used in steam cleaning can cause serious damage to the flooring material.
However, other experts claim that steam mop cleaning of Pergo flooring hasn’t physically been tested. If you’re unsure of your particular cleaning methods, contact your particular flooring distributor. And, when in doubt, opt for just vinegar and warm water to avoid potential harm.
Can I Use a Swiffer Wet Jet?
Although Swiffer does not offer a laminate floor cleaner, they do have a multipurpose cleaner that is for laminate floors as well. The Pergo company suggests that you only mist the floor with the Wet Jet rather than saturating the floor. Any kind of saturation of the floor is not good for it.
Dry Cleaning Pergo Floors
Cleaning your Pergo flooring without the use of any water is relatively easy. Performing basic sweeping and dusting of the floor will help to keep it free of dust and pet hair on a regular basis.
- Sweep Pergo floors using either a regular brush broom, dusting mop, or Swiffer. However, for best results, be sure to move with consistent strokes along the floor.
- Vacuum Pergo floors using a soft brush attachment that won’t cause any scratching to the finish.
The best way to maintain your Pergo floors is to get into a routine of dry cleaning then daily. This will help to prevent dust, dirt, and grime from building up and becoming a much larger issue, requiring more instense cleaning.
Pergo Floor Cleaner
Pergo has a floor cleaner that you can buy from their website. It is recommended for stains and scuffs that you cannot remove with any of the methods above. You can get a small spray bottle for small spots or a gallon for larger jobs. If you own a Pergo floor, it is good to keep some on hand for emergency spills.
What is Pergo Flooring?
Pergo flooring is laminate flooring made to look like real wood or tile design. The floating floor is not glued or nailed to the floor but floats above it, snapped together and held at the edges of the room. Easy to install, beautiful to look at, and one of the strongest flooring surfaces there is, Pergo flooring lasts longer and looks better than other types of laminate or tile.
Choosing Pergo flooring for your home is one of the best choices you ever made. After all, Pergo invented laminate flooring so they certainly are the best. They devised a baked-on finish that makes it harder than real wood and more durable than almost any flooring.
Melamine Protection
They use a clear melamine layer on top of multiple layers of tough synthetic made with recycled hardwood. Melamine is a durable, heat and fire-resistant organic compound made for plastic housewares, plates, and utensils among other things.
The Pergo melamine is enriched with aluminum oxide particles to protect the floor from scuffs and scratches. Pergo laminate is bonded under extreme pressure and heat with no toxins or glues so you can feel good about letting your kids and pets crawl around on it.
The second layer of the floor is a beautifully decorated graphic sheet designed to look like real wood while being stronger and more durable. Underneath that layer is a core of high-density fiberboard that provides dent resistance and strength to keep your floor looking new for years.
How to Protect Your Pergo Flooring
Even though Pergo flooring is durable, you should still do all you can to protect it and help it last for years. The protective layers on the floor can resist scratches and scuffs, but it does not make the floor scratch-proof by any means. Some of the important things you can do to keep your Pergo floor beautiful for a long time include:
- Put felt pads or floor protectors under furniture to prevent scratches.
- When moving anything heavy, lift it up rather than scooting it. If the item is too heavy to lift on your own, get some help.
- Use throw rugs or mats in front of all doorways to keep dirt, gravel, and sand from getting to your floors.
- Make sure that your rugs are not rubber-backed because rubber and latex can harm a Pergo floor. There is a chemical reaction that will discolor the flooring. Natural fibers like bamboo, wool, or cotton are best.
- If you see any cracks or dents, only use putty made or approved by Pergo to fill them. You may want to call the Pergo support line for help if you are not sure what to use.
Pergo Floors Last a Long, Long Time
Pergo floors are beautiful and can last for more than a decade. In fact, all Pergo flooring comes with a warranty, but they vary depending on the type of Pergo you have. Some of them even have a lifetime warranty. Not only is it easy to care for, but it is easy to look at too.
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Final Thoughts
Cleaning your Pergo flooring is almost identical to maintaining various other types of laminate. Establishing a good, consistent cleaning routine as early as possible will allow you to enjoy the full benefits of your Pergo floors and keep them looking great for many years to come.
I am a DIYer who loves writing about anything home-related. When I am not writing, you can find me studying for my PhD in Psychology, photographing nature, and swimming at the lake with my grandkids.
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