Q: I purchased a Shaw laminate floor about 6 years ago. I was told by the sales associate in the flooring department at Home Depot to treat the floor just like a laminate counter top. So I started out mopping it with pine o pine. That left a definite streaking on the floor. So I stopped that right away and went to a product “Bona Hard Surface Cleaner.” The label said it was recommended for laminate flooring and left no dulling residue. I have notice a definite dulling and no shine whatsoever on my floor for a few years now.
I recently contacted Shaw on their consumer helpline and they recommended a product just for their floor that I should have been sold in the first place, I don’t have it with me but I think it is RX2 or something like that exclusively for their floor, but they said since I had been using a Bona product on my floor I should contact Bona to find out how to safely remove their product from my floor without damaging it. I contacted Bona by phone where you have to leave a message and by email and I have not received an answer yet and I am growing frustrated.
I went back to Home Depot and they recommended using Mineral Spirits to clean the residue off the floor. I am a bit skeptical since they did not sell me the correct cleaner years ago in the first place. I just feel very frustrated with my floor that I purchased and installed with a 15 year warranty and I am not sure exactly what to do at this point, the floor surface in my family room is approximately 990 sq. ft. Any professional advice would be great!!
Sue
Pearland, TX
A: Typically when switching between cleaners after finding that one cleaner is causing a problem, you can see something like a dull appearance. I can’t say I’ve known of any issues with the Bona products when used initially, as many of the cleaners out there made by companies mimic a formula similar to Bona’s.
What is likely happening here is that the streaking you saw from the pine o pine, left a residue layer that the bona tried to remove, but instead caused the dull appearance as the two cleaners react with each other. Now you could try using mineral spirits to remove this, as mineral spirits is very mild, but if you do make sure that you wipe with the mineral spirits, then follow up with a mop which is lightly damp over the floor, then take a terrycloth towel and go over the floor to ensure any remaining moisture is pulled up.
It may take a couple of tries to get up all the remaining cleaner, but remember not to use too much of the mineral spirits and do NOT leave mineral spirits on the floor without following up shortly with a damp mop or some regular cleaner.
Shaw’s R2X is very similar to the Bona Hard Surface cleaner, and should work for you once you remove the current residue. If you continue to have troubles remove this residue, I would suggest contacting pine o pine as the residue/dull look you are getting is most likely caused by the initial streaky appearance from the pine o pine. Remember, when cleaning wood floors, less is more – lightly mist a cleaner over the floor then follow up with a dry microfiber mop.
