How to Make Laminate Floors Shine Like New

Enjoy making your laminate floors shine with this simple, easy-to-use homemade laminate floor cleaner. So grab your microfiber cloth and get ready to buff, so they gleam!

Did you opt for laminate flooring in your home? Only to discover that beautiful glossy-ness faded after a few months? 

(Don’t worry, it’s normal and happens to everyone.)

The great news is – help is here, in the form of my all-time favorite product in the home – vinegar!

Now, vinegar can be found in so many of my household cleaners, including my homemade carpet cleaner, homemade composite sink cleaner, and my homemade window cleaner.

However, it is important to note when using vinegar, to always dilute properly.

In this laminate floor shiner recipe, we only use a small amount mixed with water and rubbing alcohol to clean and buff laminate floors, so they shine. 

I’ll share this fantastic recipe to show you how to shine laminate floors beautifully. They’ll look brand new afterward!

what are laminate floors

Laminate floors are traditionally a ‘wood effect’ flooring option. 

They’re made from synthetic materials instead of natural ones and are a more cost-friendly option than real wood – yet still maintain that desired wood effect. 

If you have wooden flooring in your home, then check out this homemade wood floor cleaner post!

As per the design, laminate floorboards ‘click’ into place and have a soft underlay. They look fantastic and come in a variety of colors and textures. 

The thing with laminate flooring is it doesn’t like wetness. So be sure to follow my guidance on how to keep laminate floors shiny (the safe way) in the instructions section. 

Why you will love this recipe

• It’s easy to make. Simply combine the ingredients in a glass spray bottle and have your cloth or buffer ready!
• It’s quick to make. Mixing this together takes less than 5 minutes – you can use it immediately, too (no waiting around).
• It’s non-toxic. There’s nothing unnatural in this laminate floor shiner, meaning a safer home environment. 
• It works! But do follow the recipe’s directions to get the best results. 

A few key ingredients

If you ask me how to make laminate floors shine, the answer is all in your buffing technique!

I share this cleaning routine because it works, but your effort to buff your floors makes the difference.

Here’s a little information on the ingredients:

• Distilled water: is pure water with all bacteria and minerals removed. It makes for streak-free cleaning!
• Rubbing alcohol: great for cleaning and removal of stains. 
• Vinegar: is a great multi-purpose cleaner, disinfectant, and shine improver. It is very acidic, so while its great for cleaning, we only will be using a small amount and wiping it up quickly after applying it.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure HERE. 

How to clean and shine laminate floors

You’ll need a glass spray bottle with a nozzle. Also, a Swiffer works well (optional), and a microfiber cloth.

Ingredients

• Distilled water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Vinegar

Helpful Tools

• 16 oz spray bottle
• Microfiber cloths
• A wet swiffer or soft roller brush vacuum (optional)

Instructions

Add the water, alcohol & vinegar to the spray bottle.

Secure the sprayer nozzle lid and shake well to combine.

Mist the solution lightly onto the laminate floor, working in small sections at a time so it doesn’t sit and soak into the cracks.

Wipe clean using a microfiber cloth.

Allow it to dry for a few minutes before buffing it with a clean, dry microfiber cloth or Swiffer brush.

How to make laminate wood floors shine

First, the trick to creating a shine on laminate flooring is to clean the floor thoroughly. Give the floors a good sweep or vacuum and ensure no debris are left behind. 

Any marks or sticky residue can be removed by spraying some of the cleaning solution onto a microfiber cloth and rubbing it gently until it lifts off. 

Next, you’ll want to spray the vinegar solution lightly, working in small sections. Certainly, don’t allow the solution to sit on your laminate floors. 

Water damage can happen if the boards get too wet – especially if water seeps in between the laminate boards. 

So spray lightly and wipe over immediately with the microfiber cloth. 

Once a couple of minutes have passed, and the area is dry, grab a second (dry) cloth or Swiffer and buff the area. 

If you’re wondering how to buff laminate floors, it simply means ‘gently rubbing’ the area repeatedly.

Using a circular motion works well for buffing. You’re removing any lasting residue and bringing out the shine!

It’s best if you want shining laminate floors to get on your hands and knees for this bit. But if that’s not your style, I’ll share some tips in the section below. 

Tips/FAQs

If you are not too keen on scrubbing your floors on your hands and knees, you can add the solution to a swiffer wet jet or similar with a microfiber cloth attachment to spread the laminate floor cleaner. 

Just be cautious not to spray too much at any one time, continuing to work in sections as you do this. 

In our home, we use an INSE vacuum which works well with this cleaning solution. Again, it might be something to consider if you don’t like the hands-and-knees option.

Finally, buff to shine using a clean, dry microfiber cloth attachment.

Take care to avoid any of the cleaning solution getting below the surface or in between the boards, as it can cause the flooring to swell and buckle.

Key takeaways

Use the solution sparingly and work in sections to avoid it sitting too long on your laminate flooring. 

Swiffer wet jets or the like will make this job a whole lot easier, especially if you have a lot of laminate flooring!

Buffing the floors is existential in getting your laminate floors to shine!

I hope you enjoy using this homemade laminate floor shiner. I’d love to hear how it worked for you!

If you made it and loved it, I would love for you to leave a review! And if you have any questions, drop me a comment below!

And if you are looking for more great cleaning posts, try one of these next!

• How to effectively clean a braided rug
• How to get stains out of marble
• Homemade granite cleaner
• How to clean and remove stains from car seats
• DIY beeswax furniture polish
• Homemade grout cleaner