It's not unheard of for paint to drip onto the floor and go unnoticed until it has dried during home improvement projects. Fortunately, laminate flooring is very durable and more resistant to stains and scratches than regular hardwood flooring. The top layer contains aluminum oxide particles and melamine resin, which adds extra durability and moisture protection. In spite of its durability, you can still damage the surface of a laminate floor if you aren't careful. Mild cleaners should be used with care to avoid damaging the surface of the laminate while cleaning dried paint. Clean the floor with a vacuum cleaner to clean up any dirt and debris that might scratch the floor. Wipe over the surface of the floor with a dust mop to remove any other remaining dust or small particles that the vacuum left behind. Place a small bucket on a work surface. Mix equal parts of white vinegar, water and rubbing alcohol in the bowl. Add 5 or 6 drops of dish detergent into the bowl and mix the ingredients with a spoon until soap suds form.

Wet a cloth rag in the mixture and scrub the surface of the paint in a steady back-and-forth motion. Rinse the rag in the bowl and continue to scrub until you can no longer remove any paint. Allow the floor to dry. Apply acetone nail polish remover to a cloth rag. Dab the rag onto the surface of any remaining paint. Leave the acetone nail polish remover on the surface of the paint for 5 minutes. Wash off the nail polish remover with warm water, using a cloth rag. Pull up any loosened paint by the edge with tweezers. Continue to apply and wash off the nail polish remover until the paint is completely cleaned from the laminate floor. Wash the floor with the white vinegar, water and dish detergent mixture. Clean the floor with a vacuum cleaner to clean up any dirt and other debris that might scratch the floor. Apply paint remover or floor degreaser to the dried paint with a cloth rag. Allow the cleaner to penetrate the paint for a few minutes. Wipe off the paint with a clean cloth rag. Apply more paint remover or degreaser to the paint and repeat the process to clean off any remaining paint.

Rinse off the floor where you removed the dried latex paint with a cloth rag and warm water. Clean the floor with a wood floor cleaner and allow it to air dry before walking on it. Spray ammonia-based window cleaner to the dried paint and allow it to soak into the paint for a few minutes. Scrub off the paint with a cloth rag. Apply more window cleaner, allow it to soak into the paint and scrub off as needed until you have removed as much of the paint as possible. Brush nail polish remover with acetone over the remaining paint residue. Allow it to soak into the remaining paint for a few minutes and wipe it off with a cloth rag. Rinse the laminate with warm water. Wash off the surface of the laminate with a wood floor cleaner and cloth rag. Allow the floor to air dry before use. Things You Will Need Vacuum cleaner Dust mop Small bucket White vinegar Water Rubbing alcohol Dish detergent Spoon Cloth rags Acetone nail polish remover Tweezers Paint remover or floor degreaser Wood floor cleaner Warm water Ammonia-based window cleaner Tip Warning Suggest a Correction

Your laminate may resemble hardwood planks or natural-stone tile, but you still need to care for it as a laminate. The good news: Very few things will harm a laminate floor, says Bill Dearing, president of the North American Laminate Flooring Association. After all, the planks are constructed in sun- and light-resistant layers to maintain a like-new appearance for years. cleaning the fan of a hp laptopThat said, it’s important to keep water from getting underneath the planks. best corded stick vacuum cleanerDearing recommends dry mopping or vacuuming the floor, making sure the machine is on tile mode (as opposed to carpet) so the beater bar is raised. vacuum cleaner ratings upright

Spot-clean with a slightly damp mop (or a wet Swiffer, since they aren’t sopping wet) when necessary. Dearing’s last bit of advice: Never polish a laminate floor. If the finish of a plank looks damaged, it’s best to replace it. 2Cleaning a Cork Floor The same quality that makes this natural material so beautiful—its porosity—makes it very susceptible to water damage. best canister vacuum cleaner reviewsBecause it’s so absorbent, most cork flooring is sealed, but you still need to proceed with caution. ac duct cleaning india“Vacuum often to prevent scratching, wipe up spills immediately, and wash cork floors once a week,” says Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach. asus laptop cooler cleaning

Reichert suggests skipping commercial cleaning products in favor of a vinegar-and-soapy-water solution: Place 1/4 cup vinegar in a spray bottle with 1 drop of dish soap and warm water. Naturally acidic vinegar works with the soap to break down dirt, cut through build-up and disinfect. Don’t shake the solution (that would create suds), just gently combine the ingredients in a spray bottle by rocking it back and forth. Spray the floor a section at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop as you go. 3Cleaning a Hardwood Floor Hardwood floors typically have one of two finishes: polyurethane or wax. Not sure what you’re standing on? Rub your finger across the surface, says Meg Roberts, president of Molly Maid. If a smudge appears, the floor is likely waxed. Sealed wood floors typically have a urethane, polyurethane, or polyacrylic coating. This protects them from stains and water damage, says Roberts. To clean, simply mix ¼ cup of mild or pH-neutral soap (try Seventh Generation All-Purpose Natural Cleaner Concentrate) with water in a bucket.

(Steer clear of acidic vinegar solutions, which can dull wood floors over time.) Then damp-mop (be sure the mop is wrung out very well), using a dry microfiber cloth to wipe up any excess moisture. Clean high-traffic areas like the kitchen once a week; for less-trafficked areas, mop once a month. If you have waxed wood floors, you’re off the hook—sort of. Since this type of flooring can be damaged by even small amounts of water, keep damp mops away from this surface, and instead sweep, dust mop or vacuum regularly. Bamboo is sustainable, beautiful—and in some cases, softer and more prone to nicks and scratches than hardwood floors. Unless you have strand bamboo flooring—the hardest, most durable type available—be extra vigilant about regularly sweeping up dirt and debris. “Especially with the expense of bamboo, extra care should be used,” says Roberts, who uses a tennis ball to gently buff out marks. She uses the same cleaning solution on bamboo as on hardwood: mix ¼ cup of mild or pH-neutral soap in one bucket of water.

Swipe across floor using a barely-damp mop, wiping up excess moisture with a dry microfiber cloth. 5Cleaning a Linoleum Floor We’re not talking nearly-indestructible vinyl flooring (see the next section for tips on cleaning that surface). True linoleum is made from linseed oil, resin, limestone, wood fiber and cork dust, and colored with mineral pigments. Treat this resilient, natural flooring as you would cork, advises Reichert: Mix up a spray bottle of just a few drops of dish soap and hot water, then spritz a section of the floor at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop. The floor should air-dry almost immediately, but if it feels slightly sticky to the touch just swipe it with another clean, damp microfiber mop or cloth. 6Cleaning a Vinyl Floor For weekly cleaning, use Reichert’s spritz-and-dry mop technique to keep tile floors looking fresh: Gently mix 1/4 cup vinegar in a 16-ounce spray bottle with 1 drop of dish soap and warm water. Spray the floor one section at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop as you go.

For periodic deep cleans, she likes to use a steam cleaner to clean both tile and grout—the steam does the work of removing stains (and bacteria!), so you don’t feel like you got an extra workout right there in your kitchen. 7Cleaning Natural Stone Flooring Whatever you do, leave the vinegar in the pantry, warns Kris Koenig, CEO of eco-friendly cleaning company Natura Clean, in Middleton, Wiss. Even a small amount of the acidic liquid could damage stone floors, as could bleach and ammonia. Instead, mop sealed stone floors with a pH-neutral, non-chelating cleaner that won’t react adversely to the minerals in natural surfaces. Koenig’s favorite is Naturally It's Clean Floors cleaner. If your stone tiles are unsealed, says Reichert, simply mop with a microfiber mop and hot water; chemicals would penetrate the stone. For stubborn dirt, use a steam cleaner. 8Cleaning Porcelain Tile FlooringFor periodic deep cleans, she likes to use a steam cleaner to clean both tile and grout—the steam does the work of removing stains (and bacteria!), so you don’t feel like you're getting an extra workout right there in your kitchen.