Laminate Floor Sticky After Mopping? (Here’s How To Fix it)

After mopping the laminate planks, the floor will be sticky. Why does this happen, and how to fix it?

Laminate planks will be sticky if you use the wrong floor cleaner or use too much soap (while cleaning). To fix it, you must mop the planks again with the right floor cleaner. 

To prevent it from happening, use a microfiber cloth to dry the laminate planks as soon as you clean them and remove the soap residue from the planks. 

Why Does This Happen?

Here are a few reasons why your laminate flooring is sticky:

1. Soap Residue

If you clean laminate planks with a detergent, you will leave soap residue behind. You must remove the soap residue by using a damp and clean mop. If you don’t, the soap will gunk up on the laminate and mix with dust, making the floor sticky.

2. Using A Dirty Mop

To clean laminate, you must use a clean and damp mop. If you use a dirty mop, it will spread dirt across the floor rather than cleaning it. Therefore, washing and cleaning your mop before and after using it to clean a floor is recommended.

You must rinse the mop a few times while cleaning the floor. If you use the same mop (without rinsing) to clean the entire floor, the mop will have the floor dirty. 

3. Using The Wrong Mopping Technique

If you use the wrong mopping technique, the floor will become sticky. For instance, if you start mopping from the middle, you will push the dirt to the corners. The dirt in the corners will make the floor has a discolored appearance too. You must mop the edges and corners of the room first, then mop the floor’s middle.

4. Leaving The Floor Wet

After cleaning the floor, you must dry it with a clean cloth. A wet laminate floor will attract more dust, and a mixture of dust and water (moisture) will create a sticky film on the floor. 

5. Wrong Floor Cleaners

You must only use cleaners that are made for laminate floors. Using the wrong cleaner will cause a cleaner build-up on the floor that can appear sticky.

How To Fix Sticky Floors After Mopping?

To fix this, you must:

1. Mop The Floor Again
2. Use a Solvent
3. Use Vinegar

This guide will show you how to use the methods, the tools you’ll need, and when to use each method. 

1. Mop The Floor Again

To fix a sticky laminate floor, mop the floor again with the right cleaner (made for laminate). 

Here are the tools you need:

• A microfiber mop
• Clean rags
• Mild detergent
• Vinyl floor cleaning solution
• A vacuum

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Sweep and vacuum the floor to remove dust and debris. 
2. Mix a mild detergent with warm water. Use a small amount of detergent to avoid having soap residue on the floor.
3. Sprinkle the detergent mixture into the floor and wait 10 minutes. 
4. After 10 minutes, use a microfiber mop to wipe the floor. 
5. Start mopping the floor from the corners first. Rinse the mop every 5 minutes. 
6. Damp a clean rag with water and use the dampened rag to clean the floor (again).
7. Wipe the floor with a dry rag to remove moisture.
8. Leave the laminate planks to dry for 1 hour before walking over. 

2. Using A Solvent

A solvent will dissolve the sticky film on the floor, making it easier to wipe it off.

Solvents that can dissolve a sticky film are:

1. Rubbing alcohol
2. Turpentine
3. Methylated spirits.
4. Mineral spirits.
5. Acetone.

You must dilute the solvent with little water, so it doesn’t damage the floor. Also, you need a soft sponge to scrub stubborn spots on the floor.

Here are all the tools you need:

• A solvent
• A soft sponge
• Clean rags
• A clean bucket
• Floor Vacuum

Here is a guide for this method:

1. Sweep and vacuum the floor to remove dust. 
2. Pour the solvent into a bucket and mix it with water. 
3. Pour the mixture over the floor and wait a few minutes. 
4. For greasy spots, apply the solvent without diluting it. 
5. Use a soft sponge or tack cloth to scrub the floor. 
6. After removing the sticky layer, use a clean mop the wipe the laminate planks. 
7. Leave the laminate floor to dry. 

Tip: This method works best for small laminate floors.

3. Wipe With Vinegar Solution

If the sticky residue on the planks is caused by loose glue, food or drink spills, or soap residue, use a vinegar mix to remove it. Vinegar will penetrate and dissolve the sticky residue from the floor. 

Here are the tools you need:

• White vinegar
• A bucket of water
• A vacuum and broom
• A spray bottle (optional)

Here’s a guide to this:

1. Sweep the planks to remove dust. 
2. Mix a gallon of water with a cup of white vinegar. 
3. Put the vinegar mix into a spray bottle. 
4. Spray (or sprinkle) the vinegar mix over the sticky spots on the floor. 
5. Wait 15 minutes. 
6. Use a soft sponge to scrub the affected spots. 
7. Wipe the vinegar mix off the surface with a cloth. 
8. Clean the floor and allow it to dry.

Preventing Sticky Laminate:

Here are a few ways you can prevent a sticky floor: 

1. Use the right floor cleaner — ensure the cleaner is recommended for laminate. 
2. Sweep and vacuum the floor before mopping. 
3. Use a damp mop instead of a wet mop. 
4. Don’t use harsh floor cleaners. 
5. Wash mopping pads before and after cleaning the floor. 
6. Don’t walk over the laminate floor after cleaning it (for 5 minutes). 
7. Remove soap residue from the floor. 
8. Clean the floor regularly to prevent a build-up of grime. 
9. Use microfiber rags to dry the floor. 
10. Degrease the laminate floor with vinegar (mixed with water) to remove oil stains and grease. 

Products To Avoid:

My Swiffer

The floor can get sticky if you use too much Swiffer cleaning solution. Swiffer cleaners are designed with a nozzle that allows you to spray the cleaning solution on the laminate floors to dissolve stains. But, if you apply too much, the cleaning solution will gunk up and turn sticky.

Vinegar

Vinegar doesn’t make your laminate floor sticky because it doesn’t leave residue behind. Since vinegar is a mild-acid, you can use it to remove the sticky film from the floor. However, you must dilute the vinegar with water to prevent the laminate planks from fading.

Fabuloso

Too much Fabuloso cleaner will leave a sticky residue on your laminate floor. Fabuloso is a tough cleaning solution, and it’s difficult to remove if you use it too much. Fabuloso cleaner can also cause warping on the planks.

Zoflora

Zoflora also contains several chemicals that can damage the design and cause a sticky build-up over the laminate planks. You shouldn’t use Zoflora to clean laminate because the cleaner is too strong. 

Bleach

You shouldn’t use bleach to clean laminate flooring. But, you can use bleach to remove sticky film from the planks. To do so, dilute bleach and apply it over the affected spot for a few minutes. After, remove the bleach residue and clean the planks with water. The sticky film will be removed. 

However, don’t leave bleach over laminate flooring for too long because it can discolor the planks. 

Final Words

Laminate planks will turn sticky after mopping if you don’t use the right floor cleaner or if you don’t clean the mop regularly. Mop the floor again with a cleaner made for laminate floors to fix it. To remove the sticky residue from laminate, use vinegar (mixed with water). 

To prevent this from happening again, only use floor cleaners designed for laminate and clean the floor regularly.