Vinyl and Laminate Floor Polish

Up until recently, I had always used a brand name cleaner on the laminate flooring in my kitchen. I LOVED it. It was easy to use, inexpensive and made my kitchen smell like delicious oranges. Then I read the directions:

[Brand X] floor finish with future shine should be removed from your floor every 6 To 8 applications or annually with a solution Of 1 cup ammonia and 1/4 cup [Brand X] floor cleaner in 1/2 gallon cool water. Then rinse floor with clean water. 

OK, let me get this straight... the product I'm using to CLEAN my floors has to be CHEMICALLY REMOVED? And, as if having to use ammonia wasn't bad enough, I'm also expected to spend more money on another [Brand X] product to get the job done. 

Genius marketing ploy? You betcha. 

Reason for me to find a better homemade product? Precisely.

So, I turned to the all-knowing internet and found some recipes for laminate cleaners and polishes. They all did a great job of getting the floor clean. But they all lacked a very important feature in a floor polish... SHINE. Since my laminate doesn't already have a high gloss finish, the recipes that were out there were leaving me a little frustrated. I tinkered with the formula for a while and finally found a winning combination.

I present to you:

The Totally Natural, Practically Edible, All-in-One Laminate Floor Cleaner and Polish!

(Or, just "Floor Polish" for short)

Ingredients:

1 cup Vinegar

1 cup Water

1 cup Rubbing Alcohol (or Vodka, if you can stand to part with it)

¼ cup Olive Oil

2-3 drops Dish Soap

Optional: Essential Oils

Before using :

Sweep or vacuum to remove large particles from floor. If the floor is extra grimy, you may want to do a quick mop with just water, or soap and water.  It’s not necessary, but you’ll use more cleaning product if you skip that step. (** I happen to have a big dog that has no respect for my “wipe your feet” rule, so this step is a must.)

To use:

Combine all ingredients in a bottle with a spray top. (I used an empty vinegar bottle and added a sprayer.)

The oil will float to the top of the other ingredients, so give the bottle a little shake before using  to combine.

Spray the polish directly on the laminate or vinyl flooring and mop up with a dry cloth. (I use an old “Swiffer” style mop that I wrap with a dish towel.)

(I used this product on the first few feet in front of the door for a comparison. Please note how the dirt on my floor seems to mysteriously land in the shape of giant paw prints... Weird!)

Disclaimer: As with any new product, before using try a small amount on an inconspicuous spot of the flooring to make sure it doesn't affect your floor's finish.