Are you thinking of renovating or perhaps in the midst of planning one? Are you considering flooring options? It is never an easy decision and even if you’ve decided on wooden flooring, you still need to choose between hardwood vs laminate floors.

Whilst there are lots of pro’s and con’s to both, you need to think about the long run, how are you going to keep your floors clean and how much effort will you have to put in to maintain them.

So, which is easier to clean when it comes to Hardwood vs Laminate floors?

Wooden floors are gorgeous; they’re on trend, last much longer than other flooring options, soften the overall look of a room, hold onto less allergens and nasties AND, you can make them SHINE with your favourite mop.

You’re probably already across the differences between hardwood and laminate; pricing, solid wood vs fibreboard, resistance to stains, thickness and installation processes to name a few, though have you considered future maintenance when it comes to hardwood vs laminate floors?

There are two things to consider when you’re looking at the upkeep of your hardwood or laminate floors, scratches and cleaning.

Scratches are almost inevitable, particularly if you have children. If you’ve decided to move forward with hardwood you can sand and refinish to remove any scratches, though the boards will most likely require refurbishment at around the 10 year mark and this is generally a costly service undertaken by professionals. Laminate, on the other hand is much more resistant to scratches and dents, though the only real option if the floors are quite damaged is to replace it, they cannot be sanded and refinished.

Cleaning is a part of life, and with floorboards, depending on the colour and tone you’ve decided on, they may require just that little bit more care than carpeted areas. Both hardwood and laminate floors will need to be swept or vacuumed on a regular basis, along with cleaning up any spills with a damp cloth, and though they’re similar, each type requires a slightly different method of cleaning.

Hardwood floors can be easily maintained with a soft broom (get yourself one that both sweeps dirt and dust, without raising dust), and a damp mop such as the Vileda Easy Wring & Clean Turbo Spin Mop. The only products you should use on hardwood floors are those specifically designed for, you guessed it, hardwood floors. Anything else will potentially contribute to warping and leave behind some yucky streaks. If you come across a stubborn stain such as ink or paint, you can use a small amount of mineral turpentine on the direct area, and then go over it with your hardwood floor cleaning solution. This should keep your hardwood floors gorgeously shiny and streak free.

Laminate floors tend to be easier to keep clean as they do not require quite so much care. You’ll still need a great broom or vacuum cleaner and a favourite mop, though you can generally use any floor cleaner on the market (there are specific laminate floor cleaning products out there if you’d like to prefer). Stubborn stains can be removed with nail polish remover, always test an inconspicuous patch first to ensure no damage occurs. It is important to ensure you wipe up any spills quickly as these could damage your flooring, but you’ll find laminate is much more forgiving than hardwood when it comes to the cleaning side of things.

Whilst there are many different pro’s and con’s when it comes to hardwood vs laminate floors, I would say that laminate has the advantage when it comes to cleaning and maintenance.

Which flooring option would you choose? SHARE your thoughts with us in the comments below.

We are proud to be working closely with the Vileda team to bring you this article. We love that we feel safe and clean using Vileda products and that we can rely on Vileda products for superior, thorough and effective all-round home hygiene. Vileda – It feels great to feel at home.

*Please note to always check with the manufacturer before commencing any of the above tips and tricks to ensure you are following advice particular to your flooring materials.