Had you waxed them?

Susan, I have not waxed them...I thought perhaps the problem was a build up of wax? from the different cleaners I had used. Are you suggesting to wax them? Would it be better to first get them back to their original finish without the build up junk? then put on a wax finish? and do you have any suggestions on what type of wax to use?

NO! I just wondered if the "sticky gummy yellowish film" you mentioned was wax.

Were these floors already in the house, or did you install them? Who knows what a previous owner may have done. I don't really like wax because, in my limited experience, it looks dull after you get it wet - like wiping up a spill with a damp paper towel.

I had a similar experience on a wood floor. I finally figured out that it was waxed. I stripped the wax, refinished it, and am much happier now.

On your laminate, cleaning off the old wax may be enough. But the floor may have had a matte finish to begin with, so may never look shiny.

I have pets, too, and find that frequent vacuuming is the best way to go. But there always seems to be a "dust kitty" floating around somewhere. It's one of the joys of pet ownership.

Susan,
I did not put them in...and i'm guessing that yes, sometime in the past they have had some kind of wax, be it mop and glow or something comprable....I think that my Krud Kutter stuff is going to be the ticket, (to do what you are suggesting, to remove the build up).

I think after I can get them back to their original state...(they were shiny once upon a time) that I will only clean with vinegar and water combo).

thanks for you input

Try using a dry Magic Eraser. You may go thru several, but i bet it will take it off.

Sounds like the infamous Orange Glow!!!!!!!!!

Strip the floors using mineral spirits on a rag. Follow with a damp towel(NOT SOAKING WET)

Laminates do not like a lot of moisture when cleaning!!! It can and eventually will cause edge swelling.

Floorguy, I am SO glad you mentioned mineral spirits! I was coming on this morning to ask about just this thing. We had prefinished hardwood floors installed recently and I have been using mineral spirits to wipe up the little spots of glue residue I keep seeing here and there. I actually love the way it looks afterwards and it gives it such a nice shine without being slippery. Can you use mineral spirits on a mop as a regular cleaner (once or twice a month)? Or will it damage the floor if you use it too much over time?

I wouldn't use it to clean the floor all the time. Just those trouble sticky spots, as a spot cleaner.

The key to cleaning laminates, is to wipe in one direction on the final wipe. Instead of wiping back and forth, just smearing the soiling around, leaving a haze. You can take a dry towel and buff off the haze, and have a vaccum right behind to catch the dust. More of a pain, then just vaccuming carpet every other day.

Hoover used to make an Old English cleaner (for their floor machine) that works great with no problems. They don't carry it anymore but have replaced it with another cleaner so I can't vouch for that. I would think it should be as good.

You know what really works? Those microfiber cloths! I use no detergent at all, just warm water. NO residue, NO hazing, and an absolutely beautiful sheen. I've got Berry laminate in both cherry planks and charcoal slates. My weekly cleaning is with those new mops with detachable microfiber heads - just spritz a bit of warm water, mop a big area, then follow-up with a dry mop head. Our dog dribbles water endlessly around the house, and those dried spots don't come up easily, so I clean them with a wet but well-wrung-out Miracle cloth and follow with another Miracle cloth - a dry one. Those Miracle cloths are so useful all around the house.

Dito on the cloths. I got my set up at the state fair. There are different cleaning cloths, with handles and such. You could take a micro cloth and put it on a swiffer or something to make your own. Laminate requires only a tiny smidge of water to clean it. Sounds like you have so many products that you and the other owner have applied. You may want to consult the manufacturers and see if any of them have ideas. I hope your floor is not shot and you can get it back to it's original shine.

There are mops that are microfiber covers on a swivel thing with a long mop handle. I use these in a little vinegar and water to mop my hard wood floors. Works great. Then just take off and machine wash the microfiber mop head. They have them at walmart. I sometimes use a drop of dishsoap in the water too with the vinegar. I soak the mop cover in that, wring it out, mop and repeat when it gets dirty or dry looking. Very simple.

Thanks rjinga. Krud Kutter really did the trick! Just sprayed, let set a few minutes, followed with a quick wet scrub using a Rubbermaid Reveal no-scratch extendable long-reach scrubber then dried with a damp towel. Cleaned floor was like new!

How long can I leave Krud Kutter on an unsealed Pergo floor? HELP. My Pergo floors are so sticky.

My house was built one year ago, my laminate wood floors are dark and a mat finish, I have tried vinegar and water, laminate floor cleaners, just water, I even tried a steam mop which is not good for these floors. I have a constant haze I cannot get rid of. I am extremely OCD and mop way more than I should which is why I usually use just water with a little vinegar! I always use microfiber cloths also. Can anyone recommend something to get the haze off without damaging my floors?

9.5 year old post - but still relevant. @ kimrtaber: your "constant haze" might just be the "matte" finish. Yah. Annoying I know. This is the BIGGEST complaint of ALL low-gloss/matte finishes. The HAZE! Every floor in this finish has this complaint: porcelain, ceramic, laminate, cork, vinyl, factory finished hardwood and site finished hardwood.

To get the "matte" finish, they apply CHEMICALS to reduce the sheen. These chemicals are clear-looking if you are staring STRAIGHT DOWN (like at your feet). These same chemicals, at an angle (like early morning or late afternoon sun), appear CLOUDY. That's the haze most people HATE.

Sigh. This "haze" is what makes the floor matte. Without the haze you have a shiny floor. So the two go together like white on rice. It is INTENSELY difficult to separate the "haze" from the "matte". One PRODUCES the other.

The other "fun" thing about matte = it will show every bit of oil (like a foot print because skin oils are shinier than matte finishes). The cleaning regime can then increase the haze depending on what has been used. Vinegar causes hazing....so you might want to skip that.

Try a bit of rubbing alcohol in a spot (well ventilated area please) and then check it out in the "angled lighting" I describe above. If it improves the "haze" then you know you have cleaning residue. If it does NOT improve = the finish = the matte = inherent to the product and nothing can be done.

Good luck. A semi-gloss floor is a great floor for those who like a "clean looking" floor. Matte floors are HELL on those who are picky cleaners.

Cancork Floor, does that "haze"look apply to wire brushed flooring with a matte finish, too?

Very interesting post as I was under the impression that a matte floor would hide more (like foot prints, etc.) than a shiny floor.

@jellytoast = Yep. The wire brush application is UNDERNEATH the "matte" finish. Therefore EVERYTHING is coated in 'matte'. Matte is the gloss of the FINISH. And finishes go on LAST.

For this very reason I like to see a satin floor being used INSTEAD of matte. And I like to see semi-gloss used instead of gloss. The "extremes" are hard to live with. The middle of the road finishes are far more likely to please people.

Good luck. Matte is very specific and is rarely an easy floor to live with. The hazing is horrible for those people who don't want to "see" their finish in low-angle lighting.

I was having the same problem with buildup due to trying to keep my laminate floor clean & ended up with gummy residue too! Ive tried it all as well....baking soda & water & elbow grease did it but I also just discovered that glass cleaner from Target by Sprayway did it the best along with a mop that has replaceable cloths! Ive finally figured it out!! The glass cleaner is arisole & is the best glass cleaner ive ever found. Its about $2.00 & some change! Its amonia free but cuts through it all.

I have the same issue with my floors. I use the glass cleaner caro46p suggested. I went to by more, to try on my laminate floor and I discovered there are 2 kinds of Sprayway. One is oil based and actually meant for wood and laminate floors. caro46p which did you use?

Its glass cleaner amonia free in the glass cleaning isle...its got a bright baby blue cap in a tall 19oz airosole can!! Its streakless & it really is!!! Now all i do is keep a mop handy with the soft cloth mop head & sprtiz with water to clean or dust!! I will never put another thing on this floor as its completely fixed my problem!!! Hope this helps!!!

ps this is also the very best window cleaner or anything glass/ mirrors, etc!!! I buy 2-3 cans at a time, you cant beat it!

The Sprayway Glass Cleaner is the solution! Thank you so much for the helpful info!

Magic Eraser does the trick with ALOT of elbow grease behind it. Hopefully this is only a once a yr thing.

We were careful to not use soap or wax after installing our laminate floors, but after a few years they became sticky on the edges and hazy elsewhere. We suspect the dry swifter we used has some substance to attract dirt and left a residue. Just ugly! We tried vinegar & water with a drop of dish soap, Windex, ammonia mixtures and just about everything else with variable degrees of success. Finally, someone mentioned rubbing alcohol. Viola! Dampen a microfiber cloth with rubbing alcohol, wipe a section of floor for a minute and the sticky stuff just disappears! And the alcohol evaporates quickly so there's no moisture issue. Wipe again with a terry cloth towel and and our floors are like new!

@HU-892358370 did you use straight rubbing alcohol (70% or higher?) and did you dilute it at all? I just moved into a new apartment and the wood laminate floors throughout are sticky, no matter how much I clean! It is gross. I was about to try vinegar and water but saw your post about alcohol. I have the type of flat mop with the removable/washable microfiber heads or "socks" so I think this would be fairly easy for me to try. Just want to avoid damaging floors in a rental, obviously. I am hoping it is mainly soap residue, but I can see drip spots in one area that are super glossy and won't wash up. Wondering if whomever cleaned the apartment before I moved in used a polish or wax inappropriate for laminate floors compounding the problem. Ugh.