How to Clean Laminate Countertops

Once our stylish laminate countertops have been installed, it’s important to ensure they stay in tip-top condition. Fortunately, laminate surfaces are very easy to maintain, only requiring careful cleaning once installed.

The International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (a collection of the world’s leading experts in virology, microbiology and infectious disease) state that the average kitchen worktop is one of the most commonly contaminated areas of the house, second only to used kitchen cloths.

Because of this, it is very important to make sure that any kitchen surfaces are regularly cleaned with a warm, soapy solution to ensure that bacteria does not get the chance to colonise in areas where you might be preparing food.

Using a quality natural disinfectant will kill all forms of bacteria that may build up around your worktops, but may not necessarily remove the dirty solids that become home for bacterial colonies within hours.

Because of this, we recommend that you clean over the surface with a micro-fibre cloth and a warm soapy solution first, before applying a more abrasive natural solution, as follows:

• 2 small cups of water.
• ¼ of a cup of white vinegar.
• A tablespoon of washing-up liquid.

Start by decanting the liquid into a clean spray bottle and cover your entire worktop with a light misting. Leave the solution to work for a few minutes, then wipe away the excess with a clean, damp cloth. If you would prefer a more pleasant-smelling solution, lemon juice can be used as a substitute for vinegar, but this solution may require additional rinsing with water after application (as the mixture is less ‘clean’).

After cleaning, ensure that the surface is dried thoroughly using paper towels or a dry microfiber cloth. We do not recommend leaving any liquid to pool on the surface for long periods of time.

If you find that there are any stains on your laminate worktops that cannot be removed using the solution listed above, we would recommend that a small amount of organic solvent – such as acetone – is used on a damp, soft cloth to rub out the stain in a circular motion.

For further information, we recommend reading our laminate worktop installation and aftercare guide, but if you have any other queries do not hesitate to contact us.