# Cleaner/finishing stuff for vinyl flooring, engineered wood etc?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaner-finishing-stuff-for-vinyl-flooring-engineered-wood-etc/677188>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 26, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaner-finishing-stuff-for-vinyl-flooring-engineered-wood-etc/677188 "2013-12-26T03:18:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaner-finishing-stuff-for-vinyl-flooring-engineered-wood-etc/677188/1 "2013-12-26T03:18:36Z")

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So my new apt. is mostly carpet (ugh) but the kitchen, entrance area and bathroom use some kind of easy-clean wood lookalike. I think it’s vinyl, my dad says engineered wood, and per usual, I’m pretty sure I’m right and he’s wrong. 😃 regardless, it ain’t real wood, that’s for sure.

So between having an indoor litter box, and the kitty litter my dad and I used on the steps to rescue me during the big ice storm a few weeks back, whenever I clean the floor it has been leaving a very fine pale white film on the flooring. I know it’s basically clay from the litter but I canNOT get it all the way clean again. I’ve tried Swiffer wipes, and rags damp with just water. Now I need some other option to try, I guess.

Is there a tried-and-true cleaner for this kind of flooring? Is there anything I can use on it after cleaning that would restore a bit of luster without leaving a sticky or slippery residue? My mom thought using the paste wax I use on my wood furniture would work, but I can’t see how that would be a good idea as this kind of material would never absorb it the way wood does.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaner-finishing-stuff-for-vinyl-flooring-engineered-wood-etc/677188/2 "2013-12-26T03:19:41Z")

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[Bona-x](http://www.amazon.com/Bona%C2%AEX-Swedish-Formula-Surface-System/dp/B0002BVLXC)

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**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaner-finishing-stuff-for-vinyl-flooring-engineered-wood-etc/677188/3 "2013-12-26T15:36:53Z")

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\*\* opens link \*\*  
\*\* experiences sticker shock \*\*  
\*\* closes link \*\*

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**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaner-finishing-stuff-for-vinyl-flooring-engineered-wood-etc/677188/4 "2013-12-26T15:44:38Z")

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Zep for floors. You can get the complete line from Home Depot, and I have yet to use a Zep product that isn’t superior to every other product of any price. And it’s cheap.

O-Cedar also makes a non-disposable “swiffer” type mop, like the Bona one, that’s about $11 with a two-sided cleaning pad that can be washed 100+ times… and is $5 to replace.