How do you clean laminate? (formica) ?

[JoeB]

I've laminated my cab about 2 years ago using Home Depot Formica plain black.  I was under the impression that this stuff should be strong, and easy to clean (after all, it's made for counter tops!)  It's the matte one.

Ever since I've installed it, I had nothing but problems.  Just touching the stuff with your hand leaves a mark.  I tried to use Windex on it + cloth, and you can actually see the swirl marks on the formica (after cleaning it!)  It's different shades of darkness.

I spray again, and the marks change to show the other directions!  Worst yet, the guy @ home depot used standard tape when he rolled the formica, and you can still see the marks of the tape in the formica (Even after not being there for 2+ years!)

Is it supposed to be this hard to clean? Did I use the wrong stuff!??  At this point, I'm willing to remove it and put on some other stuff.

Please help. 

P.S.  I looked at some other projects here, and have noticed that when people used black formica on their cab, they too have uneven shades of black (from touching the cab?)  How do you clean it off??

[rbarr110]

Thats the problem with black laminate in general, shows greasy fingerprints all the time.  When I used to install it for countertops, granted no one ever wanted black countertops, we used denatured alchohol to do the final cleanup.  We would get the excess contact cement off with your typical paint thinner.

The denatured alchohol quickly took care of fingerprints and is very voltaile and evaporates quickly leaving no residual marks like your experience with the windex.

Not sure how it does with black, but seemed fine for everything I had come across before.

[squirrellydw]

I use mineral spirits, works great

[RandyT]

Try a little furniture polish AFTER you clean it well.  Don't forget to buff it up nice afterwards. 

The polish should moisturize the surface a bit and leave a light coating of wax.  That should make the fingerprints less noticeable.

And if it doesn't work, at least it will smell nice and lemony 

RandyT

[JoeB]

I use mineral sperits, works great

What is that?  Do you mean something like Avian?

I guess I'm not the only one to notice this with black laminate.  Do you folks recommend I should just live with it because this is 'normal' for this type of material??

[squirrellydw]

Mineral spirits well clean it very well.  It will take off any clue and shine it up very nice.  You can buy it HD, Lowes, etc.  My friend who builds kitchens use it all the time.  Just put some on a rag and wipe it down.

I have used it on my cocktail table I am building and my dartboard

[somunny]

I use mineral sperits, works great

This works very well.  No swirlies.

[JoeB]

Sorry to sound like an idiot, but I never heard to this liquid.  Is there a brand name to it?  I tried googling it, but it comes back saying there's a spelling mistake.

[squirrellydw]

Sorry to sound like an idiot, but I never heard to this liquid.  Is there a brand name to it?  I tried googling it, but it comes back saying there's a spelling mistake.

here.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_spirits

PS... if you google what I typed last night it was spelled wrong, late night and a few beers

[freckleface]

Just go to the hardware store and ask for it; anyone who's done any kind of furniture or wood preservation knows what mineral spirits are for; they will.  Then again you could use Sprayway glass cleaner - good for your glass monitor (don't use on an LCD that doesn't have glass over it) as well as your CP. This is what SlikStik uses; instead of ordering it from them, I went to Ace and they had it for $2-$3.  Good stuff.  (Although I use some kind of cleaner first, then finish it with the Sprayway.)

Next time, though, I'm going to powder coat it. Stuff just wipes right off.