Q. I have been cleaning my laminate flooring with some cleaner just for laminate flooring and my floor keeps looking duller and duller with each cleaning. It is a new floor and I want it to look great not dull and old looking. Any suggestions?

A. Just a little Vinegar and Water I recently had a Shaw laminate floor installed in my kitchen. I called their customer service representative to ask the best way to clean their flooring. She told me to use 1/4 cup of vinegar and put it in a 30 to 32 ounce empty spray bottle filled with plain water. I purchased a terry mop cover that has elastic all around it from Home Depot, which I dampen with water and place on a Swiffer dry mop head. I then spray the floor (a small area at a time) with the vinegar/water solution and then wipe it up with the damp terry mop. It does a good job. There is no streaking, and you are using very little water on the floor. One company has come out with wet cloths to attach to Swiffer mops that contain vinegar and water, which I also plan to purchase and try. Make Cleaner at Home To make laminate floor cleaner, mix 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and 3 drops dishwashing liquid for a quart total. For best results, wipe off quickly.

Q. Hi. I'm trying to pimp up my garage this summer, was wondering what would be a good flooring for it? The room is a game room / sports room....I have a ping pong table, dartboard, tv, sports photos, etc.... So I'm looking for recommendations about which specific flooring or carpeting would be good for it and what store I could pick it up at? Thanks. edit: Mainly I'm looking for what material for the floor works best in the garage.

A. Cheapest and most durable would be the rubber/foam backed berber off the big rolls at the Home improvement stores. This composite carpet can be laid directly over any subfloor without the need to install a vapor barrier or a carpet pad. The foam backing itself acts as a moisture barrier and carpet pad. It's really easy to DIY.

Q. My dog slobbers a lot on the kitchen floor when we are out. We come home to lots of very watery slobber on the floor. Our current linoleum flooring is old and needs replacement. I would like something in style but it needs to withstand the slobber. Thanks for any suggestions.

A. I would say basic tile. You know, the foot by foot squares? They're very much in style and they don't get ruined by water or anything. You can easily just come home and get a towel and wipe it up! Simple as that. Good luck!

Q. We just bought a new home in Rancho Cucamonga and we're trying to find a good flooring company to do the entire house for us. Carpets upstairs, hardwood floors downstairs, with tile in the bathrooms. We've stopped by a few stores but something just didn't feel right with each of them. Any suggestions or past experiences would greatly help. Thanks in advance.

A. Try Service Magic in your area by going to their website and putting in a job order. All of their contractors are pre-screened, legal, liscensed, bonded and insured. They will come out and give you estimates of both labor and a time schedule. They will have 3 different contractors give you estimates so you have instant comparision. In my experience, they are fair and honest contractors and with Service Magic behind them, their work is guaranteed. Once you get their estimates, you can verify real customer experiences on kudzu.com for added peace of mind.

Q. My father lives in a 1998 mobile home. His air conditioner drain pipe clogged up and water was leaking under the vinyl flooring for quite a while before I noticed the floor was swollen up. His unit has been replaced so there hopefully will be no more leaking water. Now that the particle board is swollen up, must it be replaced with new board or will it ever dry back out and go back down some? How big a deal is this going to be?

A. The flooring will not look the same nor will it ever be as strong. It will need to be replaced. Many contractors will splice the sub floor on a joist. this is a poor practice it is better to cut between the joists and glue and screw a 6" wide backer across the joint around the entire perimeter. The original sheets of particle board extend from side to side and are joined over the top of the floor joist with a 4" inch backer full glued and stapled many many times.

Q. My little dog has some leg problems. His back legs are a little numb so he slips around on the tile we have. We are moving to a new home and are looking to put some flooring in. We would like to put anything but carpet. Would you reccomend wood or bamboo flooring? Are either of these better when it comes to slipping and sliding around? Thanks!

A. Cork flooring would be a great option to consider..... see the following page for more info: http://www.building-your-green-home.com/natural-cork-floor.html Bamboo and wood are also good options. Here's a page about bamboo: http://www.building-your-green-home.com/bamboo-wood-floors.html The following page will take you to a green flooring guide with all of your options: http://www.building-your-green-home.com/flooring-types.html HOpe this helps.

Q. I am thinking about doing it myself but my sister ect say you have to hire someone.I am not sure i have to.

A. Most hardwood flooring goes for $3-4 per sqft. while installation will run you an additional $5 per sqft. Sit in on one of the Saturday seminars at Home Depot or grab a book on do it yourself flooring tips for around $10. It's not as hard as people make it out to be and with a little confidence in your own abilities you can save over 50% vs. professional installation.

Q. I had a friend lay some for me, and they look horrible for lack of a better word. Now I want to try to do it myself. Help!

A. I am not personally familiar with the brand EZ Strip oak flooring, but if you have never done anything like this before, then I see it as you have two options: You can hire a proffessional to make it look like it was done by a proffessional; Or if you are hell-bent on doing it yourself (my personal preference), then try first reading the directions. My Dad told me "If all else fails, read the instructions!" He also taught me when you do things like this, if possible, start in a closet or an inconspicuous place and once you get moving, you might get the hang of it. Installation of this stuff is trial and error. Also remember the old addage "measure twice, cut once" Good luck. I wanted to add that more than a few times the choice of materials will dictate the end result. If the price is cheap, then there's a reason it's priced cheap. Do a little shopping, price comparison. Ask questions at the home stores. (Tip: Look for the guy that looks like he's been around for a while to ask a question to. I wish all the best to the local high school kids that actually have a job, but they are most likely at the beginning segment of their learning experience!)