Best Floor Cleaners in 2024, Tested by TheHouseWire

By
Jeneva Aaron
Jeneva is the founder and CEO of thehousewire.com where she provides honest and objective reviews on home and cleaning products. She is a cleaning enthusiast. She got inspired to build her own cleaning blog when she realized how cleaning can make an impact on our lives and how a cleaner home can affect a person's mood.
Learn more about The Housewire’s Editorial Process
Updated June 16, 2023

Tackle your dirty floors with these top floor cleaners

Tackle your dirty floors with these top floor cleaners

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Best Floor Cleaners
Keeping floors clean from spills, messes, and heavy foot traffic is a daily challenge. Whatever the precautions we take to keep them away from dust and dirt, at some point, floors will always need a deep clean.

Fortunately, there are effective cleaners that will deep clean floors without leaving streaky marks or spots.

We researched and tested several floor cleaning solutions, examining several criteria such as effectiveness, ease of application, and drying time.

Here’s our result of the best floor-cleaner liquids for clean and streak-free floors.

Our Top Picks

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Best Floor Cleaners of 2024
Rejuvenate High Performance All-Floors and Hardwood No Bucket Needed Floor Cleaner Powerful PH Balanced Shine with Shine Booster Technology Low VOC Best in Class Products 32ozBest Overall

Rejuvenate Floor Cleaner

Rejuvenate High Performance All-Floors and Hardwood No Bucket Needed Floor Cleaner Powerful PH Balanced Shine with Shine Booster Technology Low VOC Best in Class Products 32oz

  • Leaves a glossy finish

  • No residue left behind

  • Safe, pH-balanced formula

Quick Shine Multi Surface Floor Cleaner 64oz | Ready to Use, Dirt Dissolving, Streak Free, No Rinse | Use on Hardwood, Laminate, Luxury Vinyl Plank LVT, Tile & Stone | Safer Choice CleanerBest Budget

Quick Shine Floor Cleaner

Quick Shine Multi Surface Floor Cleaner 64oz | Ready to Use, Dirt Dissolving, Streak Free, No Rinse | Use on Hardwood, Laminate, Luxury Vinyl Plank LVT, Tile & Stone | Safer Choice Cleaner

  • SaferChoice certified

  • Dries fast

  • Compatible with spray mop

Better Life Floor Cleaner - Liquid Multipurpose Cleaner for Wood, Tile, Laminate, Vinyl, Bamboo - Hardwood Floor Cleaner for Mopping - Citrus Mint, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)Best Eco-Friendly

Better Life Floor Cleaner

Better Life Floor Cleaner - Liquid Multipurpose Cleaner for Wood, Tile, Laminate, Vinyl, Bamboo - Hardwood Floor Cleaner for Mopping - Citrus Mint, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)

  • Minty fresh scent

  • No harmful chemicals

  • Made in the USA

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill - 128 fl oz - Unscented - Refill for Bona Spray Mops and Spray Bottles - Residue-Free Floor Cleaning Solution for Wood FloorsBest for Hardwood Floor

Bona Refill Hardwood Cleaner

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill - 128 fl oz - Unscented - Refill for Bona Spray Mops and Spray Bottles - Residue-Free Floor Cleaning Solution for Wood Floors

  • Minty fresh scent

  • No harmful chemicals

  • Made in the USA

Black Diamond Laminate Floor Cleaner and Hardwood Floor Cleaner Spray - Versatile Solution Safe for Vinyl Floors, Wood Floors, and Engineered Hardwood Floors - 32 Fl OzBest for Laminate Floor

Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood

Black Diamond Laminate Floor Cleaner and Hardwood Floor Cleaner Spray - Versatile Solution Safe for Vinyl Floors, Wood Floors, and Engineered Hardwood Floors - 32 Fl Oz

  • Hypoallergenic formula

  • Rinse-free

  • Non-toxic water-based cleaner

Rejuvenate Luxury Vinyl Floor Cleaner Gently Cleans And Revitalizes Luxury Vinyl Floors, 32 OuncesBest for Vinyl Floor

Rejuvenate Vinyl Floor Cleaner

Rejuvenate Luxury Vinyl Floor Cleaner Gently Cleans And Revitalizes Luxury Vinyl Floors, 32 Ounces

  • Fast drying

  • No dulling

  • Removes chemical residue

Zep Neutral PH Industrial Floor Cleaner - 1 Gallon - ZUNEUT128 - Concentrated Pro Trusted All-Purpose Floor CleanerBest for Linoleum
floors

Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner

Zep Neutral PH Industrial Floor Cleaner - 1 Gallon - ZUNEUT128 - Concentrated Pro Trusted All-Purpose Floor Cleaner

  • Affordable

  • Suitable for professional cleaners

  • Suitable for all water-safe flooring

Armstrong 330806 Armstrong Once 'N Done Cleaner Concentrate, 1/2 Gallon(64OZ)Best for Ceramic Tile Floor

Armstrong Once

Armstrong 330806 Armstrong Once 'N Done Cleaner Concentrate, 1/2 Gallon(64OZ)

  • Powerful deep cleaning results

  • Rinse-free

  • Safe for children and pets

Reviews

1. Best Overall Floor Cleaner : Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner

Rejuvenate All Floor Cleaners No Bucket
4View on AmazonView on Walmart
Our Ratings
  • Application 4/5
  • Drying Time 5/5
  • Scent 4/5
  • Flooring Compatibility 5/5

Read Full Review: Rejuvenate Floor Cleaner Review

Pros
  • Safe, pH-balanced formula.
  • Removes stubborn wax build-up and old residue.
  • Easy to use pour or spray bottle.
Cons
  • The spray nozzle is stiff to use

For an everyday floor cleaner that can handle it all, this Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner is it.

This all-floors cleaner has a ready-to-use formula that can handle a variety of surfaces, whether hardwood floors, laminate, and marble. If you have a home with different types of flooring and don’t want to change from solution as you leave a room, this convenient spray bottle is ideal.

You can choose to combine it with the Rejuvenate spray mop – which is a convenient way to apply it without having to spray all the floors. But you can perfectly use a traditional mop, simply spray the solution directly onto the floors and then wipe with a clean microfiber mop head for the best results.

Since it’s a ready-to-use formula you don’t have to dilute it or rinse the floors. In addition to its compatibility with any type of floor, it also has a residue-free formula leaving the floors without any streak marks or film residue.

And the shine-boosting technology will leave the floor smooth and glossy after every clean.

What Customers Are Saying

Many happy customers appreciated how simple this product is to use, with certain users complimenting its fast-drying quality.

However, negative reviews highlighted the film built up left by the product after several uses only, explaining that they had to re-clean their floors several times to remove it.

Our Experience

We enjoyed the ready-to-go formula, pre-mixed in a spray bottle. We found the system ingenious and extremely easy to use. We also were impressed by the fast drying time. Be careful though, spray in small sections or it will dry before you have the time to mop the area.

But we noticed that the product left some streaks behind. They were not obvious – yet, they were there. We didn’t notice any particular floor shine either which we found quite disappointing.
Rejuvenate floor cleaner: verdict

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring All Flooring types
Ingredient Chemical
Usage Ready-to-use
Mess Type everyday spills, dirt and grime

2. Best Budget Floor Cleaner : Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner

Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner
Pros
  • Compatible with spray mop
  • For use on many floor surfaces
  • Dries fast
Cons
  • Can discolor white tiles
  • Can leave a slippery film after cleaning

You don’t have to break the bank to find a good floor cleaner. This non-toxic multi-surface cleaner is an affordable option to keep the floor shiny and clean after every mop.

Like many other floor cleaners, it has an advanced ready-to-use formula that dissolves dirt and grime as you clean.

This cleaner neutralizes odors with the cleaning power of baking soda. With no alkalis, alcohol, or ammonia, it contains safe, non-toxic ingredients making it a better option if you have children as well as pets in the home.

The SaferChoice label also guarantees its environmental-friendly qualities.

What Customers Are Saying

Many positive reviews suggest that it doesn’t have a heavy fragrance or strong perfume with a few users complimenting on the nice shine that it left on their floors.

But negative reviews pointed out that it left a film on their floors. Others noted that the main ingredient is water, suggesting you better save money using simple tap water and soap.

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring Wood floors, laminate, LVT, tile, stone
Ingredient Plant-based and free from alcohol, ammonia, formaldehyde, paraben, as well as gluten
Usage Ready-to-use directly on floor
Mess Type everyday cleaning and shining

3. Best Eco-Friendly Floor Cleaner : Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner

Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner
4View on AmazonView on Walmart
Our Ratings
  • Design 5/5
  • Application 3/5
  • Performance 4/5
  • Scent 5/5
  • Drying 3/5

Read Full Review: Better Life Floor Cleaner Review

Pros
  • Brightens and shines your floor
  • No harmful chemicals
  • Made in the USA
Cons
  • Can leave stickiness on your flooring after cleaning

Get the best of both worlds with this Better Life Floor Cleaner. Not only does it give your flooring a streak-free finish, but it’s good for the environment too.

The eco-friendly formula is infused with the natural power of essential oils for a citrus mint fragrance rather than synthetic fragrances. And it’s free from additives such as sodium lauryl sulfates, petroleum, parabens, alcohol, and dyes.

With no synthetic or harsh chemicals, this floor cleaner cuts through grime and grease on any floor surface including tile, laminate, hardwood, or tiles. It’s also safe to use in households with pets or children.

The natural formula brightens at the same time it cleans enhancing the natural shine of clean floors.

Although it doesn’t come in a convenient spray bottle, this floor cleaner is straightforward to use in combination with any type of mop.

What Customers Are Saying

Satisfied customers complimented the cleaner’s performing cleaning abilities and fragrance, with customers explaining that no residue was left behind.

But some negative reviews centered around the fact that due to its potent strength, they had to dilute it.

Our Experience

While we found that this cleaner is difficult to pour – and would have preferred to spray it – it did a fantastic job at tackling muddy pawprints in the kitchen and toothpaste in the bathroom. It cut through grease and grime and left a pleasant citrus smell after cleaning.

It isn’t suitable for unsealed floors though which we found quite disappointing.
Better Life Floor Cleaner Versatility

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring All sealed surfaces including wood flooring
Ingredient Purified water, coconut, corn-based surfactants, vegetable glycerin, essential oils
Usage Ready-to-use directly on floor
Mess Type daily spills and dirt

4. Best Hardwood Floor Cleaner : Bona Refill Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Bona Refill Hardwood Floor Cleaner
4View on AmazonView on Walmart
Our Ratings
  • Application 4/5
  • Flooring Compatibility 3/5
  • Scent 4/5
  • Result 4/5

Read Full Review: Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Review

Pros
  • Water-based formula and biodegradable
  • No residue or stickiness
  • Protects hardwood floor from discoloration
  • Wide handle for easy pouring
Cons
  • Streaky

This Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner fights dirt and grime on hardwood flooring without needing dilution. Instead, you can pour it straight onto your unwaxed, unoiled, finished wood floor – says the manufacturer.

The water-based formula is also both residue-free and fast drying allowing you to get back to using wood floors straight after you’ve finished cleaning and preventing footprints.

This hardwood floor cleaner also features splashless technology for easy pouring. While dispersing it, it won’t spill on the wood floor.

Plus, this floor cleaner is Safer Choice certified and only requires a small amount of solution for deep cleaning. Set to the mist setting, apply a small amount to the floor (or preferably directly on the mop head), and start mopping in the direction of the wood grain.

What Customers Are Saying

Positive reviews praised this cleaner’s performance on hardwood floors and laminate floors, with some customers noticing stellar results. However, many unhappy users received their bottles without a screw top and had to dispense the cleaner into another container.

Our Experience

This hardwood floor cleaner was a top performer in our test thanks to its biodegradable formula that lifts mess on the floor on the first cleaning pass. It tackled tough marks and grime and left no residues.

While it’s an effective cleaner, we noticed that a lot of cleaning solution was absorbed after spraying – requiring a heavy application.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner - Convenient Bottle And Packaging

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring Hardwood floors and wood surfaces
Ingredient Plant-derived, water-based, and biodegradable ingredients
Usage Ready-to-use
Mess Type Every day and deep cleaning

5. Best Floor Cleaner For Laminate Floor : Black Diamond Stoneworks Laminate Floor Cleaner

Black Diamond Stoneworks Laminate Floor Cleaner
Pros
  • Hypoallergenic formula
  • Rinse-free
  • Non-toxic water-based cleaner
  • Formulated to protect your floor from dryness
Cons
  • Spray trigger is fragile and can leak over time

This rinse-free Black Diamond Wood Stoneworks Laminate Floor Cleaner is a popular choice for laminate floors. This formula provides a healthy clean that won’t compromise or damage your laminate floor.

This laminate floor cleaner is formulated to clean effectively with a minimum amount of product required. So you can mist it over your laminate floors and wipe it away to achieve deep-cleaning results.

The formula also has a triple-action poly shield to prevent dirt from sticking to your floor. This not only protects your laminate floors with a protective coating, but also leaves you with a streak-free shine.

Plus, this Black Diamond laminate floor cleaner is also residue-free. So you can use it for everyday cleaning, and it won’t leave a dull shine even after frequent applications.

What Customers Are Saying

Many positive reviews praised the floor cleaner’s ability to leave floors completely clean with a pleasant shine. But many negative reviews noted a light unpleasant fragrance with this cleaner.

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring Laminate and hardwood floors
Ingredient Non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients
Usage Ready-to-use
Mess Type Spills and stains

6. Best Vinyl Cleaner : Rejuvenate Luxury Vinyl Tile Plank Cleaner

Rejuvenate Luxury Vinyl Tile Plank Cleaner
Pros
  • Fast drying
  • No dulling
  • Removes chemical residue
  • The cleaning bottle is compatible with Rejuvenate mop
  • Streak-free
Cons
  • Spray function on the bottle doesn’t spray a consistent burst

Your vinyl floors will love this Rejuvenate Luxury Vinyl Cleaner. This cleaner leaves your vinyl residue-free and without the need for rinsing.

It comes in a ready-to-use bottle and has a pH-neutral formula that dries fast – all you need to do is spray, wipe, and wait for 10-minutes before walking again on the freshly cleaned floor.

The high-performance formula can remove dirt and grime instantly says the manufacturer. You can use it during your daily or regular cleaning sessions since it won’t leave any build-up or residue behind.

Lastly, you can pair it with the Rejuvenate Click n Clean spray mop-head for fast and easy mopping. The bottle clicks in so you can start mopping your vinyl planks or tiles straight away.

What Customers Are Saying

Numerous positive reviews enjoyed the cleaner’s shiny finish without leaving any streaks for a low price point. Other satisfied customers said that needed little effort in scrubbing. But negative reviews complained about the sprayer that can leak all over.

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Ingredient Chemical
Usage Ready-to-use
Mess Type Daily cleaning routine, spot cleaning, stain removal

7. Best Linoleum Floor Cleaner : Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner

Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner
Pros
  • Suitable for all water-safe flooring
  • Affordable
  • Maintains polish finish without damaging the coating
  • Suitable for professional cleaners
Cons
  • Bottle leaks
  • Strong cleaning scent

For linoleum floors, this Zep Floor Cleaner is a good choice. It protects the surfaces of the linoleum coating while still delivering an effective deep clean.

The pH-neutral formula is non-acidic, so it won’t do any hard on the floor while you clean. The concentrated formula will also help to restore the floor’s natural shine.

Since this Zep floor cleaner is a concentrate, it’s ideal for cleaning large areas – both in homes but also in commercial areas. Dilute it with warm water and mop the entire floor surface with one application.

One bottle of this Zep cleaner also makes up to 128 gallons of cleaning solution – it’s an affordable and long-lasting product for cleaning any linoleum floors.

What Customers Are Saying

Many positive reviews praised the cleaner’s cleaning performance with users explaining that they could restore a 35-year-old linoleum floor with it. Other happy customers were satisfied with the concentrated formula that will last for months.

Negative reviews complained about the composition, which many said contains nasty chemicals such as ethylbenzene.

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring Linoleum, granite, marble, vinyl, and natural stone floors
Ingredient Chemical
Usage Diluted with water
Mess Type Everyday cleaning, stubborn dirt, and stain removal

8. Best for Ceramic Tile Floor : Armstrong Once 'N Done Cleaner

Armstrong Once 'N Done Cleaner
Pros
  • Powerful deep cleaning results
  • Can alter the dilution ratio for concentrated spot cleaning or everyday cleaning
  • Safe concentrate for children and pets
  • Rinse-free
Cons
  • Leaves a chemical-like smell

This Armstrong Once N Done Tile Safe Cleaner is an efficient and powerful cleaner for ceramic tile floor. According to reviewers and professional housekeepers, this cleaner removes tough grease stains without any elbow grease.

The formula is eco-friendly and derived from plants. It’s free from phthalates or parabens making sure it won’t do any harm or change the color of your ceramic or porcelain tile or grout sealer – while still removing stubborn dirt and grime with great efficiency.

The cleaner contains also added essential oils to provide a fresh, lemon scent. Since it’s concentrated, you can customize this cleaner to your floor’s cleaning needs. Dilute it and use it for everyday cleaning or use it unmixed for a stronger, deeper clean when you need it.

What’s more, you can clean more than just your ceramic tiles with this cleaner. It’s suitable for bathroom fixtures, kitchen appliances, and other ceramic surfaces too.

What Customers Are Saying

Many positive reviews centered around the cleaner’s concentrate formula allowing customers to deep clean nasty floors with just one cap of product. More critical reviews complained about the strong ammonia scent and the bottle leakage issues.

Technical Specs

Types of Flooring Vinyl, ceramic, and natural stone floors
Ingredient Paraben-free and alkali-free
Usage Diluted with water
Mess Type deep cleaning, stains, spills

What to Look for in a Floor Cleaner

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Types of Floors

First, consider the type of flooring you’ll be cleaning. Some floor cleaners are formulated for hard floors or tiles – whereas other cleaners are specifically for laminate or wood floors.

If you have a combination of floor types to clean, consider a multi-surface floor cleaner such as this Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day All-Purpose Cleaner.

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Bottle

Floor cleaners usually come in a spray, squirt bottle, or a refill container.

  • A spray bottle has a built-in nozzle that will dispense a spray of cleaning solution onto your floor. So it’s ideal for spot cleaning or for cleaning in small spaces.
  • A squirt bottle dispenses a small amount of solution onto your flooring for mopping.
  • Refill containers hold a large quantity of floor cleaner that you can transfer into a spray mop or bottle. Most concentrated floor cleaners also come in refill packaging, like Aunt Fannie’s floor cleaner concentrate (View price on Amazon).

To find the right bottle for you, consider what cleaning equipment you’ll be using as well as the size of the area.

If mopping with a traditional mop, consider a squirt bottle. But if you want a floor cleaner for spot cleaning, a sprayer bottle will be more suitable.

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Ingredients

Chemicals

Most chemical floor cleaners contain harsh chemicals or strong ingredients.

The EWG (Environmental Working Group) suggests that some of these chemicals can have negative health effects – leading to asthma, birth defects, or be carcinogenic (1).

And unlike food items, there’s no rule for listing the ingredients on chemical packaging. As an example, see this Clorox Clean-Up floor cleaner spray.

However, chemical cleaners tend to be more efficient and are still a popular cleaning choice.
So, we suggest you look for the “Safer Choice” label on your chemical floor cleaner.

Safer Choice is an EPA label for safer chemical-based products. EPA tests the chemicals, regardless of their percentage, to find the safest ingredients.

Therefore floor cleaner products with a “Safer Choice” label contain safe ingredients for cleaning. If you can’t find this label, wear gloves and a mask when you’re cleaning with a chemical cleaner.

Natural

Natural cleaning products use chemicals made from naturally derived ingredients instead of petroleum.

These cleaners are made from renewable resources. However, the natural ingredients are chemically identical to petroleum products (2).

Therefore there are still potential health and environmental impacts when you’re cleaning with them.

The safety of natural cleaner products depends on the ingredients and their potential effects. So make sure you research the ingredients in your floor cleaner to find the safest option for your home.

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Concentration

Finally, there are two types of concentration levels to consider.

  • Concentrated floor cleaners need dilution with water, so they can save you a lot of money over time. For example, this Pledge Cleaner Concentrated Liquid makes 4 gallons of cleaning solution.
  • Whereas you can use complete floor cleaners without needing to dilute them. But these non-concentrated formulas will use up faster than a concentrated formula. So they tend to be more expensive to use.

Make sure you also consider how many applications your cleaning product needs.

For example, some cleaners need many layers for the best result. Whereas some of the best floor cleaners need only one application.

As an example, this OdoBan No-Rinse floor cleaner requires only one layer and doesn’t require rinsing.

Floor Cleaners Comparison Chart

ProductApplicationDrying TimeScentFlooring CompatibilityOur Rating
Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner4/55/54/55/54
Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor CleanerN/AN/AN/AN/A(Testing Now)
Better Life Naturally Floor Cleaner3/53/55/54/54
Bona Refill Hardwood Floor Cleaner4/54/54/53/54
Black Diamond Laminate CleanerN/AN/AN/AN/A(Testing Now)
Rejuvenate Luxury Vinyl Tile Floor CleanerN/AN/AN/AN/A(Testing Now)
Zep Neutral pH Floor CleanerN/AN/AN/AN/A(Testing Now)
Armstrong Once 'N Done CleanerN/AN/AN/AN/A(Testing Now)
Jump to the Full Floor Cleaners Reviews

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