The 8 Best Hardwood Floor Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Give your hardwood floors the love it deserves with these top cleaners.

Are you struggling to clean your hardwood floors? Trust us, we understand the pain.

Hardwood floors can attract a lot of dust, grime, and dirt over time. But, they can also easily absorb water when you’re cleaning spills.

So, it’s important to find the right wood floor cleaners that won’t damage the coating on your floors.

In this article, we’ll explore the best hardwood floor cleaners on the market. With the right product, cleaning your wood floors can be a breeze.

Our Top Picks

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Image	Model	Features	Best Hardwood Floor Cleaners of 2023
	Best Overall Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner	Fast-drying formula Great for spot treatment Safe to use	Check Price
	Best Budget Murphy Oil Soap	Suitable for any wood surface Bottles of cleaning solutions 100% biodegradable formula	Check Price
	Best Eco-Friendly Better Life Floor Cleaner	Doesn’t need rinsing. No harsh chemical ingredients	Check Price
No products found.	Best Heavy Duty Zep Commercial Hardwood	No products found. Powerful stain removal. Long-lasting 1 gallon bottle	Check Price	No products found.
	Best Natural Method Hardwood Floor Cleaner	Cruelty-free natural formula. Doesn’t need pre-treating	Check Price
	Best Spray Mop Spray Mop Cleaner	Dual-nozzle sprayer. Easy to maneuvre	Check Price
	Best for Large Areas BISSELL Spinwave	On-demand spray function. Soft-touch pads included	Check Price
	Best Wax SC Johnson Paste Wax	Suitable for spot-cleaning. Leaves satiny shine after cleaning	Check Price

Reviews

1. Best Overall : Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner

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Our Ratings

• Application 4/5
• Flooring Compatibility 3/5
• Scent 4/5
• Result 4/5

Read Full Review: Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Review

Take all the hassle out of cleaning your hardwood floors with this Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. You only need a small amount of this solution to achieve deep-cleaning results on your floor.

It has a ready-to-use water-based formula that comes in a handy spray bottle for spot-cleaning. You can dispense it straight onto the floor and begin cleaning. So you don’t have to worry about mixing or making a mess with this Bona hardwood floor cleaner.

It’s also residue-free, so it won’t leave streak marks on your floor after cleaning.

Plus, it also has a safer choice label. This means you can safely use it around pets and children in your home.

Lastly, the fast-drying formula means you can get back to using your wooden floors as soon as you finish cleaning.

2. Best Budget : Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner

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Enjoy deep-cleaning results for a fraction of the price with this affordable oil soap cleaner for your wood floors.

This Murphy Cleaner contains 98% natural ingredients, including water, coconut, and natural fragrance. With no harsh chemicals, you can trust that it’s safe to use on any hardwood floor surface.

It’s formulated to provide a gentle deep clean that won’t damage the surface of your hardwood floor – for a low price point.

It also achieves a floor’s natural shine with just one wipe. So you don’t have to waste time and energy scrubbing your floors with this cleaner. You can spray, wipe, and enjoy the natural beauty of your floors straight away.

Lastly, this gentle wood floor cleaner comes in a pack of 3 bottles. This means you won’t have to spend money on other cleaners for your hard floor anytime soon with this purchase.

3. Best Eco-Friendly : Better Life Natural Floor Cleaner

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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

For a cleaner that’s good for your wood floors as well as the environment, this is it. This Better Life Hardwood Floor Cleaner has an eco-friendly formula that’s free from harsh, synthetic chemicals.

With an efficient blend of plant-based cleansers and essential oils, you can enjoy a naturally powerful clean on any floor. Plus, the Better Life green formula is also safe to use around kids or pets.

The formula is infused with grapefruit, peppermint, as well as bergamot to brighten and restore the shine on your wood floors. But this Better Life cleaner also leaves a pleasant citrus mint scent after every clean.

4. Best Heavy-Duty : Zep Commercial Hardwood and Laminate

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This Zep hardwood and laminate floor cleaner is the best there is when it comes to heavy-duty hardwood floor cleaning. It comes in a large refill container that you can dispense into a spray bottle, or add straight to your spray mop.

You can use this powerful wood laminate floor cleaner for removing stains and also scuff marks on your floor without needing to use elbow grease. You can spray it onto the floor and mop clean to notice results straight away.

Many reviewers even said their floors looked brand new after using this wood laminate floor cleaner.

5. Best Natural : Method Hardwood Floor Cleaner

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Many hardwood floor cleaners contain harsh chemicals, but this Method refill cleaner has no parabens or phthalates.

Plus, it’s made from 100% recycled packaging. So you can enjoy a non-toxic cleaning process that’s good for your wood floors as well as the environment.

This floor cleaner also has a one-step clean and gleam formula. This means it doesn’t need pre-treating or rinsing after cleaning.

This also means that it’s perfect for quick cleaning sessions or routine cleaning. You can use it straight on your floor and mop it up without wasting any time.

Lastly, this cleaner leaves a unique natural almond fragrance after every clean. This way you can enjoy a rich, nutty scent throughout your home with this solution.

6. Best Spray Mop : Swiffer WetJet Hardwood Spray Mop Starter Kit

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Our Ratings

• Design 3.5/5
• Performance 4/5
• Surfaces 4/5
• Maneuverability 4.5/5

Read Full Review: Swiffer WetJet Floor Spray Mop Review

This Swiffer spray wet mop wood floor cleaner is the best disposable mop and cleaner solution for hardwood floors. It’s lightweight, portable, and can tackle stubborn dirt as well as remove stains on your wood floors.

You can add the 500ml cleaning solution straight to the mop to begin cleaning right away. Plus, you can also choose between the power cleaning pads or soft buffing pads, depending on your cleaning needs.

The cleaning pads also have absorb-and-lock strips to efficiently trap and remove dust and debris on your wooden floors.

And the lock strip makes sure that the dirt doesn’t get pushed around your floors while you mop. So you won’t have to waste time going back and forth with your mop to clean your floor.

Related : The 7 Best Mops for Hardwood Floors of 2023

7. Best for Large Areas : BISSELL Spinwave Powered Hardwood Floor Mop and Cleaner

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If you have large areas to clean, this Bissell Spinwave Powered Cleaner is the pick for you.

The 14-inch cleaning head makes cleaning your hardwood floors quick as well as easy. Plus, the high power-scrubbing function does most of the work for you.

The dual cleaning pads rotate while you clean, scrubbing away any tough dirt or stains from your hardwood floors. But it also has an on-demand spray that lets you add a solution as you need it while cleaning large rooms.

This cleaner comes with soft-touch pads to provide a gentle but efficient clean that won’t damage your hardwood flooring. However, it also comes with scrubby pads that are perfect to use if you also have tiles or other hard surfaces in your house.

8. Best Wax : SC Johnson Paste Wax

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Get the best of both worlds with this SC Johnson Paste. It not only deep-cleans your hardwood floors, but it also leaves them with a lustrous, satiny sheen.

You can use this paste wax to remove heavy dirt as well as stuck-on messes from your hardwood floors. All you have to do is apply a thin layer and work with the grain to achieve the best results.

We also recommend buffing your floors with a soft cloth after cleaning. This way, your hardwood floors will look brand new after using this product.

This wax also protects your floors after cleaning. It leaves a rich, satin finish that also provides a layer of protection to your hardwood flooring.

What to Look For in a Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Types

First, there are different types of hardwood floor cleaners to consider for your floors.

Liquid Floor Cleaners

You can find three different types of bottles for liquid cleaners.

For example, some liquid cleaners come in a spray bottle. These bottles have a built-in spray nozzle that dispenses a mist of cleaning solution onto your floors.

So spray bottles are perfect for spot cleaning in small areas.

On the other hand, squirt bottles are ideal for dispensing liquid cleaner onto your floors for mopping. See this Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner Liquid as an example.

Lastly, refill containers hold a large amount of cleaner that you can dispense into a spray mop or bottle. Many concentrated cleaners also come in refill bottles, like this Zep Commercial cleaner.

Mops

When cleaning hardwood floors, flat mops, spray mops, and electric spin mops tend to be the most suitable cleaning tools. These will clean your hardwood floors efficiently without damaging them with excess water.

For example, this Bissell Spinwave electric spin mop is ideal for cleaning wood floors.

To find the best cleaners for your hardwood floors, consider what equipment you’ll be using as well as the size of your floor surface.

Usage

Next, you should also consider the usage of your hardwood floor cleaner for different floor types.

Some cleaners are specifically for sealed hardwood floors. However, others can be more versatile and are safe to use on multiple floor surfaces.

If you have different floor types in your home, consider a versatile cleaner, so you don’t have to switch products during cleaning. For example, consider a cleaner that’s safe for wood and tile, as well as laminate floors.

Thankfully, most cleaners are versatile and safe to use on various hardwood surfaces. This Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood Cleaner is ideal for both wood and laminate floors.

But, if you want to deep clean hardwood floors, you might want to consider a specific cleaner for hardwood. This will ensure it efficiently cleans your floors without damaging the hardwood surface.

For instance, this Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner should be only used on polyurethane finished wood floors or engineered floors. But not unfinished floors.

Concentration

Finally, there are two concentration levels to consider for floor liquid cleaners.

A concentrated hardwood floor cleaner needs diluting with water. Although this may seem inconvenient, it can save you a lot of money over time.

For example, 1 bottle of this Libman Spray Concentrate hardwood floor cleaner makes 18 bottles of cleaning solutions.

On the other hand, there are also ready-to-use complete floor cleaners to consider. You can use these cleaners without needing to dilute them with water.

Because there’s no prep, you can apply these cleaners straight on your floors and begin mopping.

But, because these formulas are non-concentrated, they will use up faster than other cleaners. So they tend to cost more over time.

You should also consider how many applications your cleaning product needs. For example, some cleaners need more than one layer for the best results.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner FAQs

Can I Use White Vinegar To Clean Wood Floors?

No, we don’t recommend using white vinegar to clean hardwood floors. Especially if your floors have polyurethane.

This is because the acid in vinegar can etch the polyurethane finish, and make it dull. Although you may not notice this after the first wash, the acid will begin to eat away at your hardwood floors over time.

The National Wood Flooring Association also recommends using only specific hardwood cleaners to clean your hardwood floors. If you use the wrong cleaner, it may damage the coating on finished hardwood floors.

But, always make sure to follow what your manufacturer says when it comes to cleaning your floors.

How Often Should Hardwood Floors Be Cleaned?

How often you should clean your hardwood floors, depends on how much use they get. But, as a general rule, we recommend you sweep and dry mop your floors daily.

You should also vacuum your hardwood floors at least once per week.

Finally, always use a recommended hardwood floor cleaner once a month to keep your hardwood floors pristine.

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