A buying guide for the best hardwood cleaners

Hardwood floors are generally susceptible to scratches, stains and dirt that often come from heavy traffic. However, a good hardwood cleaner is the only way to keep a properly maintained hardwood floor.

A hardwood cleaner and the right cleaning tools play a very important role in the appearance and durability of your hardwood floor. Generally, regular cleaning is a way to keep your floors in check but the most appropriate hardwood cleaner is the booster to enhance a well-polished and sustainable hardwood floor.

There’s a wide variety of cleaners to choose from when you are trying to find the best one that would suit your hardwood floor. Here, we will go through a few of the best hardwood cleaners that would keep your hardwood floor well maintained and enhance its durability. To begin with, let us summarize them in the table below;

A comparison table

The best hardwood cleaner reviews

Bona Hardwood Cleaning Spray– good cleaning performance for areas with spots

This hardwood cleaner has been designed to be used on all types of unwaxed, polyurethane finished floors only. Unfortunately, it does not polish your floors as you clean.

Specs

• 22-ounce Spray
• No dulling residue
• Safe for all hardwood floors, including factory pre-finished floors
• Low VOC emission

This cleaner comes in a spray bottle, a refill and a starter kit that comprises of a microfiber mop. It dries fast and it does not leave a dulling residue on your floor. Additionally, it has a subtle scent which would not cause any trouble if you have allergies or sensitivities to strong smells.

While cleaning your hardwood floors, you can use the bona hardwood cleaner spray to vacuum, sweep or mop. Once you are done cleaning, you need to rinse off the cleaner from your cleaning pad to avoid streaking on your floors. Alternatively, you can rub over the wet cleaned surface with a towel until it dries to eliminate any streaks that would form.

Verdict

If you are looking for a hardwood cleaner that you can use even when you have sensitivities or allergies and one that has a good overall cleaning performance, you should consider purchasing the Bona Hardwood Cleaner Spray.

Black Diamond Wood and Laminate Floor Cleaner– suitable for high traffic areas

This cleaner has been optimized with a triple action polyshield that is intended to protect your floor from scratches. It is streak free and does not leave a dulling residue on your floors.

Specs

• 32- ounce spray
• Triple action polyshield (PS3)
• Steak free
• No dulling residue
• Hypoallergenic formula
• Eco friendly

To use the black diamond wood and laminate floor cleaner, you need to spray it on the floor surface and wipe it off using a dry cloth without having to rinse it off. Additionally, it is a non-toxic product which allows you to use it in your heavy traffic household with children and pets. It is water based which gives it its easy removal of dirt, spills, oil and footprints easily. Additionally, it is biodegradable.

Verdict

If you are looking for a non-toxic, hypoallergenic product to use in a heavy traffic environment with kids and pets, the Black Diamond wood and laminate cleaner would work best for you.

Zep Commercial Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner– a multi-purpose cleaner for large areas

This product comes a pre-mixed mop solution which allows you to use it to clean large areas. Additionally, you can use it to clean not only your hardwood floors, but also your cabinets and baseboards. The problem with this cleaner is that when you don’t use it properly, it may leave streaks over your surfaces.

Specs

• 32- ounce spray
• Works on tough stains
• No dulling residue
• Fresh smell
• Dries fast

This cleaner works well on floors with a polyurethane or acrylic finish. It is known for removing dirt and grease on different surfaces aside from floors. To avoid streaking, you need to wipe it dry using a towel.

Verdict

If you are looking for a multi-purpose cleaner that you can use to clean a large area, you will love the cleaning performance of the Zep commercial hardwood and laminate floor cleaner.

Weiman High Traffic Floor Polish and Restore – suitable for high traffic areas

This 2 in 1 cleaner has been designed to polish and restore your hardwood floor. It raises the aesthetic fabric of your floors and it removes scratches and afterwards forms a protective layer over your floor that is scratch resistant. Unfortunately, you can only use this product on finished hardwood floors and it needs to be used alongside the Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner for durable results.

Specs

• 32- ounce bottle
• Streak-free
• No dulling residue

It has a liquid consistency and it comes in a 32 OZ bottle which is easy to dispense. You can use the Weiman high traffic floor polish and restore cleaner by sweeping or vacuuming to remove dirt from your floor. You need to squeeze it directly onto the floor and then wipe over with a dry mop to achieve a glossy finish on your floor. This product is environmental friendly and is safe for use in high traffic areas where there are children and pets.

Verdict

This product would satisfy your search for a cleaner that polishes and protects your hardwood floor at the same time. If you are looking for a cleaner that entirely cares for you floor, you should purchase the Weiman high traffic floor polish and restore cleaner.

Bruce Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner– budget multipurpose cleaner for small areas

This product is suitable for use on furniture, cabinets and baseboards aside from your unwaxed hardwood floors. It is non-toxic which allows you to use it in environments with pets and kids. Unfortunately, this cleaner does not have disinfecting properties.

Specs

• 32 ounce spray
• No dulling residue
• Convenient to use
• Subtle scent

This cleaner comes as a ready to use solution and does not require diluting which is convenient for you. All you need to do is spray it on a surface and then use your microfiber mop then let it dry. You do not have to rinse it off the floor as it leaves no residue.

Verdict

If you are in need for a budget friendly multi-purpose cleaner for small areas, you should consider purchasing the Bruce hardwood and laminate floor cleaner.

Orange Glo Hardwood Everyday Cleaner Spray – works best for shine

This hardwood cleaner is suitable for all kinds of floors. It has good cleaning performance when it comes to the removal of scuffs. In order to keep your hardwood surface clean, you will need to use it daily. Unfortunately, repeated passes are the only way to keep your hardwood floor dirt free. This means that you will have to use so much of the product to get a satisfactory outcome.

Specs

• 22-ounce spray
• It has a fresh orange scent
• Is an everyday cleaner
• Easy to use

It comes in a spray bottle and it is readily diluted therefore it is easy and convenient to use. It is suitable for hardwood and laminate flooring. Also, it has a pleasant orange citrus smell that is not overpowering meaning you can use it around people who have allergies and sensitivities.

It cleans off oil, dirt and strains on your floor without tampering with its shine. It does not leave any residues or steaks as it dries.

Verdict

If you are in need of a hardwood cleaner for everyday use and you are trying to maintain the shine on your floor and you intend to get rid of odors around your house, you should look into the Orange Glo hardwood cleaner and spray.

Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner – all natural cleaner

This cleaner is made with natural ingredients which makes it non-toxic and ecofriendly. Its packaging bottle is made from recycled plastic materials. This makes it good for use in areas with children and pets. It has a sweet smelling almond smell that could help you get rid of bad odor from your house.

Specs

• 25- Ounce bottle
• Plant-derived ingredients (lemon or almond)
• No dulling residue
• Eco friendly plastic materials

This product comes as a ready to use viscous liquid that needs you to squirt it from the bottle and mop using a microfiber cloth to clean your floors.

Verdict

If you are big about environmental conservation, you should make use of the Method squirt + mop hardwood floor cleaner. This would also be a great choice if you want to get rid of odor from your house.

What should you consider while purchasing a hardwood cleaner?

The market is flooded with different products from different manufacturers and each of these are made with different ingredients which determine the cleanliness and durability of your hardwood floor. When trying to purchase a hardwood cleaner, you should keep the following things in mind:

The type of hardwood floor

Generally, there are two categories of cleaners; waxed and water-based. You can use the water based cleaners on finished hardwood floors because they often have a protective layer to prevent them from being damaged by water from the cleaner. As for unfinished/unwaxed floors, you can use cleaners with wax.

Residue formation

In as much as residue and streak formation can be managed by passing a dry cloth over the cleaned surface, a good cleaner should not leave dulling residue or streaks after cleaning. You should therefore search for cleaners that are characterized with no residue formation.

Cleaning strength

To avoid using too much and frequent purchasing of hardwood cleaners, you need to consider buying a detergent that is tough on stains, scuffs and dirt. This way you are able to maintain your hardwood floors because there are times where too much detergent can tamper with the color of your floor.

Ecofriendly nature

Some detergents contain chemicals that would cause irritation and have strong fumes which prevent them from being user friendly. You should seek to purchase a hardwood cleaner that is non-toxic and does not have a pungent smell. This is important for the safety of your kids or pets, that is, if you have any.

Surface protection

The most recommended hardwood floor cleaners are the ones that are able to maintain the protective layer on the surface of your floors. Even better, you should consider the ones that have micro-filling technology or protective layer formation properties. This will allow for the durability of your flooring.

Final thoughts

For well maintained and aesthetically pleasing hardwood floors, you need to use the hardwood cleaners correctly to avoid issues such as residue and streaks which are damaging to your floors. In as much as the market has a variety of products, you should always be well versant with the properties of a good cleaner to inform your choice of a hardwood cleaner.