The 8 Best Hardwood Floor Cleaners Money Can Buy

With over 7,000 ratings and 4.6 out of 5 stars, there's no guessing why Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is our overall best hardwood floor cleaner solution. Safe for use on all unwaxed, unoiled, polyurethane-finished wood floors, this water-based cleaning formula comes in an easy-to-apply spray bottle — just spray where you need it and mop the floor clean. The cleaner dries fast and with no stickiness or residue. Because the cleaner is made without harsh ingredients like formaldehyde and ammonia, it is safe for use around pets and kids. To top it off, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is Safer Choice Certified by the Environmental Protection Agency because of the ingredients it uses. 

Ideal for: Homeowners who like an easy-apply hardwood floor cleaner with a huge following. 

• Price: ~ $8 
• Bottle Size: 32 ounces
• Application: Spray bottle
• What It Cleans: All unwaxed, unoiled, polyurethane-finished wood floors
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Waxed or oiled hardwood floors

Pros:

• Top-seller on Amazon
• Safer Choice Certified because of the safe ingredients it uses
• Comes in an easy-to-use spray bottle

Cons:

• Not for use on waxed or oiled hardwood floors

Best Concentrated Hardwood Floor Cleaner: Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner

~ $3 at Walmart 

 A budget-friendly concentrated hardwood floor cleaner that retails around $3 a bottle. 

A classic choice for over a century, Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner is a super budget-friendly pick for those who prefer a concentrated hardwood floor cleaner. This hardwood floor cleaning solution contains 99-percent naturally-derived ingredients from water, coconut, and plants, and contains no ammonia or bleach. It's simple to use — just follow the directions to dilute the cleaner with water into a bucket and then mop. And Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner is also extremely versatile — not only can you clean anything that's made of finished wood, like flooring, cabinets, and tables, but you can also use it to clean non-hardwood surfaces like laminate floors, ceramic, painted surfaces, and vinyl.

Ideal for: Those who prefer a time-tested concentrated hardwood floor cleaner. 

• Price: ~ $3 
• Bottle Size: 32 ounces
• Application: Liquid concentrate that needs to be mixed with water before using
• What It Cleans: Finished wood, laminate flooring, ceramic tiles, painted surfaces, vinyl
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Unfinished, unsealed, or waxed wood surfaces

Pros:

• Product has been around for over 100 years
• Formula contains 99-percent naturally-derived ingredients
• Can be used to clean finished wood and other non-wood surfaces

Cons:

• Has to be mixed with water before use

Best Eco-Friendly Hardwood Floor Cleaner: Better Life Floor Cleaner

~ $13 for a 2-pack on Amazon 

An environmentally-friendly hardwood floor cleaner that uses 100-percent plant-based cleansers. 

If you like the idea of naturally cleaning your hardwood floors, then Better Life Floor Cleaner is for you. This cleaner uses 100-percent plant-based cleansers and all ingredients are completely biodegradable. There are also no synthetic fragrances or dyes to worry about, and the floor cleaner is even Leaping Bunny-certified meaning it’s not tested on animals. Easily squirt the cleaner straight from the bottle onto the floor and mop until it’s clean. Better Life Floor Cleaner can be used on not only hardwood flooring, but also tile, bamboo, marble, vinyl, and laminate. And it's also safe for use around both children and pets.

Ideal for: Eco-conscious homeowners who want a hardwood floor cleaner they can feel good about using. 

• Price: ~ $13 
• Bottle Size: 32 ounces
• Application: Squirt onto floor and mop
• What It Cleans: Hardwood, tile, bamboo, marble, vinyl, laminate, and other sealed floorings types
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Unsealed flooring

Pros:

• Formula uses 100-percent plant-based cleansers
• Leaping Bunny-certified
• Safe around kids and pets

Cons:

• Squirt bottle may be a bit hard to control, causing you to use more cleaning solution than you need.

Best Hardwood Floor Cleaner for Those With Allergies: Bona Free & Simple Hardwood Floor Cleaner

~ $28 on Amazon 

A hardwood cleaning solution that is certified safe by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

If you or anyone else in your family suffers from allergies, you know that not only do you need a cleaner that removes most allergens from your home, but you also want a cleaner with harsh smells that can trigger allergies. The Bona Free & Simple Hardwood Floor Cleaner is specially formulated to not only remove about 93 percent of allergens from hard surfaces, but the water-based solution is completely hypoallergenic, free of scents and dyes. Apply the solution through a spray bottle and clean up without leaving any residue on your flooring. The Bona Free & Simple Hardwood Floor Cleaner is also safe for use around pets and is even certified asthma- and allergy-friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Ideal for: Effectively removing 93 percent of allergens from your home without bothering those who suffer from asthma or allergies. 

• Price: ~ $28
• Bottle Size: 36 ounces
• Application: Spray bottle
• What It Cleans: Unwaxed, unoiled, polyurethane-finished wood floors
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Waxed or oiled flooring

Pros:

• Removes 93-percent of allergens when used
• Completely hypoallergenic formula is certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

Cons:

• Bit pricey

Best Multipurpose Hardwood Floor Cleaner: Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner

~ $6 at Walmart 

A hardwood floor cleaner that can also be used to clean a multitude of other flooring surfaces. 

While many of the hardwood floor cleaning solutions on our best-of list can be used on some other types of flooring, Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner can literally be used on any type of hard flooring, making it an easy way to clean your entire home if you have lots of different flooring types. Easily applied through a spray bottle, this non-toxic floor cleaner works by neutralizing old wax on hardwood flooring and removing any residue left behind, leaving hardwood floors squeaky clean and streak-free. And the Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner also effectively cleans laminate, tile, vinyl, and linoleum flooring. 

Ideal for: Homes with a variety of different flooring surfaces. 

• Price: ~ $6
• Bottle Size: 32 ounces
• Application: Spray bottle
• What It Cleans: Hardwood, laminate, tile, vinyl, and linoleum flooring
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Does not specify

Pros:

• Cleans not only hardwood flooring, but also laminate, tile, vinyl, and linoleum flooring
• Non-toxic formula
• Can be used to neutralize old wax and cleaner residue on flooring

Cons:

• Bottle does not specify what flooring types it can’t be used on

Best Hardwood Floor Cleaner for Large Areas: Pledge Gentle Wood Floor Cleaner

~ $4 at Walmart

An easy-to-use hardwood floor cleaner that will make short work of cleaning large areas of sealed hardwood flooring.

If you have a large home with the majority being hardwood flooring, then you will want a cleaner that is not only easy to apply but is also super budget-friendly since you'll be going through a lot of it. Pledge Gentle Wood Floor Cleaner is just that product as it comes ready-to-use in a squirt bottle and at an affordable price point. This hardwood floor cleaner easily removes grime from your flooring and leaves behind shiny, residue-free floors with a light classic lemon scent. The Pledge Gentle Wood Floor Cleaner can be used on sealed hardwood flooring as well as wax-free floors and laminate flooring.

Ideal for: Homes with large amounts of sealed hardwood flooring that need cleaning. 

• Price: ~ $4
• Bottle Size: 27 ounces
• Application: Squirt bottle
• What It Cleans: Sealed hardwood flooring, wax-free floors, and laminate flooring
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Furniture or unfinished, unwaxed, oiled, or worn wood floors

Pros:

• Very budget-friendly
• Ready-to-use formula
• Can be used on sealed hardwood flooring, no-wax floors, and laminate flooring

Cons:

• Squirt bottle may be a bit hard to control, causing you to use more cleaning solution than you need. 

Best Mop for Hardwood Floors: Bona Hardwood Floor Spray Mop

~ $32 on Amazon 

A spray mop created for cleaning hardwood flooring. 

If you're looking for the best mop for cleaning your hardwood floors, then you'll want to check out the Bona Hardwood Floor Spray Mop. A top pick in our guide to the best mops you can buy, this spray mop was specially designed for cleaning delicate hardwood flooring. The mop comes with a washable microfiber pad and an extra-large mop head capable of swiveling 360 degrees, making cleaning your hardwood flooring super easy. The mop head also has flexible rubber corners that keep it from damaging baseboards and furniture. And the included Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is easily applied through the Bona Hardwood Floor Spray Mop's sprayer and refillable cartridge.

Ideal for: Homeowners looking for a spray mop to help them effectively and easily clean their hardwood flooring. 

• Price: ~ $32
• Bottle Size: Comes with 34 ounces of Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
• Application: Place floor cleaner into the refillable cartridge
• What It Cleans: All unwaxed, unoiled, polyurethane-finished wood floors
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Waxed or oiled hardwood floors 

Pros:

• Specially designed for cleaning delicate hardwood flooring 
• Comes with a washable microfiber pad and an extra-large mop head
• Cleaning solution easily distributed through the spray mop’s refillable cartridge

Cons:

• Mop can only be used with Bona's Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Best Cordless Stick Vacuum for Hardwood Floors: Dyson Omni-glide Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

~ $400 at Best Buy

Easily keep hardwood flooring clean between mopping with this cordless stick vacuum designed for use on bare flooring. 

If you prefer picking up dirt on your hardwood flooring with a vacuum before or in between moppings, the Dyson Omni-glide Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is for you. This top pick on our buyer's guide of the best cordless stick vacuum cleaners has a specially-designed roller cleaner head that uses two soft rollers to pick up all dirt in their path without scratching up your hard flooring. The vacuum features an articulating neck so it can almost lay completely on the ground to reach dirt under low furniture. And the Dyson Omni-glide Cordless Vacuum Cleaner can be used on not only hardwood flooring, but vinyl, tile, linoleum, and many more types of bare flooring.

Ideal for: Homeowners who want a cordless stick vacuum to help them keep their hardwood floor clean before or between moppings. 

• Price: ~ $400
• Bottle Size: N/A
• Application: Cordless stick vacuum
• What It Cleans: Hardwood, vinyl, tile, linoleum, bamboo, ceramic tile, engineered woods, and laminate
• What It Doesn’t Clean: Carpeting

Pros:

• Specially-designed for use on bare flooring
• Uses two soft rollers that do not scratch up hard flooring
• Can be used on hardwood and tons of other bare flooring types

Cons:

• Expensive

Hardwood Floor Cleaning and Care Tips

Here are some general tips on both cleaning and caring for your hardwood floors: 

• Sweep, Dust or Vacuum First — Before mopping with a hardwood floor cleaner, use a dust mop, broom, or vacuum designed for hard flooring to remove any large specs of dirt and grime. While this may seem like extra work, it will make your mopping go faster and more effective. Plus, you won’t chance scratching up your flooring with larger pieces of dirt lodged in a mop head. 
• Use Cleaner Sparingly — Hardwood floor cleaner goes a long way, so be careful with how much you use. If you’re using a pre-mixed solution in a spray or squirt bottle, be careful on the trigger so as to not apply too much cleaner to your floors. And if you’re using a concentrated solution that needs to be mixed with water, follow the directions carefully to get the best mix possible. 
• Keep Flooring Protected — While sweeping, dust mopping, and vacuuming are great ways to keep hardwood floors clean during the week, you should mop them once a week to twice a month with a hardwood floor cleaner to keep them shiny and well-maintained. Keep rugs and doormats in high-traffic areas to help add a bit more protection. And make sure to have your hardwood floors professionally refinished about every four to six years so they continue to look their best for many years to come.

Try as you might, it may be hard to avoid scratches on your floors. Luckily, we’ve got a handy guide to fixing scratches on wood floors.

Do you have a hardwood floor cleaner that keeps your flooring looking its best? Tell us about it in the comments below!