Lustrous wooden floors add a sense of depth and expansiveness to the home — and we hate to break it to you, but that level of beauty can't be achieved by simply sweeping once a week. Finding a reliable wood floor cleaner will not only keep your hardwoods looking shiny and fresh but also extends their overall life expectancy and reduces the signs of wearing. Once you have the right wood floor cleaners in your arsenal, you'll find that nothing is more satisfying than giving your hardwoods the deep clean they deserve.
According to the experts, how you clean your floors is just as (if not more) important than the specific products you use. We asked Kathy Cohoon, director of franchise operations at Two Maids & A Mop, for the best method the cleaning pros recommend for keeping wood floors clean. Here, she breaks down the process in three easy steps:
“Remove dry debris by dust mopping or vacuuming beforehand. Be sure to wipe down baseboards to remove dust as well. Loose debris can scratch floors, so be sure to remove it prior to cleaning.
Using a wood-specific liquid soap and warm water — or for a more natural clean, mix one part white vinegar with 10 parts warm water — and a soft cloth, dip the cloth into the bucket and wring until damp. Wipe down the entire floor without oversaturating the surface, and be sure to refill your cleaning solution often as to not clean with dirty water.
Use a soft towel to dry the floor thoroughly, as oversaturation or standing water can damage floor finishes.”
According to the cleaning guru, you should sweep or dust mop as often as you can. In addition to that, Kathy suggests "deep cleaning your floors at least once every 3 months to keep them as shiny and clean as possible."
Once you have your trusty mop and stash of cloths ready to go, you'll want to make sure you have a top-performing wood floor cleaner to help make quick work of this task. Best for surface-sealed hardwood or engineered-wood floors, here are the eight best wood floor cleaners to have on hand.
Mess-free, scent-free, and incredibly effective: Bona is our choice for the best wood floor cleaner you can buy. This spray bottle provides all you need to wet-mop or steam your floors clean again.
Reviewers love that this all-in-one formula leaves no waxy, streaky, or slippery buildup. It's also incredibly easy to spray it on your floors as you go — there are no buckets of hot water to worry about refilling.
Whether you're spot cleaning or lifting old, stubborn grime, Bona's wood floor cleaner is simply great for any cleaning-day task.
A little goes a long way with this wood floor cleaner concentrate from Murphy. All it takes is 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of this solution per gallon of hot water to help you lift deep-set stains and discoloration from your floors.
Reviewers swear by this wood floor cleaner as long-time fans and even love its super fresh citronella oil scent. It’ll even work on other sealed surfaces if you have tiled or laminate floors that need a little extra attention. Just be aware that some users with dogs say that this potent wood floor cleaner is potentially irritating to their paws.
Vinegar and water is a classic cleaning combination for all types of sealed surfaces. So, if you want to go the natural route but want something that'll specifically help you clean your wood floors, this cleaner concentrate from Aunt Fannie's will do just the trick.
Available in five scents that range from fruity to herbal, this white vinegar- and essential oil-based organic cleaning product contains no harsh chemicals that could linger in the air or on skin. Reviewers like that it's gentle, yet it effectively neutralizes odors.
We know that scent isn't the most important feature in a wood cleaning product, but if an air-freshening aroma will get you to clean your hardwoods more often, you want this wood floor cleaner from Method. Its almond smell is divine and makes the space smell inviting as opposed to antiseptic.
Formulated for utmost ease, all you have to do is squirt this onto your floors and give the area a once-over with a mop. There’s no follow-up rinsing necessary. Reviewers say that it not only cleans but it imparts a shine and richness to a floors’ woodgrain that never seemed possible before.
5
Best Combo Pack
Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Polish & Restorer Combo
Consider this the one-two punch that'll make your seasonal deep-clean go smoother than ever. This duo of wood floor cleaners from Weiman will help you clean, polish, and fade the imperfections of your cherished hardwoods.
Use the bottle of Hardwood Cleaner in your usual mopping routine to wash away the dirt and grime. Once the floors have been dry for at least 45 minutes, you can go in with the Hardwood Polish & Restorer — keep in mind that this product needs to be applied evenly in one fell swoop and left to dry until it's set. If applied and dried properly, it will fill in scratches and impart a glossy shine that will make decades-old floors look brand-new.
For a greener clean, this pick from Dr. Bronner's is a concentrated solution made from plant-based ingredients and essential oils that can be used for nearly any home chore — from doing laundry to washing dishes.
For cleaning your wood floors, just add about a tablespoon of the Sal Suds liquid to a spray bottle (or spray mop) filled mostly with water, spray it, and mop as you would with a regular wood floor cleaner. Because the scent is very mild, you can even add some essential oils to your DIY mixture as well.
Best used once floors are dry after mopping, use a clean microfiber pad with a layer of this Rejuvenate solution on it to impart a high-gloss finish.
Ideal for older floors that have been scuffed and faded over time, Rejuvenate helps fill in small scratches and get wood floors gleaming without making them slippery.
Melanie YatesSenior Home Decor EditorMelanie is the senior home decor editor of Best Products, where she's been researching and testing out home and bedding products since 2015 — her work can also be found on House Beautiful and Women's Health.
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