10 Best Wood Floor Cleaners

Bona began as (and still is) a professional wood floor refinishing company, so it’s no surprise Bona’s Hardwood Floor Cleaner cut through sticky soil and erased shoe marks faster than all the other products we tested. Use the spray with Bona’s own cleaning pad, any plain microfiber pad mop or buy it in a pre-filled cartridge that snaps onto the Bona Spray Mop (below) to get the job done even faster.

Murphy’s Oil Soap is one of the lowest-priced cleaners on this list, and since it’s concentrated, it will last a long time, giving you the best value for your purchase. In our tests, this wood floor cleaner did a great job erasing scuff marks with just a few passes. It also was impressive in removing sticky soil, though it did take a little more scrubbing to completely remove residue.

Because it comes in a squeeze bottle, Pledge Clean It Gentle Wood Floor Cleaner is our top choice when you have big open areas of wood floors to clean. It’s easier than a trigger to dispense over large areas and quicker than a concentrate that requires mixing. Simply squeeze the bottle to dispense the liquid in an “S” pattern onto the floor. Pledge not only did a very good job dissolving our sticky test soil, but it also required the fewest strokes of any of the other products we tested to completely erase any remaining residue.

The trigger style of Black Diamond’s Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner made it easy to apply, and its clear directions made it one of our top-scoring products for ease of use. Plus, it can be used on finished hardwood and laminate floors. And because it’s in a spray bottle, spot cleaning is as easy as a spritz and a wipe, especially on scuff marks that took only a few passes to remove in our tests. 

Good Housekeeping Seal holder Swiffer Wet Jet Mop Wood Floor Starter Kit dispenses cleaner onto the floor through a battery-operated mop and uses textured pads with a scrubby strip to attack soil. Even better: The pads are disposable, which eliminates the need to store a dirty, germy mop. Lights on the mop head make it easy to navigate under furniture, too. 

This version of Bona’s hardwood floor cleaner is formulated without dyes or scents. It’s certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation to remove dust and other particles from hard floors, perfect for homes where family members are sensitive to irritants. In our tests, it removed scuff marks quickly and did a good job dissolving sticky soil. The trigger spray is very easy to use, especially when targeting spots and stains. Also, the large jug size means refills are always on hand.

This Libman hardwood floor cleaning formula is made to be mixed with water for use either in your own bucket or with Libman’s Freedom Dispensing Microfiber Mop. It did a very good job quickly dissolving our sticky soil and scuff marks, and because it can be diluted, a little goes a long way. The bottle top has a handle for easy carrying and a built-in cup for mess-free measuring. Simply squeeze the bottle to fill the measuring cap with the recommended dose of cleaner, and pour it directly into a bucket or the Freedom Mop canister. One little bottle makes four gallons of cleaner, and this innovative package prevents spills and eliminates the need for a separate measuring cup.

This easy-to-use spray mop has an oversized head, so it covers more ground quickly (Read: You’ll finish faster!) and cleans floors with a washable, reusable microfiber pad. The on-board cleaner cartridge is refillable for less waste and the mop dispenses a wide, fine spray evenly onto the floor. The long rectangular head maneuvers easily into narrow spaces, and the corners on each side are soft and flexible, so they flip up when you go along walls and baseboards to catch every speck. Bona offers deep-cleaning and even dusting pads that can also be used with this mop. 

To remove dirt and debris from wood floor crevices, you’ll need a good vacuum cleaner. This vacuum did well in our tests and we love its unique, air-powered soft brush. This gentle brush sweeps away particles in the wood floor crevices so they can be vacuumed up and does not scratch the floor like other rotating vacuum brushes. 

Our Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Lab Director tested this Dyson stick vacuum at home and says, “It’s amazing for wood floors! It has soft, fluffy rollers, goes in any direction and is just the perfect size for stair treads, the edges of the room and around area rugs.” The soft rollers pick up large debris and fine particles with ease, all without scratching the wood floor. Plus, it’s lightweight and rechargeable.