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There's no denying the natural beauty of hardwoods. Aside from its timeless, versatile appearance, wood flooring increases a home's value more than any other floor-covering material. In some cases, solid hardwood planks can last an entire century—that is, if they're properly maintained.
To ensure your floors hold up for decades and continue looking gorgeous, you need to clean your hardwoods regularly. There are many types of cleaners—natural, eco-friendly, polishing, and more.
Here, the best hardwood floor cleaners on the market.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is a high-quality solution that checks all the boxes. Its handy spray bottle makes it easy to apply the fast-drying formula in an even layer. It gently cleans your floors while effortlessly eliminating dirt, dust, and stuck-on grime.
This hardwood floor cleaner rivals all hardwood floor cleaners by leaving your hardwoods with a stunning natural sheen with no streaks or residues. The low-VOC, water-based solution is Greenguard Gold-certified, meaning it's safe for you, your family, your pets, and the planet.
Another natural, planet-safe option is the Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner. It safely cleans solid wood floors with a plant-based blend of soapbark and lemon. Its ingredients are surprisingly effective at tackling grease and grime. You can squirt Better Life directly onto your hardwoods to clean them—no rinsing needed.
The green, biodegradable formula doesn't have any VOCs (volatile organic compounds), surfactants, petroleum, dyes, or synthetic fragrances. Plus, this eco-friendly wood floor cleaner comes in recyclable packaging.
if you're on a budget, reach for a bottle of Murphy Oil Soap. This classic wood cleaner has been a household staple for over 100 years. This solution can help your floors last just as long. You can use it for a deep clean or a regular floor refresh. Either way, your hardwoods will emerge with a natural shine, and your home will have a fresh, comforting scent.
The concentrated solution mixes with water. One bottle lasts longer than most other cleaners, adding to its affordability and overall value. Aside from hardwood, use it to clean tile, linoleum, vinyl, and other flooring materials.
If you're open to splurging on a truly efficient way to clean your wood floors, think outside the bottle. Instead of a solution, consider an upright powered floor cleaner like the Bissell SpinWave. It has a 28-ounce water tank with built-in power-spin mop pads, an adjustable spray trigger, and an effective cleaning formula (included).
It uses soft-touch pads for gentle cleaning and includes scrubby pads for tougher, stuck-on messes. Weighing only 9.5 pounds, it's notably lightweight and easy to maneuver. With this product you don't have to get down on the floor to clean your hardwoods; you can reveal their organic beauty without much elbow grease.
Method Squirt + Mop Wood Floor Cleaner gets top marks for its natural formula. The plant-based, biodegradable, wax-free solution cleans with a blend of water, coconut oil, organic solvents, and baking soda. Squirt it on your hardwoods and mop away to reveal clean, shiny, deodorized planks. You will be left with a pleasant—though not overpowering—almond scent.
If you're looking for a heavy-duty solution, pick up a bottle of Zep Commercial. Designed for high-traffic industrial spaces, this professional-grade floor cleaner works well in your home, too. The powerful formula is ideal for regular cleanings. It effectively removes stains, spots, and scuffs from hardwoods or laminate. Spray it on, mop your floors, and watch as Zep restores their shine, leaving only a light scent in its wake.
Wood floors need to be waxed from time to time. The original SC Johnson Paste Wax is all you need when duty calls. The hard-finish wax blend is a go-to for restoring some of the most worn wood planks. SC Johnson's multi-purpose formula deep-cleans hardwood flooring and leaves behind an ultra-rich, satiny sheen. You can use it on wood furniture, leather, metal, cork, and vinyl, too.
To polish your hardwood floors, Orange Glo is the all-star floor polish intended for monthly use that helps keep your floors in tip-top shape. It removes dirt, dust, grime, and scuffs while filling in scratches and leaving a shiny, protective, water-resistant finish.
Designed specifically for solid wood, it gently cleans and polishes without dulling the material or creating a residue. Orange Glo also graces your home with a light yet invigorating orange scent.
The all-around best option for cleaning your wood floors is Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Spray. Its gentle yet effective low-VOC formula cleans and creates a stunning natural sheen. However, if you're looking for a natural option, we recommend the Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner. It safely cleans floors with a plant-based blend of soapbark and lemon.
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This roundup was written by Theresa Holland, a Portland-based homeowner and professional writer specializing in cleaning solutions, organizational products, housewares, and home goods. You can find more of her home-related writing on MyDomaine.