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The 9 Best Floor Cleaners of 2024

Keep your floors shiny and clean with these top floor cleaning products

Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner on a pink background

The Spruce / Lecia Landis

A standout floor cleaner allows you to not only clean up pesky messes and spills, but also removes any germs or bacteria on your floor’s surface. Whether it's cleaning spilled foods, wiping muddy footprints, or removing pet stains, keeping floors clean is not only beneficial to the overall appearance of one’s home, but also to the health of those who live in it. 

“It doesn’t matter whether you are looking after your home or your office, proper floor cleaning and care is essential for ensuring the health of people who use the space regularly,” says Alicia Johnson, cleaning expert and owner of Cleaning Green LLC. 

To bring you the right cleaner for your linoleum, hardwood, tile, or vinyl flooring, we searched for the best floor cleaners, based on types of flooring, ease of use, and formula type.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner

Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • No mop and bucket needed

  • Works on a number of floor surfaces

  • Removes waxy buildup

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn’t leave much shine

For those that don’t want to clutter their cleaning cabinet with multiple products, a single, multi-purpose floor cleaner that can cover a multitude of surfaces may be the one for you. With its ability to clean tile, laminate, vinyl, hardwood and linoleum floors, Rejuvenate’s sheer versatility earned its place as our best overall pick.

No dilution or separate bucket is necessary. Rejuvenate can simply be sprayed on the floor and then wiped up with a microfiber mop. While it may not leave all types of flooring shiny, Rejuvenate is pH-balanced and contains special boosters to remove waxy buildup and residue, without leaving behind any film or streaks.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 4.51 x 2.28 x 11.75 inches | Weight: 2.3 pounds | Amount: 32 fluid ounces | Scent: Lemon

How often should a floor be wet mopped?

Floors in high-traffic areas should generally be mopped weekly. You can stretch the time between mopping sessions up to a month for lesser-used areas of the home, like a guest room. It's always a good idea to mop your floors regularly to preserve a desired level of cleanliness in your home. (For details on the best methods for mopping floors, take a peek at our guide.)

Best Budget

Pine-Sol Multi Purpose Cleaner

Amazon Pine-Sol Multi Purpose Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Disinfects germs

  • Works in a number of uses

  • Cuts through grime

What We Don’t Like
  • Scent formula has changed

Pine-Sol, one of the best-known legacy cleaning brands, is not just a floor cleaner. Its cleaning and disinfecting properties are amazing for cutting through dirt and grime on non-porous, hard surfaces. While it's great for cleaning the kitchen or bathroom, we think it works wonders cleaning multiple types of flooring, such as tile, linoleum, laminate, and finished hardwood. Eliminating 99 percent of germs, the recommended dilution rate is ¼ cup (two fluid ounces) of Pine-Sol per one gallon of water, so a single 24-ounce bottle yields about 12 gallons of solution. Rinsing is recommended for non-waxed flooring and if using the product at full strength.

Now, this may not smell like previous incarnations, with the pine oil that gave the product its name no longer listed as an active ingredient. Consumers that miss an older version containing 8.75 percent pine oil can purchase the product known as Pine-Sol Original Pine scent through its official website. 

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 2.87 x 2.87 x 9.38 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Amount: 24 fluid ounces | Scent: Pine

How do you clean a dirty floor?

If your floor is exceptionally dirty, it’s a bit of a multi-step process, advises Katie Gibson, a representative for Lemon and Pine Cleaning Company. “Vacuum the floor thoroughly and then fill a bucket with warm water and the appropriate cleaning solution,” Gibson says. “Mop the floor and constantly rinse out your mop. At the end, if the water is extremely dirty, dump it out and fill the bucket again. Repeat this process until the water is clean.”

Best Multipurpose

Seventh Generation Cleaner Concentrate

Amazon Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Cleaner Concentrate, Lemon Chamomile Scent

Amazon

What We Like
  • Plant-based cleaner

  • Citrus scent

  • Recyclable materials used for packaging

What We Don’t Like
  • Sticky residue

While this is more of an all-purpose cleaner, we think Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Cleaner Concentrate is great for cleaning floors and other surfaces within the home. As part of its line of eco-friendly products, this cleaner works well, thanks to plant-based ingredients, including lemon peel, chamomile, and lemongrass leaf oils. Plus, you'll get a lovely citrusy floral scent.

Concentrates are perfect for those with limited storage space, as the bottle won't take up much room in a cabinet. It's also good for those who want to have control over the strength of their cleansers. When mixed with water, this concentrate yields approximately 161 ounces of their all-purpose cleaner, which equates to seven 23-ounce bottles. This can be used for hard, non-porous surfaces, as well as oil-based and water-based painted wood, but a good idea is to test it out first.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 7.8 x 3.48 x 2.44 inches | Weight: 1.6 pounds | Amount: 23.10 fluid ounces | Scent: Lemon Chamomile

Best for Hardwood

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill

Amazon

What We Like
  • Water and plant-based formula

  • Good value

  • Quick drying

What We Don't Like
  • Works best with Bona microfiber mop

Maintaining hardwood floors requires special care, and Bona has got the lock on this market, which is why we’ve selected it as our best hardwood floor cleaner. Thanks to its one-gallon packaging, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner yields plenty of product for your cleaning needs. Requiring no dilution, Bona’s plant-based cleaner cuts through dirt and grime in a snap and contains no petroleum, formaldehyde, or ammonia. Simply spray your unoiled and unwaxed polyurethane-finished floor, then mop and buff. The manufacturer suggests using Bona's microfiber spray mop for best results.

Not only is it easy to apply and quick-drying, but also Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of its Safer Choice initiative.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 4.37 x 7.49 x 11.88 inches | Weight: 8.82 pounds | Amount: 128 fluid ounces | Scent: Unscented

Best Eco-Friendly

Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner

Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Safe for children and pets

  • Multiple floor uses

  • EPA-certified

What We Don't Like
  • May leave sticky residue

For those who desire a spotless floor but are looking for a more green or eco-friendly cleaner, Quick Shine’s ready-to-use liquid may be the one for you. Quick Shine contains sodium bicarbonate (commonly known as baking soda) and can be used on numerous flooring surfaces including laminate, tile, stone, luxury vinyl plank, and hardwood.

Since no dilution is necessary, squirt onto your floor, let it sit for a bit, and then mop it right up. Its formula is quick-drying and doesn’t leave behind a film or streak. But it may leave a sticky residue, so test a spot on your floor before cleaning. It's also free of parabens, chlorine, ammonia, and formaldehyde. Its lightly-scented liquid is good for those with sensitivities to strong fragrances, and it is also certified by the EPA’s Safer Choice program, so it’s a good choice for those with children and pets.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.25 x 10.5 inches | Weight: 1.6 pounds | Amount: 27 fluid ounces | Scent: Fresh Clean

Best for Laminate

Black Diamond Stoneworks Laminate Floor Cleaner

Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Dilution not needed

  • Easy to apply

  • No rinsing needed

What We Don't Like
  • Strong scent

Laminate floors shouldn’t be saturated in cleaner, as it could cause the planks to swell. Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner spray bottle allows you to expel just the right amount of product to scrub down your floor. This product does not require dilution or rinsing, so just spray what you need, mop it up and go.

This hypoallergenic, biodegradable formula will clean engineered, laminate, and polyurethane-treated wood flooring. Featuring what it calls PS 3, a “triple-action poly shield," this cleaner won’t dry out or strip the finish of your floor. Just know that the scent may be strong.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.5 x 10.5 inches | Weight: 2.31 ounces | Amount: 32 fluid ounces | Scent: Bamboo

Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner next to a cloth on a wood floor
The Spruce / Elizabeth Rago

Best Scented

Mrs. Meyer's Multi-Surface Cleaner Concentrate

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner Concentrate

Amazon

What We Like
  • Assorted scents

  • Biodegradable

  • Cruelty-free formula

What We Don’t Like
  • Cleaners and fragrances may be irritants

As with other cleaners, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Every Day Multi-Surface Concentrate is not just for floors, but any surface that needs a good scrubbing. Safe to use on all non-porous surfaces, including tile and hardwood, you can use this on kitchen, bathroom, and other types of floors throughout your home. As this is a concentrate, it needs to be diluted in water to create a cleaning solution. For large jobs, such as mopping, the recommended ratio is one-quarter cup of concentrate to one gallon of warm water. If you want to spot clean or for other small jobs, you can use this as a refill for the Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner, by mixing four tablespoons of concentrate into the spray bottle halfway filled with water.

Cruelty-free and without phthalates, chlorine, or parabens, this plant-derived cleaner will please those who are a bit more eco-conscious. These are available in a wide variety of pleasant scents that are sure to thrill your sense of smell. (Mrs. Meyer’s does not currently offer unscented formulas.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 3.3 x 3.2 x 8.64 inches | Weight: 2 pounds | Amount: 32 fluid ounces | Scent: Basil, Bluebell, Geranium, Honeysuckle, Lavender, Lemon Verbena, Peony, Rosemary

Best Antibacterial

Lysol Multi-Surface Cleaner

Lysol Clean & Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Economy-sized bottle

  • Eliminates 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria

  • Tough on stains

What We Don't Like
  • Overpowering scent

As one of the go-to brands for decades, Lysol’s power to clean tough stains and disinfect has helped the brand maintain its storied reputation. Removing 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria, including COVID-19 if used as directed, Lysol Clean & Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner can be used on many hard, non-porous surfaces, yet it is not recommended to use on oiled, waxed or unfinished floors.

Lysol provides several sets of instructions for this product’s usage, which are dependent on specific cleaning needs. For general floor mopping, you can dilute ¼ cup of cleaner into one gallon of warm water and mop. If you think you need a more powerful round of disinfecting or sanitizing, a higher cleanser-to-water ratio or full-strength usage may be for you. Just be sure to follow the recommended instructions carefully. While it is fragranced to smell like lemon and sunflower, some might not care for the scent.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 3.5 x 8 x 10.38 inches | Weight: 6.2 pounds | Amount: 90 fluid ounces | Scent: Lemon, Sunflower

Best for Tile

Better Life Floor Cleaner

Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Plant-based ingredients

  • Dye, paraben, and alcohol-free

  • Able to use on other floors

What We Don’t Like
  • Film and stickiness left behind

The best tile floor cleaner needs to cut through grime and dirt that can collect even in the crevices of the floor. Better Life Simply Floored! Natural Floor Cleaner gets down into that deep dirt found on intricate tile flooring, thanks to its plant-derived ingredients, specifically coconut and corn, as well as multiple essential oils, including peppermint, spearmint, orange, lemon, tangerine, and bergamot.

Along with tile, Better Life Simply Floored! also works on bamboo, marble, laminate and vinyl flooring, so this is quite a versatile product. It’s ready-to-use and does not need to be rinsed, so all you need to do is squeeze it onto your floor and wipe with a damp mop. Versatility and simple usage make this cleaner a winner in our eyes. Free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, alcohol, dyes, and petroleum solvents, it's safe to use around pets and children, too.

Type: Liquid | Dimensions: 7 x 10.5 x 8.75 inches | Weight: 2 pounds | Amount: 32 fluid ounces | Scent: Citrus, Mint

Final Verdict

Rejuvenate All Floors Cleaner is our pick for the best overall floor cleaner because of its versatility. It can be used on several types of flooring surfaces, doesn’t require dilution, and has boosters to remove residue and waxy buildup. For our best budget pick, we love Pine-Sol Multi Purpose Cleaner, which disinfects and cleanses non-porous hard surfaces, eliminating 99 percent of germs.

What to Look for in a Floor Cleaner

Floor Type

Start your search for floor cleaners by considering which type of flooring you have in your home. While many of the best floor cleaners are compatible with a wide range of floor types—such as vinyl, ceramic, and stone—this isn't true of all products. Make sure the product you purchase is safe to use on all of the flooring in your home. In addition, if you have floors that have particular cleaning requirements (like laminate floors that require minimal saturation), then you'll need to look for a compatible floor cleaning solution to avoid damaging your flooring.

Application

Methods of application can vary among floor cleaners, with some products being ready-to-use and others requiring dilution in water, which will necessitate mixing the cleaner with water in a separate container or bucket. Concentrated floor cleaners (often sold in 1-gallon increments) can be a cost-effective choice, however you'll still need to mix them with water. Depending on the type of cleaner you use, you can distribute the product throughout the floor by using a string or flat mop. If you opt for a steam mop, you won’t need to buy additional supplies, but steam mops can be an investment. However, they are easy to use—fill the tank with water, allow it to heat up, and then mop your floors as you normally would.

Ingredients

When looking for a floor cleaner, its ingredients can certainly impact how effective it is, as well as its eco-friendliness and safety features. Those with pets and children may want to consider nontoxic options. If you are concerned about the ingredients and/or safety of certain products, you can look for those certified by external organizations, such as the Environment Protection Agency’s Safer Choice program. As floor cleaners may have a heavy scent, if you are sensitive to fragrances, you can either search for one made with essential oils or an unscented formula. For our best hardwood floor cleaner, we give a thumbs up to Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill. Bona’s unscented, plant-based cleaner cuts through dirt and grime and contains no petroleum, formaldehyde, ammonia.

Floor Compatibility

Take note of what types of floors you have in your home and buy cleaners that are compatible. There are cleaners that are formulated to be used only on certain surfaces. For example, using a non-specific product on a hardwood floor could strip the finish and leave irreparable damage. For convenience, you may want to turn to a multi-surface product that can be used throughout the home. For our best multipurpose floor cleaner, we love Seventh Generation Cleaner Concentrate. It can be used for hard, non-porous surfaces, as well as oil-based and water-based painted wood. Just make sure to read ingredient lists and labels to ensure the cleaner is good for all of your flooring needs.

FAQ
  • What ingredients should be avoided for certain floor types?

    While you can certainly find dedicated cleaners based on the types of floors you have, Stoeckl recommends that if you have laminate or hardwood flooring, avoid wax-based and ammonia-based cleansers, as well as bleach, detergents, oil soaps, or anything acidic, such as vinegar. For vinyl or resilient flooring, avoid wax-based cleansers, oil soaps, or acidic components.

  • If a floor cleaner must be diluted, what is the ideal water temperature?

    Consult the directions on your floor cleaner for specifics, but generally water that is warm to the touch is your best bet.

  • How many passes should you make with a mop and cleaner?

    A good mopping technique is to begin at one end of the room and finish at the exit. Areas that may collect extra dirt, such as in front of sinks and kitchen appliances, may need more than one go. Stoeckl recommends changing the cleaning solution and mop head as needed during your cleaning session. Dirty mops and cleaning solution can spread grime and germs across your floor, if your area is especially soiled. Most cleansers don’t have to be rinsed away. Rinsing your floor can be effective if the floor is left with streaks, or there is a buildup of existing dirt or cleaner.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Katy Kostakis, a freelance journalist and writer. In addition to her personal experience using a number of cleaning products, she read multiple third-party reviews left by consumers to find the best floor cleaners out there.

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