Get Your Wood Floors Gleaming Again With These Cleaning Essentials

Lustrous wooden floors add a sense of depth and expansiveness to the home, but that level of beauty cannot be achieved by simply sweeping once a week (sorry!). But 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.

The Best Wood Floor Cleaners:

• Best Overall: Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Spray
• Best Concentrate: Murphy Wood Cleaner Concentrate
• Best Vinegar-Based Cleaner: Aunt Fannie's Floor Cleaner Vinegar Wash Concentrate
• Best Scent: Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner
• Best Combo Pack: Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Polish & Restorer Combo
• Most Eco-Friendly: Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
• Best Floor Polish: Rejuvenate All Floors Restorer and Polish

What to Consider:

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 of Two Maids & A Mop for the way that the cleaning pros most recommend keeping wood floors clean. Here, she breaks down the process in three easy steps:

1. "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 prior to cleaning.
2. 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.
3. Use a soft towel to dry the floor thoroughly, as oversaturation or standing water can damage floor finishes."

She continues by saying that you should sweep or dust mop as often as you can, but that you'll want to "deep clean 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.