To test hardwood floor cleaners, we evaluate how well they remove a sticky, dried-on gelatin mixture that we paint precisely onto hardwood planks, how quickly and completely they remove the scuff marks we make with a rubber shoe heel, how easy they are to apply and how quickly they dry.
We’ve found that the best cleaners are those specifically formulated for hard, surface-finished or polyurethane-treated floors. These cleaners have ingredients to dissolve dirt and grime without damaging the coating or dulling the shine.
In the Good Housekeeping Cleaning Lab, we’re continuously testing floor cleaning essentials like vacuum cleaners, mops and robot vacuums. During our initial test, we tested 24 wood floor cleaners exactly the same way, cleaning 216 stains and scuff marks from wood flooring panels. We tested how well each product cleaned after an equal amount of passes and how many passes had to be made with each product to completely remove scuff marks and stains. All product labels were reviewed for proper safety and precautionary notices.
Since then, we have continued to test new wood floor cleaning products as they become available, updating this story with the latest noteworthy ones.
