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What are the main types of floor cleaner?
When using a floor cleaner, it’s important to check that the product is suitable for your floor type, as using the wrong product can not only have poor results, it can even risk damaging your floor, causing it to dull, stain or lift.
The main types of floor cleaners are:
Multi-surface cleaners: For convenience, multi-surface cleaners are a popular choice, enabling you to clean your entire home across multiple rooms without needing to switch products every time you change floor type.
Tile floor cleaners: Tailored for use across hard tiles and grouted surfaces, tile floor cleaners tackle the build-up of dirt, grime, mould and mildew across tile floors and hard surfaces.
Wooden floor cleaners: When using a multi-purpose cleaner, wooden floors can sometimes be left looking dull or build up an unsightly residue that can actually damage the overall finish of the wood. Opting for a wooden floor cleaner can help protect the wood’s natural colour and shine, without leaving a waxy or sticky finish. It’s worth taking care with varnished, untreated or painted wood as wood cleaners vary so read the instructions carefully before use and if in doubt, perform a small patch test first.
Vinyl floor cleaners: Can remove dirt, grime and stains from high-traffic vinyl flooring without the risk of lifting or bubbling around the floor's edges and seals.
Laminate floor cleaners: Laminate floors are most prone to damage with traditional floor mops and cleaners sometimes causing laminate tiles to swell or warp. Using a floor cleaner specifically made for laminates won’t leave any sticky residue or smear marks across the surface.
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Are floor cleaning products safe to use on all floors?
No, most products (except for multi-surface floor cleaners) are made specifically to suit set floor types, so you must read the labels carefully to prevent damaging your floor.
Hard wooden floors require additional care to prevent a waxy build-up or residue. You should avoid using lots of water (or products that require substantial rinsing) on laminate, as this can allow liquids to seep under the surface.
What do professionals use to clean floors?
Many floor cleaning professionals use a combination of industrial floor cleaners as well as traditional mops and buckets and a floor cleaner specifically tailored to the surface. It’s fair to say that professionals aren’t afraid of exerting some effort too, even where that involves getting down on the floor and scrubbing the surfaces by hand.
How can you clean floors without chemicals?
While many traditional floor cleaners contain strong chemicals, detergents and enzymes, more modern cleaners such as Method, Bona and Ecover are made from plant-based materials, making them safer to use around children and pets as well as better for the environment overall.
What’s the best floor cleaning product to buy in the UK?
The best floor cleaning product will very much depend upon your floor surface, however for an all-around floor cleaner that can tackle most hard floors across your home, we love the combination of the Vileda 1-2 floor cleaning liquid and spray mop.
How we chose our recommendations
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
There is a lot of debate within the Mumsnet forums on how to clean floors, remove stains and restore their colour and shine, with many users sharing their hints and tips on the best floor cleaners, mops and tools for the job.
First, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users, to get their feedback on the floor cleaners that they rate, recommend and use in their own homes.
We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsetters highlighted products that they felt were overpriced, ineffective or challenging to use.
Expert opinions
Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning products or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those recommended by cleaning experts.
Authentic consumer reviews
Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the best floor cleaners on the market, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon and Lakeland to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in family and lifestyle product reviews and roundups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help parents make confident purchases that benefit their families.
Lucy has previously reviewed a number of carpet cleaning brands on her own channels, testing shampoos and carpet cleaners for their stain removal powers and ability to eliminate odours.
Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard.
When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.
Why you should trust us
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