So many hard floors - which cleaner?!

[Trimbls]

We've just bought a new house which has lots of lovely hard floors so should make clearing up after my DC & DH a bit easier than scrubbing carpets (hopefully!) but our current Dyson has a habit of scratching / ripping up the only parquet floor we had at our current house. Does anyone have any experience of hard floor cleaners as there seem to be a few around - I've heard Shark are OK & also the Karcher FC5 or Nilfisk Combi? Its going to get a fair bit of use so would like something that lasts tbh

i know its not a house but the flooring at the restaurant i work in has hard wood flooring all over, we sweep it first then use an all purpose floor cleaning liquid (like flash) and old fashioned cotton mops and seven years later it still looks good it is sealed flooring though

Thanks issey, I'll have to check if its sealed. Was hoping to get an 'all in one' sort of machine that requires minimal effort but will definitely keep flash in mind. I had a look at some reviews of these machines & people seem to have had issues with the Karcher - has anyone got any first hand experience of these sort of cleaners as I've never used one?

Even the most basic Miele is great on hard floors and the suction is adjustable if you have flooring that is at risk of lifting.

Don't use flash if the flooring is waxed or oiled as it will destroy the finish. You need to use a gentle soap based cleaner and as little water as possible on such surfaces. if it's varnished or vinyl, though, then flash is fine, though I like the ecover all surface cleaner.

I have a Miele vacuum which I use on my karndean floors and on my stone tiled kitchen. Like pp said the suction is nicely varied for whatever you want.
I mop with flash seems to be fine.

Hi. I use an animal Miele for carpets and it comes with another head you use on hard floors. I've never scratched tiles, laminate or wood floors with that attachment.

Hi I've got an FC5 love it - they have brought out a cordless one now I believe it'll be on my next Black Friday list if mine gives out. I read the reviews too OP but decided to just try it and thought I'd send it back if no good - I love it would not be without it.

I had an fc5 which went back as the rollers stopped getting wet & wouldn’t spin either, ‘twas a real shame as it was good while it worked. OH bought me a nilfisk as a replacement from a black friday sale to match his new pressure washer - only used it once but I love it, don’t need to vacuum first so suits me DTTG! Hopefully it lasts longer than my the Fc5

Thanks for your advice - think I'll have a look at the Nilfisk or Miele ones then. Do the meile vacuums pick up liquid too or are they just normal vacuums?

We’ve got engineered wood throughout downstairs and I just use a spray mop with a drop of Fairy liquid in the water. And a broom to sweep beforehand. I don’t think there’s any need for an expensive machine personally.

Miele don't pick up liquids

Thanks both. Think I'll try the Nilfisk one then as I was wanting something that was more 'all-in-1' vacuums & cleans & did liquid spills without having to sweep or vacuum or mop first. Call me lazy but I genuinely cant remember what spare time feels like at the moment!

I got a Karcher hard floor cleaner second hand and I love it. I use a hard floor cleaner - one for wood for a parquet floor - and a different one for the lvt floors we have. You can use any cleaning fluid, etc - Karcher don't say you invalidate your warranty using products which aren't theirs.

I like the fact that it sucks up muck and dust and mops in one operation. It also uses only a small amount of water.

Thats what I want - something that vacs & cleans all at once! We've ordered a Nilfisk this afternoon for £1 cheaper than it was on Black Friday - it all counts . I'll let you know how I get on with it.

Too late now but I have one of these www.bisselldirect.co.uk/products/crosswave.html and it is excellent. I have stone floors which shredded mops and were always on the grubby side, but are now almost clean. Love the fact that it sucks up the water so floors are only damp after cleaning and dry quickly.

Having said that the Nilfisk looks more robust, so think you’ve chosen the right one.

Didn't even think to look at Bissell. Hopefully i have - this is what we went for www.cleanstore.co.uk/products/Product.asp?ID=16594

Same place i got mine but I paid the extra pound on Friday lol

nilfisk combi arrived today, used it this evening... absolutely brilliant! Picks up dirt & cleans the floor so well at the same time - was sceptical but didnt need to be apparently. Very happy & thanks for your help everyone x

Thanks for this thread, Trimbls - have just ordered the Nilfisk on your recommendation.

Hope you like it! Ours held up well to very muddy floors over the weekend, just need to train DH to use it now!

I also highly recommend the Bissell cross wave. I have hard floors all through my downstairs and I absolutely love the cross wave. It vacuums and washes in one go and makes it really quick to do my floors plus it does a really good job of them.

Robo hoover. Game changer.

Robo hoover, robo mop.

We have both, 3 dogs and a variety of hard floors that we now hardly ever manually clean - maybe once a month more as a deep clean. Brilliant!

I'm looking at these mopping vacuums and they look great. They should save me so much time.

One question - do you always use detergent? and do you have to use the manufacturer's one or can you just use a normal floor cleaner?

@Mopcrazy hi mine is an iRobot which is just a mop not a vacuum as well (I have a separate Eufy 😉). Mine specifically excludes using detergent or any cleaner in them it's water only. I tend to put Method floor cleaner either on the mop pad or the floor and the robot seems fine with that. I do a manual mop once a week or so (hate it ) and the mop pad is always pretty clean so I'm happy.