The 9 Best Laminate Floor Cleaners of 2023

Commerce Photo Composite — BHG / Amelia Manley

We’re going to let you in on a little secret. Cleaning your floors is more complicated than breaking out a mop, applying a little bit of soap, and scrubbing. Above all, it’s important to find the right cleaner that works in tandem with your surface’s specific needs—and your laminate floors are no exception.

“Laminate surfaces are extremely popular but do require special attention if you want to maintain their quality and look,” explains Leanne Stapf of The Cleaning Authority. “Laminate floors specifically are made of wood composite—so it looks just like hardwood flooring but is a fraction of the cost. One thing to keep in mind [is that] you can’t refinish laminate, so you’ll want to take extra care of these floors to avoid costly replacements.”

Since laminate floors are surprisingly delicate, it’s important to find a solution that’s tough enough to take care of spills and stains but won’t cause irreversible damage to your home. To help, we’ve researched the very best laminate floor cleaners, keeping application style, scent, and quantity in mind. We also tapped experts at NYC House Cleaners & Maids and Pro Housekeepers to share their professional-approved options.

Here are our picks for the best laminate floor cleaners.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Bona Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner at Amazon

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Best Budget:

ZEP Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner at Amazon

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Best Eco-Friendly:

Better Life Floor Cleaner at Amazon

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Best Multipurpose:

Branch Basics The Concentrate at Branchbasics.com

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Best Scent:

Grove Co. Floor Cleaner Concentrate at Target

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Best for Shine:

Rejuvenate Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Cleaner at Amazon

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Best for Deep Cleaning:

Weiman Hardwood Cleaner at Amazon

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Best for Spot Cleaning:

Swiffer Sweeper Wet Mopping Pad Refills at Amazon

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Best for Pets:

Black Diamond Stoneworks Laminate Floor Cleaner at Amazon

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Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

Easy, effective, and eco-friendly, this floor cleaner is designed to deliver.

Keep in Mind

This is not a stain-remover or shine-enhancer.

Simply put, there’s a lot that goes into the ultimate laminate floor cleaner. The best laminate floor cleaner has to be effective on typical floor stains and spills, easy to use for spur-of-the-moment cleaning sessions, and reasonably priced. (And, if it’s eco-friendly and versatile enough to use on multiple surfaces, even better.) That’s exactly why we’re giving our top marks to Bona’s Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner Spray, which ticks off all of the boxes for the best laminate floor cleaner and then some.

Perfect for laminate floors—as well as terrazzo, linoleum, vinyl, and sealed stones and tiles—this water-based formula offers a quick and easy clean. Rather than breaking out the bucket or mixing the perfect solution, all you need to do is spritz it on your floors and mop. This formula requires no rinsing and will dry quickly without leaving any unsightly streaks or residue behind. (Trust us, guests will be asking if you just got your floors redone.) But, if you need any more convincing, this option is free of harsh chemicals like ammonia, parabens, and phthalates—making it a safe addition to any home.

Price at time of publish: $10

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: Laminate, vinyl, stone, linoleum | Size: 32 ounces

ZEP 1 Gallon Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner

Home Depot

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Why You Should Get It

Between the effective, fast-drying formula, large quantity, and affordable price point, this is the best laminate floor cleaner to get the job done without hurting your wallet.

Keep in Mind

While this is a perfect choice for laminate floors, we don’t recommend using it on oil-finished wood, tiles with grout, or any surface that needs waxing.

Anyone who is looking for the best bang for their buck will get a lot of mileage out of Zep’s Hardwood Laminate Floor Cleaner.

Made with a powerful lineup of glycol ethers and surfactants, this formula works hard to remove spots and stains, wipe away scuffs, and restore shine. And, since you don’t have to rinse away this fast-drying formula, there’s no need to worry about leaving any residue behind. Simply spray, wipe with your cloth or mop, and you’re good to go. Once you’re done, you’ll have squeaky clean floors and a delightfully refreshing home. (Though Zep says it is safe to use in homes with children and pets, it’s not officially non-toxic, so we recommend keeping this container out of reach.)

While Zep’s Hardwood Laminate Floor Cleaner is often sold in a spray bottle, we see the best value in its gigantic refill containers. In fact, many retailers are selling gallons of Zep’s cleaner for a steal, making this formula just a few cents per fluid ounce.

Price at time of publish: From $22

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: Hardwood, laminate | Size: 128 ounces

4.8

Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

This eco-friendly floor cleaner is tough on stains and scuffs.

Keep in Mind

The formula is more concentrated, so it doesn’t cover a lot of surface area at once like a traditional spray.

If you already eat organic produce and use non-toxic beauty products, then you might be eager to find an eco-friendly cleaner for your laminate floors. Enter, Better Life’s Natural Floor Cleaner, our pick for the best laminate floor cleaner with sustainable features. Made with biodegradable, plant-based ingredients, this cleaning solution is free of artificial fragrances, dyes, and harsh chemicals like parabens, alcohol, or ethoxylates. (That said, it does feature scents from naturally derived botanical oils, so you’ll notice a refreshing citrus mint scent when you start to clean your floor.)

But, don’t let its eco-friendly formula fool you. This all-natural option is strong enough to eliminate mess from your laminate floors. “Better Life Concentrate Floor Cleaner is a product I'd advise buying, because it's made with plant-based cleaning agents and biodegradable components that are kind to the environment,” says Victoria Culbertson, founder and CEO of NYC House Cleaners & Maids. “You can feel good about bringing it home. It leaves your floors spotless and smelling fresh, naturally, and blends plant-based power and serenity.”

Price at time of publish: $16

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: Hardwood, laminate, marble, bamboo, tile | Size: 32 ounces

4.8

Branch Basics

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Why You Should Get It

This concentrate is safe to use on a variety of surfaces, not just laminate.

Keep in Mind

This is by far the priciest option on our list.

If you’re looking for one cleaning formula that can take care of multiple surfaces—yes, including your laminate floors—look no further than Branch Basics. When Marilee Nelson, Allison Evans, and Kelly Love founded the brand in 2009, they were on a mission to cut down on cleaning essentials—both in quantity and number of ingredients. That’s where the Branch Basics Concentrate comes in. Fragrance-free and biodegradable, this plant- and mineral-based solution contains no harmful preservatives, making it a safe choice for laminate floors and family-friendly households.

But, perhaps the best thing about this pick is its versatility. Since a little bit of concentrate goes a long, long way, you’ll need to dilute it with water first before using. To help you find the right proportion for each surface check out Branch Basics’ comprehensive care guide.

The biggest downside to this option is the price. At $55, this cleaner is definitely a splurge. But, we think the longevity and multi-use factors make the Branch Basics Concentrate a worthwhile investment, especially if you want to simplify your cleaning caddy.

Price at time of publish: $55

Product Details:

Ready to Use: No | Recommended Surfaces: Hardwood, tile, linoleum, laminate | Size: 33.8 ounces

Grove Co.

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Why You Should Get It

This plant-based option appeals to all of the senses.

Keep in Mind

You’ll need a separate spray bottle to mix and dilute the solution.

When it comes to selecting the best laminate floor cleaner, most shoppers are often confronted with two ends of the spectrum: an overly fragrant, headache-inducing aroma or no scent at all. But, if you’re looking for a happy medium, consider adding Grove Collaborative’s Floor Cleaner Concentrate to your cart. With four, 100-percent naturally fragranced scent options—orange and rosemary; lavender blossom and thyme; lemon and eucalyptus; and unscented—you’re bound to find the perfect match for your home.

Of course, there’s more to this concentrate than its delicious scents. This floor cleaner also uses 96 percent plant-derived, biodegradable ingredients to remove common stains from your laminate floors—leaving no streaks behind.

Make sure you have an extra spray bottle on hand, though, as this set of two 1-ounce concentrates doesn’t include a bottle. It’s easy enough to mix; just pour one bottle of concentrate into a 16-ounce bottle and add water.

Price at time of publish: $8

Product Details:

Ready to Use: No | Recommended Surfaces: Tile, laminate, hardwood | Size: 2 ounces

Rejuvenate Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Cleaner

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

This professional-approved pick offers a shiny, residue-free finish.

Keep in Mind

For the fastest and easiest clean, use the cleaner with a Rejuvenate spray mop.

As the chief hygiene officer at Pro Housekeepers, Jennifer Rodriguez is no stranger to cleaning. When it comes to getting the best shine on laminate floors, she reaches for Rejuvenate Stone, Tile & Laminate Floor Cleaner. This ammonia-free formula is designed to be tough on stubborn grime and grit, yet gentle enough to use on delicate stone, tile, and laminate.

But, of course, what the professionals really love about this laminate floor cleaner is its squeaky clean, shining results. “It provides a streak- and residue-free result,” she adds. “It doubles as a granite and marble cleaner, which is an added bonus.” Simply spritz some of the solution on your floors, go over with your damp mop, and your floor will dry in about 20 minutes. One 32-ounce spray bottle can cover up to 500-square-feet of space.

While the spray bottle is perfect for spot cleaning your laminate floors, Rejuvenate also offers a special Click N Clean system where you can insert your formula directly into a compatible mop. An easy way to get a great clean? Yes, please.

Price at time of publish: $16

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: Stone, tile, laminate | Size: 32 ounces

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

This hard-working cleaner shows long-lasting results.

Keep in Mind

The squirt bottle design may not be suited to everyone’s preferred cleaning style.

While it’s always a good idea to give your floors a regular clean, there are some times when your laminate might need an extra oomph. In that case, pick up a bottle of Weiman’s Hardwood Cleaner. The squirt bottle makes it easy to quickly treat scuffs and grime, while the specifically designed formula cuts through built-up dirt for a super deep clean, making it our top pick for the best laminate floor cleaner for deep cleaning.

Thanks to its neutral PH, biodegradable, and plant-derived formula, you can score long-lasting results without compromising your home’s health. We like that this liquid cleaner is safe to use around kids and pets while also being effective, adding shine without leaving your floors streaky.

Price at time of publish: $10

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: Hardwood, laminate, vinyl | Size: 32 ounces

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

The convenience factor is hard to beat.

Keep in Mind

These disposable pads are not the most eco-friendly or economical option.

Of course, you don’t always need to clean every square inch of your laminate floors. Whether you spilled a little bit of red wine or tracked in some mud on your shoes, sometimes a little spot cleaning is all you need. In that case, reach for these Swiffer Sweeper Wet Mopping Cloths. Though you might’ve seen these wet wipes around, there’s a good chance you were wondering if these would be compatible with your delicate laminate floors. Turns out, with the gentle formula and just the right amount of moisture, they are.

Though you can certainly bend down and wipe up a pesky spill by hand, we recommend using the cleaning pads with the Swiffer two-in-one flat mop. That way, you can tackle messes of any size and scope.

One thing to consider about Swiffer Wet Mopping Cloths is the amount of waste these pads generate. Each cloth is single-use, so when you consider that aspect in addition to the plastic packaging and the cost per pack, these aren’t the most economical choice for cleaning laminate floors, which is why we recommend these disposable pads for spot cleaning only.

Price at time of publish: $10

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: All finished floor types | Size: 12 pads

4.3

Black Diamond Stoneworks Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

This non-toxic option is especially tough on stubborn pet messes.

Keep in Mind

It’s a bit pricey for a specialty cleaning product.

Though a pet is an invaluable member of your home, cleaning up after your pup or kitten can be a total nightmare. (Muddy paw prints? The occasional scratches? Nighttime accidents? No, thank you.) For an option that will appeal to both your laminate floors and Fido, Black Diamond Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner has you covered. “This one is safe around children and pets and is also eco-friendly,” Rodriguez shares. “It also provides a streak-free result as well as can help protect surfaces with its PolyShield ingredient.”

Thanks to its effective formula, you can get rid of prints, stains, spills, dirt, and grime with a simple spray and swipe—no rinsing required. Best of all, Black Diamond’s option is non-toxic, water-based, and hypoallergenic, so you should rest easy if your pet’s running around after you cleaned the floors.

While it’s not as readily available as some of our other picks on this list, we like that this spray cleaner contains no harsh chemicals, adds shine, and keeps laminate flooring finish intact.

Price at time of publish: $15

Product Details:

Ready to Use: Yes | Recommended Surfaces: Hardwood, laminate | Size: 32 ounces

The Bottom Line

Overall, the best laminate floor cleaner is Bona Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner Spray, which is fast-drying, eco-conscious, and delivers results. (It also works on a range of surfaces, so you can use this in multiple areas of your home.) But, if you’re looking for a great value, Zep’s Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner is a reliable option that is sold by the gallon for less.

What to Know About Laminate Floor Cleaner Before Shopping

Ready to Use

How do you prefer to clean? That’s the first question you’ll need to ask yourself when shopping for a laminate floor cleaner. Do you like to spritz a little liquid on your floor? Attach a wet wipe to your flat mop? Or flex your DIY muscle by diluting a concentrate?

While spray bottles and wet wipes might be the easiest to use—and might even incentivize you to clean your floors more often—they usually run out quicker and result in more waste. Concentrates require a bit more work upfront to create the cleaning solution, but they offer longevity and versatility in return. The good news is there are plenty of great options in various formulations, so choose the best one for your needs.

Recommended Surfaces

Before purchasing a floor cleaner, consider the types of flooring in your home. For the purposes of this article, we only recommended cleaners that are safe to use on laminate, but if your home has multiple flooring types, you may want to select a cleaner that can be used on other surfaces to save money and hassle of buying different specialty cleaners. Always check labels before applying a cleaner so that you don’t cause irreversible damage to finished or unfinished flooring.

Size

Whether you’re looking for a great value or an option that can cover your entire space, it’s important to understand how much laminate floor cleaner you’ll need. (In fact, some brands even break down how many square feet a single bottle can clean.) While liquid concentrates require dilution with water and often come in smaller quantities, they typically last longer than spray formulas. If you’re in need of more laminate floor cleaner, fear not. Many companies sell large refills, so you won’t have to worry about replenishing your stock after every clean.

Your Questions, Answered

Are there any ingredients to avoid using on laminate floors?

While Stapf says a mix of white vinegar and warm water can get the job done, store-bought laminate floor cleaners might require some more research. The key, she says, is to avoid cleaners with harsh, abrasive ingredients. “As a rule of thumb, I’d make sure to opt for simple, natural products,” Stapf recommends. “Not only are they great for the environment, but they’re great for your floors, too!”

Understandably, finding the right cleaner can be a tad overwhelming, so Stapf says to reach for formulas that are specifically designed for laminate floors and use natural, non-abrasive ingredients.

Can laminate floors be steamed?

Laminate flooring is very sensitive to moisture. We do not recommend frequent or even occasional steam cleaning of laminate flooring as exposure to moisture over time could cause warping or delamination. However, if you decide to steam mop laminate flooring, make sure to only use the lowest setting.

“Be sure not to oversaturate floors with soapy water,” says Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids. “Allowing flooring to air dry is okay but not if the floor is drenched. This can not only cause a fall hazard, but if floors are soaked repeatedly, it can damage the flooring and baseboards.”

How often should I clean my laminate floors?

According to Stapf, laminate floors are relatively easy to clean and maintain. “I recommend extensively cleaning your laminate floors every three to four weeks,” she shares. “You can use a regular vacuum to remove dirt from the floor in between deeper cleans. Use a mop with a small amount of water/white vinegar mixture to give the floor a more extensive clean.”

Who We Are

Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance journalist with seven years of experience researching and writing about home products. When researching the best laminate floor cleaners, she considered recommended surface types, size, and quality. She also consulted Jennifer Rodriguez, chief hygiene officer at Pro Housekeepers, as well as Victoria Culbertson of NYC House Cleaners & Maids. Leanne Stapf of The Cleaning Authority and Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, also shared their expert tips.