We carry floor cleaners and polishers built around how your floor is finished, not just what surface it's made from. Lacquered floors, oiled and waxed floors, and laminate all need different cleaning products, and using the wrong one can strip a finish or leave a film behind. Our range includes cleaning concentrates, wax refreshers, mops and applicator pads from brands including Bona, Osmo and Loba, plus dedicated kits for laminate and parquet flooring. If you're not sure which product matches your floor's finish, call us on 020 8830 9785 and we'll point you to the right one.
Matching the cleaner to your floor's finish
Lacquered floors have a protective film sitting on top of the wood, so they need a cleaner that lifts dirt without breaking down that film. A pH-neutral cleaner used with a microfibre mop is usually all a lacquered floor needs day to day, with a deeper clean every few weeks for high-traffic areas.
Oiled and waxed floors work differently. The finish has soaked into the wood rather than sitting on the surface, so cleaners for oiled floors are designed to nourish the wood as they clean, and periodic wax refreshers help maintain the sheen without a full reapplication. Using a lacquer-floor cleaner on an oiled floor can strip the oil and leave patches, so it's worth checking the label before you buy.
Laminate floors need the least fuss, but they're sensitive to standing water and abrasive cleaners can dull the surface layer. Purpose-made laminate cleaning kits, usually a spray formula paired with a microfibre mop, are the safest bet.
| Floor finish |
What to look for |
What to avoid |
| Lacquered |
pH-neutral cleaner, microfibre mop |
Wax-based or oil-based cleaners |
| Oiled/waxed |
Cleaner formulated for oiled floors, occasional wax refresher |
Standard lacquer cleaners, excess water |
| Laminate |
Laminate-specific spray and mop kit |
Steam cleaners, abrasive pads |
| Sports floors |
Concentrated detergent for sweat and grip restoration |
Household all-purpose cleaners |
Commercial and sports floors have their own demands too. Floors used for exercise or sport pick up body fat from sweat over time, which makes the surface slippery, so these need an occasional deep clean with a stronger detergent rather than a daily light wipe.
For day-to-day maintenance, a dusting pad or dry mop to remove grit before wet cleaning makes a real difference. Grit ground underfoot is one of the main causes of surface scratching on any finish, lacquered or oiled.
FAQ
How often should I clean a wood floor? A dry dusting or vacuuming a couple of times a week keeps grit from scratching the surface, with a wet clean using the appropriate cleaner every one to two weeks depending on foot traffic.
Can I use a steam mop on a wood floor? No. Steam mops push moisture into the wood and finish, which can cause the boards to swell, warp, or the finish to cloud. Stick to a damp microfibre mop with a proper wood floor cleaner instead.
Why does my oiled floor look patchy after cleaning? This usually means the cleaner used wasn't formulated for oiled floors, or too much water was used. A cleaner made for oiled and waxed surfaces, applied sparingly, avoids this.
Do I need different products for a floor that's been sanded and resealed? Once a floor has been resanded and refinished, clean it according to whatever finish was applied, lacquer, oil or hardwax, rather than what it was before. Our floor lacquers range shows the finish types if you're not sure which was used.
