Each month we’re swapping one cleaning product from our cupboard for an eco-friendly option. Join us in making Just One Swap.
This month we’re looking for the best floor cleaner. We’ve tested the most common big brands against some planet-friendly options to help you make a swap that works.
If you have small children or pets, you’ll know that they spend a lot of time on the floor. Whatever is on the floor inevitably ends up on fingers, paws, and even in mouths. So the ingredients in our floor cleaner matter, for the health of our families.
And of course, when we empty the bucket at the end of a cleaning session, we want to know we’re not polluting waterways and harming aquatic life.
Our pro team is testing floor cleaners against 4 criteria:
- How effectively does it clean?
- Do we like the smell?
- Is the packaging sustainable?
- How fast does it work?
We score each criteria out of 5, giving a total score out of 20. And of course, we’re also sharing information on cost and value for money too.
The big brands: Cif and Flash Cleaner
These two brands appear in the cleaning kits of both our clients and our Helpers. And we are spending time weaning everyone away from these established giants.
There’s no doubt that these products have that smell we’ve all come to associate with a clean floor. However, their packaging, chemical smells and most of all negative impact on our waterways and aquatic life mean they lost points in Operations Manager Rumi’s test. We would love you to consider some of the higher-scoring, eco-friendly products we’ve tested.
Cost per 100ml: £0.19
Overall score: 17/20
The wood floor specialist: Cif Wood Floor Cleaner
This product is available in a big refill bottle, which scored points with North London Helpers Nina and Diego. However, it’s very difficult to come by the smaller, everyday-sized bottle to refill. It’s often out of stock, or not available in high street stores.
Diego suggests using a little Cif cream cleaner with warm water to remove stains and scratches from wooden floors. Then use the liquid to leave it clean and shiny.
Cost per 100ml: £0.32
Overall score: 16/20
The mop expert: Vileda Floor Cleaner
We love a Vileda mop, but is this product the best floor cleaner out there?
South London Helper Irina loves the convenience of using this floor cleaner neat as part of the Vileda spray mop system. Performance-wise, this product gave a reasonable clean on a moderately dirty floor. It has a strong chemical smell and why is it blue? The bottle isn’t refillable either. So, while it scores on convenience, this floor cleaner lost points in most other areas. As it’s one of the more expensive products we tested, why not save your money and choose a more natural option.
Cost per 100ml: £0.48
Overall score: 12/20
The power of botanicals: Madekind
Our COO Joanne has moved her personal Helper into using this product from MadeKind over the past year. Joanne loves the smell of this planet-friendly floor cleaner, which uses essential oils and natural botanicals known for their antibacterial properties. A refillable “keep forever” bottle comes as part of your initial purchase. And the floor cleaner is concentrated, so a refill pouch lasts a long time.
This option is on the pricer end and this is something to be considered.
Cost per 100ml: £0.98
Overall score: 19/20
Almond-scented: Method
Mum-and-daughter team Rumi (Operations Assistant) and Nina (Helper) loved the gentle almond fragrance in Method Floor Cleaner. The squirt bottle is easy to use and effective, and is made from 100% recycled plastic. Refills are available online, although the refill isn’t concentrated and comes in a plastic bottle. This is disappointing because otherwise, we liked this floor cleaner.
Cost per 100ml: £0.45
Overall score: 17/20
The home-made option: Nancy Birtwhistle’s all-purpose floor cleaner
This floor cleaner is quick to make and I love that I can choose the scent by adding my favourite essential oils. I made this batch with geranium, rose and cedar oils which I find both uplifting and grounding at the same time (it’s one of my favourite bathtime combos too. The recipe made 8 buckets worth. The clean was high quality and safe to use on all types of floor surfaces.
I agree with Nancy that putting this into a spray bottle for wooden surfaces makes it less likely to water pool and damage the floor. And I would also add 10 drops of walnut or almond oil into this spray bottle mix, to gently nourish the wood.
I found it so satisfying to pour this mixture into my reusable glass bottles, and know that when the dirty bucket water gets poured down the loo there will be no nasties going into our waterways.
This recipe is similar to Rumi’s other preferred method of just adding a drop of soap or washing up liquid to warm water to shift grime and grease on hard floors.
Cost per 100ml: £0.21
Overall score: 19/20
Pro tip
It’s well worth investing in your mop and bucket. A great mop and bucket combo goes a long way towards a great floor clean – without any additional chemicals.
Let us know if you make #JustOneSwap with your floor cleaner this month, and take a look at our other blogs for more swap suggestions.
