If you have hardwood floors in your home, keeping them looking beautiful requires regular cleaning and maintenance. When it comes to choosing the best hardwood floor cleaner, two popular options are Bellawood Floor Cleaner and Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner.
But which one is right for your floors?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare Bellawood and Bona floor cleaners side-by-side, looking at the pros, cons, features, and real user experiences for each product.
By the end, you’ll have all the information you need to decide whether Bellawood or Bona is the best hardwood floor cleaner for your needs.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Feature | Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner | Bellawood Floor Cleaner |
| Cleaning Effectiveness | Excellent cleaning power | Good cleaning effectiveness |
| Residue Levels | Leaves no residue | Can occasionally leave slight residue |
| Floor Finish Effects | Gentle on floor shine/finish | Can potentially dull finish over time |
| Odor | Light almond scent, pleasant | Citrusy lemon scent, synthetic |
| Safety | Non-toxic, few concerning chemicals | Non-toxic but contains synthetic fragrance |
| Cost | $0.20/oz (for 128 oz size) | $0.28/oz (for 32 oz size) |
| Ease of Use | Easy to use and mop floors | Easy to use and mop floors |
| Availability | Sold widely in stores and online | Mostly sold online only |
Overview of Bellawood Floor Cleaner
Bellawood Floor Cleaner is made by Lumber Liquidators, a major retailer of hardwood flooring. It’s designed specifically for use on all types of unwaxed and polyurethane finished hardwood floors.
Some key features of Bellawood Floor Cleaner include:
- Plant-based formula with natural cleaning agents
- Biodegradable and safe for kids and pets
- Requires no rinsing after use
- Leaves no dulling residue or haze
- Fresh lemon scent
Bellawood cleaner comes in a 32 ounce concentrate bottle which needs to be diluted before use.
It can be used for routine cleaning by mixing 1/4 cup cleaner per gallon of warm water.
For deeper cleaning, use 1/2 cup cleaner per gallon of warm water.
The key benefits touted by Bellawood are the no-rinse formula that doesn’t leave behind residue, making it safe for hardwood floors with a glossy finish. The plant-based formula is also promoted as being environmentally friendly.
Overview of Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Bona is a company that specializes in hardwood floor cleaning and refinishing products. Their Hardwood Floor Cleaner formula is designed for use on all finished wood floors.
Some key features of Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner:
- Water-based formula with plant-derived cleaning agents
- Phosphate-free and biodegradable
- Leaves no dulling residue or haze
- Light almond scent
- Dries fast without streaks
Like Bellawood, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner concentrate must be diluted before use. For routine cleaning, mix 1/4 cup cleaner with 1 gallon of warm water. For a deeper clean, use 1/3 cup cleaner per gallon of water.
Bona advertises their cleaner as residue-free and safe for all polyurethane finishes. The water-based formula is promoted as effective yet gentle on floors.
Key Differences Between Bona And Bellawood Floor Cleaners
Now that we’ve looked at the basic specs for each cleaner, let’s compare them across some key factors:
- Cleaning Effectiveness
When it comes to actually getting your floors clean, both Bellawood and Bona are effective options. They can lift up dirt, dust, grime, and footprints with regular mopping.
Users say both cleaners leave hardwood floors shining, without any visible dirt, debris or residue left behind. The no-rinse formulas mean there’s no need to wipe floors down after mopping with either cleaner.
Some users do report that Bona cleaner seems to clean slightly better and deeper than Bellawood. This may be because Bona offers a higher concentrate ratio for heavy duty cleaning (1:3 parts water) compared to Bellawood’s maximum of 1:2 parts water.
Winner: Draw – Both deliver on cleaning hardwood floors effectively but Bona may have a slight edge for deeper cleans.
- Residue Levels
A major selling point of both Bellawood and Bona hardwood floor cleaners is that they don’t leave any dulling residue, film or haze on the floors.
Based on user reviews, Bona does seem to live up to its promise of an absolutely residue-free clean. Users say floors are left shiney and completely clear after using the Bona cleaner.
The story is a little more mixed for Bellawood when it comes to residue. Some users are pleased with the residue-free results of Bellawood cleaner. But others say it can occasionally leave behind a slight residue or cause streaks on floors, especially if the floor isn’t thoroughly rinsed or if too much cleaner is used.
Winner: Bona – Leaves behind virtually no residue based on user reviews.
- Floor Finish Effects
Protecting the shine and finish of hardwood floors is crucial.
You want a cleaner that gets floors clean without gradually stripping or dulling the wood floor finish.
Both Bellawood and Bona cleaners are reported to be safe for use on polyurethane coated hardwood floors.
They should not damage or degrade the finish with regular use.
A few users of Bellawood cleaner, however, have reported that over time it can sometimes start to slightly dull or “haze” the floor’s finish. Based on reviews, Bona seems to be gentler on floors and is less likely to have any impact on the shine or finish.
Winner: Bona – Less likely to dull or degrade floor finish based on user reviews.
- Odor
For any cleaner you’ll be using regularly in your home, odor is an important consideration. You want a product that will leave your floors fresh and pleasant smelling, not overwhelmed with chemical odors.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner leaves behind a light, refreshing almond scent that users love. The Bellawood cleaner has more of a citrusy lemon fragrance.
While some users find the Bellawood scent clean and pleasant, others feel it is overly synthetic or chemical-like. The Bona cleaner seems to have broader appeal in terms of scent profile.
Winner: Bona – Its almond aroma is universally liked by users.
- Safety
When cleaning products will be used around children and pets, safety is always top of mind.
Both Bona and Bellawood cleaners are reported to be safe when used as directed.
Bellawood cleaner is promoted as safe for kids and pets once the floors have dried after mopping.
The plant-based formula means it’s non-toxic.
However, it does contain some synthetic fragrance chemicals that could be a concern for families wanting only natural ingredients.
Bona cleaner is also marketed as safe for pets and children when floors have dried. While it contains some chemicals, they are derived from plants. The formula is free of phosphates, phthalates and other concerning compounds.
Winner: Bona – Contains fewer synthetic chemicals of concern for health-conscious families.
- Cost
When looking at the price of Bona vs Bellawood floor cleaners, Bona is the more expensive option per ounce of concentrate. However, the Bona concentrate bottles are larger (32 vs. 128 ounces).
Based on current prices, a 32 oz bottle of Bellawood cleaner costs about $9 while a 128 oz bottle of Bona costs around $25. This means the cost per ounce is lower for Bona at around 20 cents vs. 28 cents for Bellawood.
Over time, the larger bottle size of Bona also means fewer repurchases. Considering its performance benefits, most users report feeling the extra cost is worthwhile.
Winner: Bona – Higher upfront cost but lower cost per ounce in larger size.
- Ease of Use
In terms of convenience and ease of use when mopping floors, Bona and Bellawood cleaners are equally simple to mix up and apply.
The spray bottles that come with the concentrates make measuring out the solutions easy.
Both cleaners require 2 passes with the mop when cleaning – one to wash the floor and the second to rinse any residue away.
Some users say the Bona cleaner liquid tends to be thinner and more watery, while Bellawood is more viscous.
The thinner Bona liquid may require extra mop wringing to avoid streaks.
Winner: Draw – Both are easy to mix up and use for mopping floors.
- Availability
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is sold at major retailers like Home Depot, Lowes, Target, and Amazon so it’s widely accessible.
Bellawood Floor Cleaner is harder to find in stores and can primarily only be purchased online direct through Lumber Liquidators or Amazon.
Winner: Bona – Can be purchased conveniently at most home improvement stores.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Based on reviews and ratings across major retailers, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is consistently rated as the best hardwood floor cleaner available. It earns high marks for effectiveness in cleaning floors as well as leaving a residue-free shine.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is the best option if you want a wood floor cleaner that leaves absolutely zero residue behind. User reviews confirm that Bona cleaner lives up to its promise of leaving floors shiney and streak-free with no visible film.
For hardwood floors, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is the best floor cleaning solution. It cleans deeply but safely for wood floors to leave them immaculately clean with a just-mopped shine. The non-toxic water-based formula is residue-free and gentle on floor finishes.
Bellawood floors can be cleaned using Bellawood’s own wood floor cleaner. Fill a mop bucket with warm water and add 1/4 cup Bellawood cleaner concentrate per gallon of water. Dip a microfiber mop into the solution and mop floors with the grain. Allow to completely dry before walking on floors. For heavier dirt, use 1/2 cup cleaner per gallon of water. Always avoid excessive liquids on Bellawood floors.
Closing Remarks
When comparing Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Bellawood Floor Cleaner, while both products will effectively clean hardwood floors, Bona emerges as the winner for its superior performance and user experiences overall:
- Cleans floors thoroughly without leaving residue
- Gentler on floor finish and shine
- Pleasant almond aroma
- Safer formula with fewer chemical concerns
- More affordable per ounce when purchased in larger size
- Easily available at major retailers
While Bellawood floor cleaner is a decent budget option, most users agree that Bona cleaner is worth the extra investment for floors that shine like new. If you want residue-free cleaning power for your hardwoods, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is your best choice.