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Hard floors look great but they can be time consuming to keep in the best shape. Well, unless you buy one of our recommended hard floor cleaners. floor scrubber battery operated
All of these models are built to take care of hard floors, with dedicated cleaning heads and detergent formulated to clean up dirt and leave a streak-free finish.
Here, I’ve selected the top eight cleaners, with both plug-in and battery-powered models. I’ve chosen a selection of cleaners, too, including polishers, vacuums and roller systems, so that you can find the right type for your home.
Every product has been fully tested in our lab, so you can trust that I’ve recommended only the best products.
We put all of our cleaners through a standard set of tests, so that we can compare and contrast the performance of them. We use real-world testing with real dirt, so that we can accurately depict the kind of performance you can expect in real life. You can find out more in our how we test hard floor cleaners guide.
Sporting a dual-roller system that makes it easy to manoeuvre and separate deposits for solids and dirty water, the Dyson WashG1 is a fantastic hard floor cleaner that left our floors sparkling. Just be wary that such powerful and clever cleaning comes with a high price tag.
Despite weighing a hefty 4.9kg, the Dyson WashG1 is impressively easy to push around, thanks to its dual-roller floor head which helps the cleaner glide across floors with minimal effort.
The WashG1’s floorhead also makes cleaning that much easier, as it picks up solids while simultaneously mopping stains. Not only that but its brushes then cleverly remove and deposit solids into a tray while dirty water is filtered into the 0.8-litre dirty tank, resulting in hassle-free emptying.
You can select between three cleaning modes based on how dirty the floor is, plus there’s an additional Max button that adds even more water to the clean for tackling particularly tough stains. Regardless of the mode you opt for, the battery life will remain constant at 35-minutes.
We were impressed with how the Dyson WashG1 took dried-on stains, from tough dirt to red wine, in its stride. Even edge performance was admirable, with the WashG1 able to get much closer than other hard floor cleaners we’ve reviewed.
The separate collection for solids was undoubtedly a stand-out for us, as we found no debris was left in the dirty water tank which made emptying impressively easy. However, when we added human hair to the floor, although the WashG1 did pick this up with ease, the hair became wrapped around the brushes inside and needed cutting out.
With this in mind, if you live with pets or people with long hair then you should vacuum first before using the Dyson WashG1.
Weighing just 3.95kg, the Shark HydroVac Hard Floor Cleaner is one of the lightest hard floor cleaners we’ve reviewed. As a three-in-one cleaner, it works as a vacuum, mop and self-cleans to eliminate bacteria and odours.
Not only is the HydroVac lightweight, but it’s also cordless, making it convenient to clean and carry around the whole house. Thanks to its LED display, you can also easily monitor its remaining battery life, surface type and cleanser level and top up accordingly.
The HydroVac can be used to deep clean hard floors, mop up spills and grime and even freshen up rugs and carpets. Dirt is collected into the 500ml dirty water tank, which also houses the washable filter and a solids separator, which catches debris like pet fur and dust.
Once cleaning is finished, the dirty water tank should be poured away, a task made easier thanks to its spout, and all collected solids emptied into the bin.
It’s worth noting that while being able to vacuum and clean simultaneously is useful, it’s recommended that you vacuum up any noticeable solids first to reduce having to deal with emptying wet mess in the solids separator. This issue is something that’s found with most similar hard floor cleaners.
The HydroVac also comes with a dedicated multi-surface cleaning solution that neutralises odours on floors. We found in our test that the bottle included has enough to fill the tank seven times. In addition, HydroVac’s brush-roll is treated with antimicrobial substances to help preserve the roller and resist bacterial odours.
Once you finish cleaning, simply place the HydroVac back onto its dock to charge and activate its self-cleaning mode, ready for the next clean.
Its battery life allows for around 25 minutes of runtime, which should be enough to tackle your entire house.
Reviewer: David Ludlow Full Review: Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner WD210UK
The Gtech Orca is a very good hard floor cleaner that’s able to sanitise and clean floors admirably. Having said that, you will need to overlook the questionable design choices that can make it frustrating to use.
While it is generally easy to use and manoeuvre, we noted that if you lift the handle too high then the Gtech Orca will instantly turn off, which means cleaning in smaller and more confined spaces can be difficult.
Unlike other hard floor cleaners that just rely on steam, the Gtech Orca comes equipped with a dedicated cleaning detergent that should be poured into the clean water tank, which then sanitises floors and leaves them smelling fresh too.
Inside the dirty water tank is a washable filter and a solids separator to keep debris away from liquid, which is designed to make emptying easier.
There are also two vacuum-only modes which can be used for picking up mess before mopping. While the Orca can deal with larger bits of debris with ease, we’d recommend vacuuming if there’s hair or smaller solids on the floor before using the hard floor mode.
In our tests we found the Gtech Orca was able to cope with most tough stains, such as dried-on mud and red wine, although some messes did need multiple passes to completely clean.
Overall the Gtech Orca is a powerful hard floor cleaner, that makes light work of sanitising floors thanks to the inclusion of Gtech’s detergent. However just be wary that it’s fiddly to use, especially in smaller rooms.
Coping with wet and dry messes, as well as self-cleaning, the powerful Roborock Dyad is both a vacuum cleaner and a hard floor cleaner.
It has two tanks: a 850ml clean water tank, which can also take suitable machine detergent for extra cleaning power, and a 620ml dirty water tank, into which all the dirt is sucked. The cleaner will tell you when the dirty water tank is full. There’s also a filter for any solid mess.
The controls on the handle include a power toggle button plus a button to change modes. You can get a visual indicator of the level of dirt by looking at the coloured bar that runs around the LCD: the more red there is, the dirtier the floor.
Pushing the Dyad around is easy, with the smooth joint on the head making it quick to zip around chairs. And when you’ve finished, you simply tap the button on top to run the automatic cleaning process, which delivers clean water over the rollers and works brilliantly.
In our tests the Dyad performed superbly, cleaning up loose debris and tougher stains and bringing hard floors back to their best. And with battery life of up to 35 minutes, this floor cleaner should be able to cope with large areas without needing to be recharged.
Reviewer: David Ludlow Full review: Roborock Dyad
A revamp on the Dyson V15 Detect, the V15s Detect Submarine is a fantastic two-in-one vacuum and hard floor cleaner that sports a clever software upgrade, plus a brand new floor head, coined the Submarine Wet Roller.
Otherwise, the V15s Detect Submarine sports a similar design to its vacuum-only sibling, with a piezo sensor which monitors dust particles as they’re picked up, a small display at the back and a trigger to operate the vacuum.
The piezo sensor is useful as it allows the cleaner to automatically adjust its power based on how much dirt is detected when in vacuuming mode. All information, including the particle size, is displayed at the screen on the back so you can see how dirty your floor is in real-time.
We found this system to be nothing short of brilliant, as it takes the guesswork out of which power mode to use. However, you can also opt for Eco or Boost modes whenever you need either gentler cleaning or maximum power.
To engage mopping mode, simply attach the Submarine Wet Roller Head. Made up of a soft microfibre roller and a 300ml water reservoir, enough for about 16-minutes of cleaning, the wet roller head is also designed to ensure liquid doesn’t get into the vacuum.
We found that while the Submarine Roller Head makes light work of regular stains, it does require multiple passes in tougher, ground-in stains.
It’s also worth noting that we would recommend vacuuming before using the Submarine Wet Roller Head to avoid picking up and mixing any unwanted debris in with the water tank.
Otherwise, Dyson also throws in numerous extra tools and attachments for vacuuming, including the Digital Motorbar head for carpet and Fluffy Optic which is fitted with a green laser to illuminate your path.
Overall, if you have a mixture of carpets and hard floors at home then the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is a great choice. However, if your home is mostly made up of hard floors then we’d recommend a dedicated hard floor cleaner like the Dyson Wash G1.
Full review: Dyson V15s Detect Submarine
Although at first glance this may seem like a more basic option, if you have delicate wood or tiled floors that won’t cope well with powerful motorised brushes then the Bona Premium Spray Mop is exactly what you need.
Out of the box you’ll receive the mop itself, one microfibre pad and one bottle of cleaning solution to get you started. Which solution you receive will depend on the model you buy, with options for wood, hard-surface or oiled wood floors.
You can also switch out bottles of solution in-between cleans, which is ideal if you have multiple floor types in your home.
Regardless of which one you choose, all of the water-based cleaning solutions are designed to dry quickly without leaving any residue.
Once the bottle is clipped into the mop, cleaning solution is then dosed via the trigger at the top. Each spray is powerful with a wide jet that shoots out in front of the cleaning head, which makes it easy to roughly direct where the solution goes.
As it reaches out past the sides of the mop-head, the velcro-attached machine-washable microfibre cloth can clean right to the edge of the room which is something we’ve found most hard floor cleaners struggle with.
However, unlike more expensive models such as the Dyson Wash G1, the Bona Premium Spray Mop can’t deal with solids or hair, so you will need to vacuum before mopping.
We tested the mop across different delicate surfaces, with the first being a painted wooden floor. We were seriously impressed with its ability to clean surface dirt without causing any damage to the paint.
Next, we moved onto a plain wooden floor and were equally impressed by the mop’s ability to not only remove minor scratches but also give the floor a nice shiny finish too.
Finally we tested the mop on 100 year old tiles and saw a huge improvement, with fresh dirt removed seamlessly and tiles regaining original colour and sheen.
If you have painted, wooden or tiled floors and need a way to keep them clean without causing any damage then the Bona Premium Spray Mop is not only gentle yet efficient but it’s impressively affordable too.
Full review: Bona Premium Spray Mop
A versatile and useful steam cleaner for many jobs
A powerful cordless vacuum cleaner and automated mop
There are three main types of hard floor cleaner: those with rollers, those with spinning microfibre pads, and steam cleaners. Roller cleaners generally have both dirty water and clean water tanks, sucking up dirt and germs to remove all traces from the floor, leaving your floor almost dry once cleaning is complete. These are a brilliant choice if you have large areas of hard floor in your home. Cleaners that use microfibre cloths are typically more gentle than roller cleaners, gently buffing the floor clean. These models are good if you have fewer hard floors to worry about. Also, look for a model that can apply a liquid wax finish to protect your floors after cleaning, particularly if you have expensive and delicate, solid timber floors. Steam cleaners can disinfect floors with heat, but the high temperatures make them better suited to tiled or laminate floors.
Most hard floor cleaners can be used with a detergent, but it’s important to match the type of detergent to the surface you’re cleaning. For example, if you have oiled floors, ensure you use a detergent that’s safe to use on such floors; otherwise, you could cause damage. You can use the manufacturer’s own detergent, although standard floor cleaner would work just as well in most instances. Just follow the instructions to ensure you’re using the correct amount.
Corded cleaners are likely to be more powerful. As such, if your house is predominantly hard floors, then a plug-in cleaner will probably suit you best. If you have fewer hard floors, then the convenience of a cordless cleaner shouldn’t be overlooked.
Starting life on the consumer PC press back in 1998, David has been at the forefront of technology for the past 20 years. He has edited Computer Shopper and Expert Reviews, and once wrote a book on ho…
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
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