Facebook
When you shop through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This educational content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.

Best Wood Cleaners of 2023

Updated
Spruce up your wooden furniture with these remarkable cleaners.

Quality wood is expensive and should be passed down generations, not tossed. You need a good cleaner to keep your wooden furniture in good shape. But which product is right for you? We can help.

We’ve done the research and gathered seven of the best wood cleaners you can find. Try these trustworthy cleaners to bring life, shine and color back to your wooden furniture, floors, and fixtures.

Our Top Picks

Oh So Spotless earns a commission through the following independently chosen links at no additional cost to you.
Image
Model
Product Comparison Table
Features

Product Image of the Old English Furniture Polish Spray, Lemon 12.50 Oz (Pack of 3)
Best Aerosol Wood Cleaner
Old English Furniture Polish Spray
  • Handy aerosol bottle
  • Includes a Scratch Cover layer
  • Lemon and almond scents available
Product Image of the Better Life Natural Wood Polish, Lavender & Cinnamon , 16 Ounces (Pack of 2), 24193
Best Wood Cleaner and Polish
Better Life Natural Wood Polish
  • Cleans, polishes, and protects wood
  • Safe to use around kids and pets
  • Provides a good buff and shine
Product Image of the Touch Of Oranges Wood Cleaner & Polish Spray Real Orange Oil Luster Finish, Clean Kitchen Cabinets, Hardwood Floor and All Wood, Restorer, Conditioner - (1 Gallon)
Best Versatile Wood Cleaner
Touch of Oranges Wood Cleaner and Restorer
  • Lovely natural orange fragrance
  • Cleans and moisturizes wooden surfaces
  • Natural cleaning power of orange oil
Product Image of the Murphy Oil Soft Wipes Multi Use Wood Cleaner - 18 ct - 2 pk
Best Wood Cleaning Wipes
Murphy Oil Soft Wood Cleaner Wipes
  • Cleans and dusts, remove grease, grime
  • 98% naturally derived ingredients
  • Soft wipes don’t damage wooden surfaces
Product Image of the ECOS Non Toxic Bottle by Earth Friendly Products, Furniture Polish With Olive Oil, 22 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
Best Wood Cleaner for Furniture
Ecos Furniture Polish and Cleaner
  • 100% natural, biodegradable ingredients
  • Never tested on animals
  • Made in carbon-neutral factories
Product Image of the ATTITUDE Nature +, Hypoallergenic Floor Surface Cleaner, Tile & Wood, Citrus Zest, 35.2 Fluid Ounce
Best Hypoallergenic Wood Cleaner
Attitude Nature + Hypoallergenic Surface Cleaner
  • Naturally citrus-scented
  • Sustainable and biodegradable
  • Suitable for both wooden and tile floors
Product Image of the JAWS Hardwood Floor Cleaner Bottle with 2 Refill Pods. Refillable Cleaning Supplies.
Best Eco-Friendly Wood Cleaner
Jaws Hardwood Floor Cleaner Bottle
  • Streak-free finish for beautiful floors
  • Non-toxic and biodegradable formula
  • Neutral pH is gentle on hardwood floors


The Best Wood Cleaners of 2023

Here are the seven best wood cleaners available.

1. Old English Furniture Polish Spray

Best Aerosol Wood Cleaner

This is one of the most popular wood cleaners available and definitely a top choice for many people who want an aerosol product.

For over 100 years, customers have loved and trusted Old English to ensure that wooden furniture looks as good as new. This cleaner will spruce up your dirty wooden surfaces while also giving them a beautiful polish and Scratch Cover. This protects them between cleans and preserves natural beauty.

It also leaves your furniture dust-free, thanks to this protective layer. As a result, it’s easier than ever to quickly wipe away dust, fingerprints, food, and liquid, as well as other daily stains.

Customers also love the unique lemon and almond scent offerings.

This cleaner is one of the most versatile options. It’s suitable for basically all types of wood, including birch, oak, hickory, pine, maple, and more. You can even use it on antiques!

Put this to the test on cabinets, chairs, tables, desks and other furniture. It’s even suitable for floors, though it may take longer to use than Old English’s dedicated floor cleaners.

Pros

  • Handy aerosol bottle, which is easy to use.
  • Includes a Scratch Cover layer to protect wood.
  • Busts away dust without leaving a waxy finish.
  • Lemon and almond scents available.

Cons

  • It’s made with synthetic ingredients such as C13-14 Isoparaffin, propane, and more.
  • Some found it left a dull finish.

Product Specs

Type Aerosol
Eco-Friendly No
Budget $$$
Purpose Cleans, polishes, and protects all wooden surfaces
Amount 37.5 ounces

2. Better Life Natural Wood Polish

Best Wood Cleaner and Polish

Give the wooden furniture and surfaces in your home a lovely clean and polish with this plant-derived formula.

With the beautiful cinnamon and lavender scent, your home will have a refreshing quality to it. Yes, in terms of fragrance but also in terms of your wood’s appearance. This cleaner removes dust, dirt, smudges, fingerprints, and other marks.

The oil blend then moisturizes and polishes the wood. It even gives it a protected layer to ensure less harm is done to the wood between cleans.

You can use this on wood furniture, antique wood, veneers, cabinets, paneling, and engineered wood. The formula is free from VOCs, petroleum, and alkylphenol surfactants. So it shouldn’t irritate you or anyone in the family while you use it.

Just Note

This is not suitable for hardwood floors as it makes the wood quite oily and slippery.

Pros

  • Cleans, polishes, and protects wood.
  • Safe to use around kids and pets.
  • Natural cinnamon and lavender scent.
  • Provides a good buff and shine.

Cons

  • Oily finish may not work for tables or other such surfaces.
  • Some customers found it left a streaky finish.

Product Specs

Type Spray
Eco-Friendly Yes
Budget $$
Purpose Cleans and polishes wood surfaces (not floors)
Amount 32 ounces

3. Touch of Oranges Wood Cleaner and Restorer

Best Versatile Wood Cleaner

If you want a one-stop product for the wooden surfaces in your home, this is it.

Touch of Oranges wood cleaner and restorer is suitable for all wooden surfaces. This includes floors, cabinets, furniture, antiques, and more.

We love how this provides a deep clean so that you can wipe away grease, grime, and dirt. But it also uses a moisturizing blend of orange oil and other ingredients to provide moisture to your wooden surfaces. No more drying or cracking. All without the waxy buildup that some other wood cleaners leave behind.

That’s not all — you can also use this for dusting your wooden surfaces. It can even hide minor scratches. Overall, your wooden surfaces will be looking so much better than before.

Pros

  • Lovely natural orange fragrance.
  • Cleans and moisturizes wooden surfaces.
  • Restores the natural tones, colors, and textures of your wooden surfaces.
  • Uses the natural cleaning power of orange oil.

Cons

  • Vague ingredient list, so you can’t be sure of all it contains.
  • May leave behind a residue.
  • Quite an expensive option.

Product Specs

Type Liquid
Eco-Friendly No
Budget $$$
Purpose Cleans, polishes, and protects all wooden surfaces
Amount 128 ounces

4. Murphy Oil Soft Wood Cleaner Wipes

Best Wood Cleaning Wipes

Wood cleaning wipes are super handy to have nearby, especially for quick spills and cleanups. These Murphy cleaner wipes ticked a lot of boxes for us while we did our research.

For starters, they contain 98 percent naturally-derived ingredients, so they’re a lot safer and more eco-friendly than a lot of other wood wipes on the market. The wipes are made with water, Lauramidopropyldimethylamine, and other naturally derived ingredients.

Just be cautious if anyone in the family does have allergies as it contains fragrance and preservatives, and it’s not specified if these are natural.

We also love that these wipes fit on any Swiffer mop. So while you can use these wipes by hand, you can also attach them to the end of your mop for a quick and easy clean of your floors.

Overall these wipes can be used both to clean and dust wooden surfaces. This includes floors, wooden furniture, paneling, cabinets, and more.

Pros

  • Cleans and dusts, removing grease, grime, and more.
  • 98% naturally derived ingredients.
  • Soft wipes don’t damage wooden surfaces.
  • Can be used by hand or on the end of any Swiffer mop

Cons

  • High price per wipe when you break down the cost.
  • Rip easily when used on Swiffer mops.
  • Not enough moisture for larger areas; they dry quickly.

Product Specs

Type Wipes
Eco-Friendly Somewhat
Budget $$$
Purpose Cleans and dust wooden surfaces
Amount 36 wipes

5. Ecos Furniture Polish and Cleaner

Best Wood Cleaner for Furniture

Give your wooden furniture the makeover it deserves with this cleaner and polish from ECOS.

Made with plant-powered ingredients, this product cleans your wooden furniture to remove grease, grime, oil, and dirt. It then polishes it, leaving behind a natural shine that enhances the original beauty of the furniture.

Coming in a handy spray bottle, this is super easy to use. Simply spray it onto the wooden furniture a few times before immediately wiping it with a soft clean cloth. Just be sure not to use it on floors as this can leave a slippery finish.

Yes, this is another eco-friendly and non-toxic recommendation from us. Made with the power of olive oil and oranges, this provides a beautiful finish using super-safe ingredients. Safe for you, the home, and your family.

Pros

  • 100% natural, biodegradable ingredients.
  • Cleans and protects wood while leaving a shiny polish.
  • Never tested on animals.
  • Made in carbon-neutral factories.

Cons

  • Bottles are prone to leaking.
  • If you don’t wipe immediately and thoroughly, it can leave a dull finish.

Product Specs

Type Spray
Eco-Friendly Yes
Budget $
Purpose Cleans, polishes and protects wood furniture
Amount 44 ounces

6. Attitude Nature + Hypoallergenic Surface Cleaner

Best Hypoallergenic Wood Cleaner

We know how hard it can be to find the right cleaning products when someone in the family has allergies. Thankfully, this Attitude Nature+ surface cleaner ticks all the right boxes, ensuring a hypoallergenic and safe formula.

All Attitude products are dermatologically tested through extensive safety tests to ensure they’re safe for sensitive skin. So now you can enjoy super clean wooden surfaces without an allergy attack.

This lovely citrus-scented cleaner is made from plant and mineral-based ingredients to leave behind a streak-free finish on your wooden surfaces. The active ingredient is saponin which is a natural cleanser.

It’s totally biodegradable, and the packaging is recyclable, making this a sustainable choice.

We also love that it’s a versatile product. It’s suitable for both wood and tile flooring so that you can spruce up a few rooms of your home with this cleaner.

Pros

  • Naturally citrus-scented — no synthetic fragrances.
  • Sustainable and biodegradable, made from plant-based ingredients.
  • Hypoallergenic, so it’s safe for sensitive skin.
  • Suitable for both wooden and tile floors.

Cons

  • May leave a streaky and tacky finish.

Product Specs

Type Liquid
Eco-Friendly Yes
Budget $
Purpose Wooden and tile floors, cleans only
Amount 35.2 ounces

7. Jaws Hardwood Floor Cleaner Bottle

Best Eco-Friendly Wood Cleaner

There’s no need to waste plastic and harm the environment anymore. With this super eco-friendly wood cleaner, you can cut down your carbon footprint while still giving your wooden pieces a total makeover.

This bottle is compatible with these awesome refill pods. So when you finish the wood cleaner, you don’t need to throw out the bottle. Instead, simply order more refill pods and dissolve in water. As a result, you cut down on tons of plastic waste.

As well as being eco-friendly in terms of packaging, this is also a biodegradable formula. The safe but effective ingredients are kind to you, the environment, and of course, your floors. Thanks to the pH-neutral formula, you don’t need to worry about damage.

Speaking of floors, this is fantastic for hardwood floors, leaving them clean, streak-free, and shiny. But it also is suitable for laminate and tile as well as wooden furniture such as cabinets, shelves, and tables.

Pros

  • Streak-free finish for beautiful floors and furniture.
  • Non-toxic and biodegradable formula with eco-friendly packaging.
  • Neutral pH is gentle on hardwood floors.
  • Budget-friendly and cost-effective over time.

Cons

  • Not suitable for unsealed wood.

Product Specs

Type Spray with refill pods
Eco-Friendly Yes
Budget $
Purpose Wooden floors and furniture, plus tile and laminate. Cleans only.
Amount 27 ounces

Product Comparison Chart

Product Best Type Eco-Friendly Budget Suitable for Amount
Old English Furniture Polish Spray Aerosol Wood Cleaner Aerosol No $$$ All wooden surfaces 37.5 ounces
Better Life Natural Wood Polish Wood Cleaner and Polish Spray Yes $$ Wood surfaces (not floors) 32 ounces
Touch of Oranges Wood Cleaner and Restorer Versatile Wood Cleaner Liquid No $$$ All wooden surfaces 128 ounces
Murphy Oil Soft Wood Cleaner Wipes Wood Cleaning Wipes Wipes Somewhat $$$$ Wooden surfaces 36 wipes
Ecos Furniture Polish and Cleaner Wood Cleaner for Furniture Spray Yes $ Wood furniture 44 ounces
Attitude Nature + Hypoallergenic Surface Cleaner Hypoallergenic Wood Cleaner Liquid Yes $ Wooden and tile floors 35.2 ounces
Jaws Hardwood Floor Cleaner Bottle Eco-Friendly Wood Cleaner Spray with refill pods Yes $ Wooden floors, furniture, tile, laminate/td> 27 ounces

What to Look For (Buying Guide)

Before you go and grab the first wood cleaner you see, it’s important to tick a few boxes. You should consider the type, the ingredients, your budget, and more when shopping for wooden cleaners. This will ensure you make the smartest decision.

Type

You’ll find a variety of wood cleaner types. This includes:

  • Sprays.
  • Liquids.
  • Pastes.
  • Aerosol.
  • Wipes, etc.

Consider what is going to be the most practical for you. Typically, sprays are a top choice because you can easily apply the solution to every wooden fixture.

Aerosol is also very popular, but it may irritate your breathing since it spreads throughout the air. Wipes are handy for quick cleaning.

Eco-Friendly

There are lots of eco-friendly and natural wood cleaners on the market. If you want something green, you’re in luck.

Always check the ingredient list to see if the product is eco-friendly or derived from natural sources. If it’s biodegradable, that’s a good sign it will be kind to the environment and safe to use around the whole family.

Budget

The best way to check the value of a wood cleaner is to look at the cost per fluid ounce or per wipe. The lower this is, the more you’re getting for your money. Thankfully, wood cleaners come in a range of prices, starting at around $5 and going up to about $45. The average price of a wood cleaner is about $12.

Versatility

Be sure to consider the purpose of the wood cleaner and how versatile it is. Is it for furniture, floors, both, or something else? What kind of wood does it work on? Will it only clean? Or can it possibly polish, moisturize, fill in scratches, and more?


FAQs About Wood Cleaners

How Do You Sanitize Wood?

So you want to kill germs and bacteria on your wooden furniture. Here’s an effective method:

  1. Mix two cups of water, one cup of white vinegar, and five drops of dish soap into a spray bottle. Shake well to combine.
  2. Spray onto the wooden surface and wipe thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth.
  3. Wipe after with a dry cloth.

The vinegar can disinfect the wood while the dish soap clings to germs and bacteria and removes them. Just be sure to wash your cloth in hot water afterward.

How Do You Clean Dirty Wooden Furniture?

Any of our recommendations will work wonders at cleaning grease, grime, and dirt from your wooden furniture. If you want a DIY method, the above recipe is also a fantastic daily cleaner for wood.

How Do You Clean Wood Naturally?

  1. Mix one cup of water with three tablespoons of distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle.
  2. Shake to combine.
  3. Spray onto the wooden surface.
  4. Wipe well with a soft cloth.
  5. Dry thoroughly.

If you want to polish wooden furniture, try this:

  1. Mix one cup of extra virgin olive oil and ½ cup of lemon juice together in a bowl.
  2. Dip in a microfiber cloth and rub a small amount into your wooden surface using circular motions.
  3. Repeat until the wood is polished.
  4. Do not rinse or wipe dry.

Can You Clean Wood With an All-Purpose Cleaner?

You can clean wood with an all-purpose cleaner because it is safe on most materials, including metal, plastic, marble, stone, and tile.

What is the Difference Between Murphy’s Oil Soap and Murphy’s Wood Cleaner?

There is no real difference between Murhy’s Oil Soap and Murphy’s Wood Cleaner. Both have the same formula of ninety-eight percent natural ingredients and two percent synthetic.

How Do You Restore Old Wood Furniture Without Stripping?

The best way to restore old wood furniture without stripping is to clean it with mineral spirits, remove blemishes and paint splashes, and repair dents and scratches with epoxy resin.


Feedback: Was This Article Helpful?
Thank You For Your Feedback!
Thank You For Your Feedback!
What Did You Like?
What Went Wrong?
Headshot of Beth McCallum

About the Author

Beth McCallum

Beth McCallum is a freelance writer & book blogger with a degree in creative writing, journalism, and English literature. Beth firmly believes that a tidy house is a tidy mind. She is always looking for new ways to sustainably clean and tidy her house, that's kind on the environment but effective in the house, too!