Causes of streaks

All-purpose/multi-surface cleaners. Streaks usually come from a combination of residue in the cleaner you are using and existing dirt on your floor. All-purpose cleaners claim they are safe for many different applications, including wood, however, wood is a sensitive surface and shoud be cleaned with care. Steer clear of multi-surface cleaners, oil-soaps and steam cleaners and stick to formulas that are created specifically for a wood surface.

Contaminated cleaning pads. Another common cause of streaks could be a contaminated dusting or cleaning pad. Thoroughly rinse and ring out your cleaning pad before and during the cleaning process. We recommend using a Microfiber pad, which will help to lift dirt off the floor, instead of pushing it around. Microfiber is also much healthier than other options due to it's effectiveness at removing bacteria instead of just pushing it around.

Overspray. Overspray from window or other household cleaners that land on your floor will cause streaking, so use caution when tidying up other areas of the home. 

Here's what we recommend:

1. Use cleaners specifically formulated for wood floors, like the Bona Wood Floor Cleaner or Bona OxyPower Wood Floor Deep Cleaner with 3X the cleaning power.
2. Use a machine washable microfiber pads that will lift and lock dirt off your floor, like our Bona Microfiber Dusting Pad and our Bona Microfiber Cleaning Pad. Thoroughly rinse and ring out cleaning pads before use.
3. Avoid a mop and bucket that put too much water on your floor and risk heavy contamination and instead use a mop designed to clean floors like the Bona Premium Spray Mop for Wood Floors. It's ergonomic and gives you a cleaner and mop all-in-one for maximum efficiency.
4. Every year or so, hire a Bona Certified Craftsman to deep clean your wood floors safely using a Bona Power Scrubber and Bona Deep Clean Solution, to safely remove dirt, grime and build-up on wood floors that has accumulated over the years. Learn more about our deep clean process here.