Eco-friendly floor cleaner: match the surface, then compare dilution

Start with your floor

• Sealed hardwood: use a product made for it, and avoid soaking the floor. Check the flooring maker's care advice.
• Tile and vinyl: usually tolerant of a wider range of cleaners. Check the label.
• Natural stone: acidic cleaners, including vinegar-based ones, can etch some stone. Use a product made for stone.
• Laminate: keep water low, and use a product made for it.
• Test on a hidden corner before you mop a whole room.

Reading the label

• Surfaces: the label lists what the product is made for.
• Residue: some cleaners leave a film that makes floors look dull. A product that says rinse-free is making a claim, so check the directions.
• Fragrance-free: helpful if scent bothers you or if pets spend time on the floor.
• Pets and children: floors are where they play. Check the label for directions and warnings, and keep wet floors off-limits until dry.
• Eco claims: general words say little. Look for specific ones, such as recycled packaging or a recognized certification, which we describe only in general terms.
• Never mix cleaning products. Some combinations release dangerous gas.

Our angle: cost per mop bucket, plus the pad or mop

Concentrates look expensive per bottle, but you dilute them. Use the directions to find how much concentrate goes into a bucket or a spray bottle, then divide the bottle size by that amount to get the number of buckets. Divide the price by that number for the cost per bucket. Then add the mop. A microfiber mop with washable pads costs more at first than disposable pads and can cost less over a year, so work out the cost per mop session for each setup. Hardwood floors may need a damp, not wet, mop, which changes how much liquid you use.

1. Find the amount of concentrate per bucket.
2. Divide the bottle size by that amount, then the price by the result.
3. Add the cost per session of pads, washable or disposable.