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Hardwood floor polish can revitalize and restore hardwood floors by filling in unsightly scratches and adding shine. But not all hardwood floor polishes are safe for every type of floor, so manufacturers produce specially formulated products for different types of flooring and finishes. We researched the top brands and tested five popular options to determine which were the best.
Our favorite was the Weiman Wood Floor Polish and Restorer. It exceeded our expectations, enhancing the colors of our hardwood, filling in tiny scratches, and restoring shine—all while being easy to apply thanks to its squirt top bottle and quick 30-minute drying time.
Other floor polishes also delivered impressive results. To help you navigate the options, this guide details the important features to consider and highlights some of the best hardwood floor polishes on the market.
- BEST OVERALL: Weiman Hardwood Floor High Traffic Polish & Restorer
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR RESTORATION: Rejuvenate Professional Wood Floor Restorer
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR URETHANE FINISHES: Scott’s Liquid Gold Floor Restore
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR LOW GLOSS: Bona Low-Gloss Hardwood Floor Polish
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR HIGH GLOSS: Bona High-Gloss Hardwood Floor Polish
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR HIGH-TRAFFIC: Quick Shine Hardwood Floor Luster
↓ Jump to Review - BEST POLISH/CLEANER COMBO: Orange Glo 4-in-1 Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Polish
↓ Jump to Review
| Size | Suitable for multiple surfaces? | Drying time | |
| Weiman Hardwood Floor High Traffic Polish & Restorer | 32 ounces | Yes | 30 minutes |
| Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish | 64 ounces | Yes | 45 minutes |
| Rejuvenate Professional Wood Floor Restorer | 32 ounces | No | 1 hour for socked-foot traffic; 24 hours for other uses |
| Scott’s Liquid Gold Floor Restore | 24 ounces | No | 1 hour to walk on; 8 hours to cure |
| Bona Low-Gloss Hardwood Floor Polish | 32 ounces | No | 1 hour for socked-foot traffic; 24 hours to cure |
| Bona High-Gloss Hardwood Floor Polish | 32 ounces | No | 1 hour for socked-foot traffic; 24 hours to cure |
| Quick Shine Hardwood Floor Luster | 64 ounces | No | 45 to 60 minutes |
| Orange Glo 4-in-1 Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Polish | 24 ounces | No | 15 minutes |
Our Top Picks
We researched, tested, and reviewed several of the most popular products to help create this roundup of the best hardwood floor polish products. Regardless of your flooring’s finish, level of shine, or condition, one of these will likely be a worthy choice.
Best Overall
Weiman Hardwood Floor High Traffic Polish & Restorer
What We Like
- Squirt-top bottle makes for easy application
- User can apply multiple coats for extra shine
- Quick 30-minute dry time
- Enhanced the color of our hardwood
What We Don’t Like
- Unsuitable for unfinished, waxed, and unsealed wood floors
Specs
- Size: 32 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: Yes
- Drying time: 30 minutes
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Appearance 5/5; Durability 5/5; Value 4.7/5
Designed for high-traffic areas, Weiman’s Wood Floor Polish and Restorer uses micro-filling technology on scratches and helps prevent new scratches from forming. This nontoxic solution creates no harmful fumes, so it’s a great pick for homes with kids and pets, who are typically hard on floors.
Thanks to the squirt top bottle, applying this polish was a breeze. We started by giving our floors a thorough sweep and mop, letting them dry completely. We then squirted on the polish in a zigzag motion and used a dry microfiber mop to spread it across our hardwood. Just 30 minutes after application, the polish had dried, and the hardwood floors looked shiny and like new without looking tacky. Weiman’s also enhanced the color of our floors and left a medium gloss finish, which was one of our favorites. Those who prefer a high-gloss floor can apply up to three coats of this product within 24 hours. Just be sure to wait 45 to 60 minutes in between coats.
To test this polish’s cleanability, we spilled some pasta sauce and juice on the floor. The spill cleaned up easily with a damp mop, leaving the finish intact. Overall, Weiman’s Wood Floor Restorer is an easy-to-use option for revitalizing sealed hardwood floors—but it should not be used on unsealed, unfinished, oiled, or waxed hardwood.
What our tester says: “I loved how easy this product was to use. At only 30 minutes after application, it was dry to the touch, and my hardwood floors went from dull and faded looking to bright with just the right amount of shine.”—Katie Barton, Product Reviews tester and writer
Get the Weiman hardwood floor polish on Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart (2-pack).
Best Bang for the Buck
Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish
What We Like
- Great value for the size
- EPA Safer Choice–certified formula
- No harsh fumes
- Works on multiple floor types
What We Don’t Like
- Pour-top bottle makes for sloppy application
Specs
- Size: 64 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: Yes
- Drying time: 45 minutes
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.5/5; Appearance 5/5; Durability 5/5; Value 5/5
Hardwood floor maintenance can be costly, but this multi-surface floor finish from Quick Shine makes it easier on the wallet. It not only works on hardwood but also on laminate, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), luxury vinyl plank (LVP), tile, and stone flooring. Recognized as a Safer Choice product by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, it’s made without certain potentially harmful ingredients, such as aluminum, ammonia, formaldehyde, fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and gluten.
This was one of our favorite hardwood floor polishes, and it almost took the best overall spot—except it lacked a squirt top bottle, making for a messy application. Once poured, though, the thin formula was easy to spread with a damp microfiber mop and didn’t leave any harsh fumes in the air. It was dry in 45 minutes, enhancing our wood floor’s color and filling in minor scratches. We noticed no splotchiness or milkiness once dry—just a nice sheen on our hardwood.
To maintain the shine after use, the company recommends regularly dust-mopping or using one of its floor cleaners to remove dirt. And as a failsafe, if you’re unsatisfied with the finish after application, you can use the Quick Shine Deep Cleaner to remove the polish from your floor.
Get the Quick Shine multi-surface hardwood floor polish on Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Best for Restoration
Rejuvenate Professional Wood Floor Restorer
What We Like
- One coat leaves a high-gloss sheen
- Can apply multiple coats
- Easy to apply
What We Don’t Like
- Strongest smell of the tested floor polishes
- Must wait 24 hours before replacing furniture
Specs
- Size: 32 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: No
- Drying time: 1 hour for foot traffic; 24 hours for other uses
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Appearance 5/5; Durability 5/5; Value 4.3/5
Rejuvenate’s Professional Wood Floor Restorer and Polish fills in scratches and protects hardwood that have been sealed with a urethane-based finish. This polish bonds to the current finish, helping to resist future stains without creating a waxy buildup.
We followed the manufacturer’s instructions, vacuuming and deep-cleaning our floors before application. Then, we squirted this product onto the floor in an “S” pattern, which was easy to do thanks to the flip-top squirt bottle. With our dry microfiber mop, we spread the polish evenly over the hardwood floor, careful not to work it in. As we applied the floor restorer, we noticed it had a harsher odor than the other products we tried, but it quickly dissipated as the floor dried.
The Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer left the glossiest finish of all the wood polishes we tried after only one coat. Those who want their floors even shinier can add a second coat two hours after the initial application. While the polish was dry to the touch within an hour, it takes a full day to cure, so you’ll need to wait 24 hours before you move any furniture or area rugs back into the room.
What our tester says: “The Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer is my favorite wood polish for making my floors look glossy. With only one coat of polish, ir restored my floors to a beautiful shine.”—Katie Barton, Product Reviews tester and writer
Get the Rejuvenate hardwood floor polish on Amazon, The Home Depot, or Ace Hardware.
Best for Urethane Finishes
Scott’s Liquid Gold Floor Restore
What We Like
- Enhances the color of hardwood
- Leaves a medium-glossy shine
- Also offered in a convenient 2-pack
What We Don’t Like
- Only suitable for sealed, unwaxed hardwood
Specs
- Size: 24 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: No
- Drying time: 1 hour for foot traffic; 8 hours to cure
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Appearance 4.7/5; Durability 4/5; Value 4.7/5
Scott’s Liquid Gold Floor Restore provides an inexpensive way to restore the luster and color of sealed hardwood floors. Each 24-ounce bottle covers approximately 300 square feet, and this scratch-minimizing and renewing polish can be used 3 to 4 times per year.
This formulation comes in a flip-top squirt bottle, making it easy to apply. Before using it, we thoroughly deep-cleaned our floors to ensure an even application. We squirted it on small sections of the floor and used a damp sponge mop to spread it. The thin formula spread easily, and when we returned in an hour to check on it, it was dry to the touch, and our floors looked noticeably brighter.
This polish gave our hardwood floor a medium-sheen gloss, which we found attractive. It takes 8 hours to cure, so we let it sit overnight before putting our furniture back in place. The next day, we did a cleanability test, spilling apple juice and pasta sauce on the floor. A damp mop removed the mess, and the coat of polish stayed intact.
Get Scott’s hardwood floor polish at Amazon.
Best for Low Gloss
Bona Low-Gloss Hardwood Floor Polish
What We Like
- Leaves a protective, low-gloss finish
- Greenguard-certified formula for low chemical emissions
- Shields floors against wear
What We Don’t Like
- Did little to enhance our floor’s color
Specs
- Size: 32 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: No
- Drying time: 1 hour for socked-foot traffic; 24 hours to cure
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Appearance 4/5; Durability 4/5; Value 4/5
In recent years, low-gloss and matte flooring have become trendy. However, this type of flooring can scratch more easily and damage faster than high-gloss floors. Using the right type of floor polish is key. Safe for use on unwaxed, clean, polyurethane-finished wood floors, this Bona Hardwood polish creates a low-gloss shine and adds a protective layer while fixing scratches. We appreciate that this formula is Greenguard certified, meaning its chemical emissions into indoor air are minimal.
Like the other floor polishes on our list, the Bona Low-Gloss Shine Hardwood Floor Polish was easy to apply. We squirted it onto our clean, dry floors in an “S” pattern and spread it with a microfiber mop. After an hour, the floor was dry to the touch with no tacky residue. While the Bona polish dried without any streaks or haziness, it didn’t make much of a difference to the appearance of our floor. There was a slight improvement in the color of the hardwood and almost no noticeable shine compared to our unpolished flooring section.
If you don’t like the look of overly shiny floors, this is the product for you. Not quite matte, it provides a slight sheen and can be applied every 2 to 4 months to keep hardwood protected.
Get the Bona low-gloss hardwood floor polish on Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
More Great Options
If the above floor polishes don’t meet your needs, these vetted products are also among the best on the market. Each is from a reputable brand and has garnered hundreds or thousands of highly rated customer reviews.
Best for High Gloss
Bona Hardwood Floor Polish, High Gloss
What We Like
- Greenguard-certified formula
- Protects floors from wear
- Fills micro-scratches effectively
What We Don’t Like
- Floors must be very clean prior to use
- Floor cannot be coated with polyurethane after use
Specs
- Size: 32 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: No
- Drying time: 1 hour for foot traffic; 24 hours to cure
If your once-glossy floors are looking a bit dull these days, Bona’s high-gloss polish can even out the surface. Safe for unwaxed, unoiled, polyurethane-finished wood floors, it restores flooring by filling in micro-scratches from pets, heels, or furniture and adding a protective layer.
Greenguard-certified, this formulation contains no parabens or phthalates, and for those concerned about indoor air quality, it’s low in volatile organic compounds (VOC). Floors are ready for walking in socks after 1 hour, and the polish cures completely after 24 hours. One bottle covers just 500 square feet, so measure the floor area before starting.
Get the Bona high-gloss hardwood floor polish on Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Best for High-Traffic
Quick Shine Hardwood Floor Luster
What We Like
- Dries faster than most
- EPA Safer Choice certified
- Some plant-based ingredients
- Can be used with mop pad or buffer
What We Don’t Like
- Wax-based product can build up and attract dirt
Specs
- Size: 64 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: No
- Drying time: 45 to 60 minutes
Polishing hardwood floors can take a lot of time, but this formulation from Quick Shine dries in fewer than 60 minutes. Safely formulated for use around kids and pets, this United States EPA-recognized Safer Choice product is free of aluminum, formaldehyde, fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and gluten.
It’s formulated with carnauba wax, which adds shine and UV protection and helps floors withstand traffic; on the downside, carnauba wax has a tendency to build up and attract dirt over time.
Get the Quick Shine hardwood floor luster polish on Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Best Polish/Cleaner Combo
Orange Glo 4-in-1 Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Polish
What We Like
- Refreshing orange scent
- Convenient 4-in-1 formulation
- Doesn’t require cleaning before use
What We Don’t Like
- Not eco-friendly
- Not suitable for all wood floors
Specs
- Size: 24 ounces
- Suitable for multiple surfaces: No
- Drying time: 15 minutes
Most floor polishes require a separate product to clean the floor, but Orange Glo 4-in-1 Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Polish eliminates that extra step. It’s formulated for hardwood floor cleaning, polishing, shining, protecting, and revitalizing.
Orange Glo also fixes scratches and protects floors from water damage. With a fresh orange scent, this polish dries in about 15 minutes and leaves a lasting shine even in homes with pets or that receive heavy foot traffic. It cleans tough stains and doesn’t leave a residue. However, it can’t be used on waxed, oiled, worn, unsealed, laminate, prefinished, or engineered wood.
Get the Orange Glo hardwood floor cleaner and polish at The Home Depot or Walmart.
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Chose and Tested the Best Hardwood Floor Polishes
A variety of factors went into choosing the products in this guide. We researched popular products from national retailers and factored in each brand’s reputation. Safety for families with children or pets was another concern. After pinpointing some of the highest-rated wood floor polishes on the market, we chose five and put them to the test.
We first tested these products side by side in a closet to compare the finishes and ensure that the polishes didn’t cause damage to our floors. All products performed well, leaving no damage, milky residues, or streaking, so we applied them to a larger section of our wide plank pine wood floors.
To evaluate the products, we rated them with a score from 0 to 5 based on how easy or difficult they were to apply, whether the dry time was consistent with what was advertised, how well they filled in scratches and enhanced the floor color, and how easy it was to clean up a spilled drink and food from the floor. We noted all the results in a rubric, and after testing, we tallied up each product’s scores to award our winners.
| Testing Stats | |
|---|---|
| Products tested | 5 |
| Time spent testing | 1 week |
| Tests performed | 4 |
| Price range | $10 to $20 |
| Ease of Use | Appearance | Durability | Value | |
| Weiman Hardwood Floor High Traffic Polish & Restorer | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Rejuvenate Professional Wood Floor Restorer | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Scott’s Liquid Gold Floor Restore | 5/5 | 4.7/5 | 4/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Bona Low-Gloss Hardwood Floor Polish | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
What to Consider When Choosing a Hardwood Floor Polish
The wrong floor polish can damage wood floors, which means it’s important to find the product that is appropriate for the type of hardwood floor you have. When searching for the best hardwood floor polish, some factors to consider include the type of wood floor, your hardwood floor’s finish, and the polish’s formula, concentration, ease of application, and drying time.
Wood Floor Type
Manufacturers produce a variety of different types of wood flooring, so verify the exact type of hardwood flooring before choosing a floor polish. Wood flooring can be solid hardwood, engineered wood, or laminate flooring that looks like wood. In addition, some hardwood floors are sealed, while others are waxed or unfinished.
Using the wrong floor polish for wooden floors may not create the desired shine, or it could result in an uneven appearance. In the worst-case scenario, the polish could even damage flooring so much that a professional must repair it. If uncertain about the type of flooring, opt for a multipurpose floor polish that’s appropriate for every type.
Ingredients
A number of ingredients are used to make hardwood floor polish. Some include toxic substances like ammonia, aromatic solvents like benzene or toluene, phenol, turpentine, petroleum distillates (also called naphthas or mineral spirits), silicones, trichloroethane, and synthetic polymers. If concerned about potential toxicity, use a polish that’s labeled Greenguard certified, EPA Safer Choice, or nontoxic.
Other ingredients include waxes such as carnauba wax, also called Brazil or palm wax. While this ingredient produces a shine, over time it can cause buildup and even attract dirt.
Some wood floor polishing products also contain fragrance, which is largely a matter of personal preference; some people enjoy the fresh or citrus scent of the polish, while others are irritated or bothered by the fragrance.
Concentration
Some hardwood floor polishes are sold in a concentrated formula, which must be diluted before application. Certain polishes must be applied with a wet mop, while some products are applied right out of the container.
If the product requires dilution, avoid soaking the mop with water, because too much water can damage wood floors—even finished flooring. Water can warp the wood or cause it to swell, decreasing the lifespan of the flooring, and too much water can lead to an uneven polish application or streaky finish.
For best results with most hardwood floor polishing products, use a damp mop and wring it out thoroughly during application.
Finish
Know the type of finish on the hardwood flooring before choosing a floor polish. Flooring with a high-gloss finish diffuses light, resulting in a shiny surface. Mid-range luster finishes can diffuse some light, but less than high gloss. Low-gloss and matte flooring finishes are the least shiny.
To learn what kind of finish exists on the floor before you begin, perform a few tests. If a few drops of mineral oil on a clean but inconspicuous spot soak into the flooring, it’s likely finished with a thin wiping varnish, which is usually water-based. However, if the oil beads and then wipes away easily, the floors are probably finished with shellac or varnish.
If the floor has an amber hue, it’s likely finished with shellac. To identify a waxed hardwood floor finish, scratch a coin on an inconspicuous spot. Some wax will transfer to the coin if it has a wax finish. A penetrating oil finish, the hardest one to spot, seals the wood and enhances its natural color, but no easy way exists to determine the presence of penetrating oil finish.
After identifying the finish, consult the product’s label to ensure the product is safe before applying. The wrong hardwood floor polish can dull the existing finish or give it a too-shiny or flat appearance, which could require calling in a professional—a costly mistake.
Ease of Application
Not all floor polishes are applied in the same manner. Some polishes require a microfiber mop, while others can be applied with a sponge mop. If using a microfiber mop for wood floors, make sure it’s new or recently washed. A dirty microfiber mop can embed dust or dirt into the layer of polish.
When using a sponge mop, remember that even sponges that appear clean have crevices that can hide dirt. If you plan on polishing floors frequently with a sponge mop, keep one exclusively for this purpose.
For best results, read the instructions on the label to learn how to apply that particular product. Clean and dust the floors with a broom and mop or a hardwood floor cleaner machine before applying the polish.
Drying Time
Alongside other considerations, pay attention to a floor polish’s drying time and how much time must pass before the room can be used after polishing. Some floor polishes take an hour to dry, while others can take a day or longer.
The expected drying time should be listed on the product’s label. Once the polish is dry, it’s typically safe to walk on the floors with socks. However, most manufacturers recommend waiting until the next day to move the furniture back into the room.
Some hardwood floor polishes can release dangerous fumes as they dry, so also think about the safety of the room’s occupants—both humans and pets—when considering drying times.
Tips for Using Hardwood Floor Polish
Keep in mind a number of factors when using hardwood floor polish. First, make sure to buy the right floor polish for that particular type of hardwood. For example, floors with a shiny finish may require a high-gloss polish. If floors have a lower luster, choose a low-gloss formula. Also, keep in mind that waxing wood floors is not the same as polishing them, and that most wood floor polishing products won’t work on waxed floors.
Calculate the square footage of the room before beginning. Running out of polish mid-project means the already-applied polish will dry before a second bottle is available, leading to unsightly seams, uneven finish, or overlap in the finished floor. To obtain square feet, multiply the length of the room by the width.
Even if not stated on the product label, it’s preferable to vacuum or sweep the floors before applying the polish. The floor should also be mopped with the manufacturer’s recommended product or one of the best hardwood floor cleaners that remove gunk and grime. Otherwise, dirt, paint scuffs, pet hair, and human hair can be sealed into the layer of polish. In addition, failure to properly clean the floor could cause the polish to be applied unevenly, or it could cause the floor to become scratched or even permanently damaged.
- Purchase the right type of polish.
- Make sure to have enough product to polish the entire floor.
- Clean the floors before polishing.
FAQs
Applying a coat of floor polish helps restore the shine to hardwood floors without requiring a professional to sand or refinish them. For more information on the best way to polish hardwood floors, check out these answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
Polish makes floors shine, but to get them to shine their brightest, it’s best to clean wood floors before applying polish..
For the best results, clean and polish hardwood floors every 2 to 4 months. However, homes that receive less foot traffic can go longer in between polishing.
Make sure all the furniture is removed from the room before polishing the floor, which may require an additional person. Wearing a mask may be appropriate for those sensitive to chemical smells, as well.
The floor should shine and look even, but it can take hours, if not a day or two, for the polish to thoroughly dry and cure.
Both. Always clean hardwood floors before polishing them. Mopping hardwood floors is a required maintenance task, while polishing hardwood floors protects them and helps them look their best for a long time.
Yes, using excess hardwood floor polish will make the floors slippery. To avoid this, use only the recommended amount of product and wait at least a couple of months between applications.
Professionals use gentle cleaners on hardwood floors to avoid damaging them or dulling the topcoat. The best way to clean hardwood floors is with a pH-neutral product formulated for your floor type and finish. Wood floor cleaning machines also come in handy for deep cleans.
Meet the Tester
Katie Barton is a writer and product tester specializing in cleaning and home care. She thoroughly vets and tests products in her home before recommending them.
Additional research provided by Amanda Lauren.
