Bona and Ciranova are the two specialist brands NZ buyers compare most when choosing a timber floor cleaner. Both are excellent — but they suit different floors and different cleaning styles. Here’s the practical breakdown, based on the products we stock and use.
The quick answer
- Lacquered (polyurethane) floor, want zero fuss: Bona Wood Floor Cleaner — ready to use, no mixing, pairs with the Bona Spray Mop.
- Lacquered floor, want the lowest cost per clean: Ciranova Hard Floor Fresh — a concentrate that works out at roughly 75 cents per litre mixed.
- Oiled floor: Ciranova is the stronger specialist range — Ciranova Intensive Cleaner for deep cleans before re-oiling, plus Ciranova’s soap and maintenance oils for routine care.
- Mixed finishes in one home: consider the FirstFloor Wood Floor Cleaner Concentrate — safe on both oiled and lacquered floors, about 49 cents per litre mixed.
Bona vs Ciranova at a glance
- Origin: Bona is Swedish, founded 1919, the global standard for floor finishing trades. Ciranova is Belgian, a specialist in oils and parquet care.
- Format: Bona’s cleaner is ready-to-use (2.5L, $45). Ciranova’s are concentrates (750ml, $75) that dilute to many litres — cheaper per clean, but you mix your own.
- Finish coverage: Bona’s everyday cleaner targets lacquered/sealed floors, with a separate oiled-floor line. Ciranova splits by job: Hard Floor Fresh (routine, lacquered), Hard Floor Cleaner (deep clean, lacquered), Intensive Cleaner (deep clean, oiled).
- Ecosystem: Bona wins on hardware — the Spray Mop kit with matched cartridges is the easiest routine on the market. Ciranova wins on depth for oiled and parquet floors.
Cost per clean
Ready-to-use sprays cost more per litre than concentrates. Bona Wood Floor Cleaner works out around $18 per litre used. Ciranova Hard Floor Fresh, diluted as directed, lands near $0.75 per litre — and the FirstFloor Concentrate near $0.49. If you clean weekly, the concentrate pays for itself within months; if you clean occasionally and value convenience, ready-to-use is fine.
When to choose Bona
- Your floor is lacquered (polyurethane) — most NZ homes built or refinished in the last 20 years.
- You want a grab-and-go routine: spray mop, cartridge, done.
- You’d rather not measure and dilute concentrates.
When to choose Ciranova
- Your floor is oiled or waxed — Ciranova’s oiled-floor range is the deepest we stock.
- You have parquet or European oak and want specialist care.
- You want concentrate economics and don’t mind mixing.
The third option: FirstFloor
Our own FirstFloor Wood Floor Cleaner Concentrate sits between the two: plant-based, safe on both oiled and lacquered timber, 1L makes up to 100L of solution, and it’s the best value per litre in the range. If you’re not sure which finish you have — or different rooms have different finishes — it’s the safe default. Pair it with the FirstFloor Maintenance Oil Matt on oiled floors, or GrainGuard on lacquered ones.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Bona Wood Floor Cleaner on an oiled floor?
Not the standard one — it’s formulated for lacquered/sealed floors. Bona makes a separate oiled-floor cleaner; check the label before buying.
Is Ciranova harder to use than Bona?
Slightly — you dilute the concentrate rather than spraying straight on. In exchange the cost per clean drops by roughly 95%.
Which is better for engineered timber?
Both work — choose by the finish on top, not the construction underneath. See our engineered timber care guide.
Not sure which finish you have?
Run the 60-second water-drop test in our finish identification guide first — using the wrong cleaner type is the most common cause of dull, streaky floors.
