Bona's decent, but honestly, I've had better luck with Murphy's Oil Soap. My grandma swore by it, and her floors always looked amazing... plus, that subtle citrusy scent beats chemical smells any day. Vinegar though? Never again, my house smelled like salad dressing for days.
Murphy's is definitely a classic, but honestly, I've moved away from oil-based cleaners over the years. They can build up a residue that dulls the finish over time—especially if you're using them regularly. I get the vinegar hate though... been there, done that, and my kitchen smelled like pickles for days.
What I've found works surprisingly well is just a simple DIY solution: warm water, a tiny bit of dish soap (like literally just a drop or two), and a splash of rubbing alcohol. The alcohol helps it dry faster, so you don't get streaks or water spots. Just dampen a microfiber mop with it—don't soak—and go with the grain of the wood. Floors dry quickly, no residue, and no weird smells lingering around afterward.
It's not fancy, but sometimes simpler really is better.
I totally get the vinegar thing—my family still teases me about the "pickle incident" from a few years back, haha. I actually used Murphy's for ages too, but you're right, it does leave a weird film after a while. I switched to something similar to your DIY mix, except I add a tiny bit of essential oil (usually lemon or lavender) to mask any alcohol smell. Just a drop or two is enough, and it leaves a nice subtle scent without being overpowering.
Also, I've found that using distilled water instead of tap water helps cut down on streaks even more. Our tap water is pretty hard, so the minerals were leaving spots no matter what I did. Distilled water was kind of a game changer for me... no more random white spots popping up after cleaning.
But yeah, simpler is usually better. My floors have never looked shinier, and my sanity is still (mostly) intact.
Interesting points about distilled water—I can see how that'd help with mineral spots, especially if your water's really hard. I've actually had decent luck just using filtered water from a basic pitcher filter. It's not as pure as distilled, obviously, but it seems to do the trick without the hassle of buying gallons of distilled water all the time.
One thing I'd gently caution against is adding essential oils directly into cleaning mixes for hardwood floors. I know it's tempting because they smell great (I love lavender myself), but some oils can gradually build up or even react with certain finishes over time. A friend of mine had issues after a few months—her floors started looking duller and she couldn't figure out why until she stopped using the oils. If scent is important, maybe diffusing oils separately in the room afterward could be safer?
Either way, totally agree simpler is usually better. Hardwood floors are beautiful but definitely test our patience sometimes...
Filtered water's definitely easier, but honestly, I've found even regular tap water works fine if you dry immediately after mopping. The key is not letting moisture sit too long—quick drying prevents most mineral spots anyway. Also, about essential oils...I've used a tiny bit of lemon oil diluted heavily for years without any noticeable buildup. Maybe it depends on the finish or the oil type? Floors can be finicky though, so always good to test first in a hidden spot.
