The Bona Premium Spray Mop is one of the most popular hardwood floor cleaning tools on the market. Bona has built a strong reputation in the floor care industry, and their spray mop system combines their trusted cleaning solution with a purpose-built mop designed specifically for hardwood and other hard floors.
But is it worth the premium price compared to a Swiffer or a basic microfiber mop? This review covers everything you need to know: features, how it works, pros, cons, comparisons to competitors, and practical tips for getting the best results. For more on hardwood floor care, visit our hardwood flooring guide.
What Is the Bona Premium Spray Mop?
The Bona Premium Spray Mop is a complete floor cleaning system consisting of a mop handle with a built-in spray trigger, a refillable cleaning solution cartridge, and a washable microfiber cleaning pad. It is designed to replace the traditional bucket-and-mop routine with a faster, more controlled spray-and-mop process that uses less water — an important consideration for hardwood floors.
Bona offers the spray mop in several configurations: the original Hardwood Floor version (with the blue label cleaner), a Multi-Surface version, and a Stone, Tile, and Laminate version. This review focuses on the Hardwood Floor model, which is the most popular and the one specifically formulated for wood floors.
Features and Specifications
Mop head: The mop head measures approximately 16.5 inches wide, providing good coverage per pass. It features a low-profile design that slides easily under furniture, beds, and cabinets. The mop head swivels 360 degrees for easy maneuvering around obstacles and into corners.
Handle: The handle is made of lightweight but sturdy material. It features an ergonomic grip with a squeeze trigger that controls the spray. The trigger provides a fine, even mist that covers an area of roughly 3 to 4 feet in front of the mop head. Squeeze pressure controls spray volume — a light squeeze produces a fine mist for maintenance cleaning, while a firm squeeze produces more solution for heavier cleaning.
Cleaning solution cartridge: The Bona mop uses a proprietary refillable cartridge that slides into a slot on the mop handle. The included cartridge comes pre-filled with Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner (the same pH-neutral, Greenguard Gold certified formula sold in spray bottles). Cartridges hold 28.75 ounces of solution and snap securely into place with a locking mechanism.
Microfiber pad: The included cleaning pad is made from microfiber with a scrubbing strip along one edge for tackling stubborn spots. The pad attaches to the mop head via hook-and-loop (velcro-style) fasteners and is machine washable — Bona rates the pad for up to 500 machine washes.
How It Works
Using the Bona Premium Spray Mop is straightforward and intuitive.
Step 1: Attach the microfiber pad to the mop head. The hook-and-loop fasteners make this quick and secure.
Step 2: Insert the cleaning solution cartridge into the mop handle until it clicks into place.
Step 3: Squeeze the trigger on the handle to spray a light mist of cleaning solution onto the floor in front of you. Spray a section roughly 4 to 6 feet wide.
Step 4: Mop over the sprayed area in the direction of the wood grain. The microfiber pad lifts dirt, dust, and grime while absorbing the cleaning solution. For stubborn spots, use the scrubbing strip edge of the pad.
Step 5: Continue spraying and mopping in sections until the floor is clean. Flip the pad over to the clean side halfway through for better results on larger areas.
Step 6: When finished, remove the pad and machine wash it in warm water without fabric softener. Air dry or tumble dry on low heat.
The entire process is faster than traditional mopping because there is no bucket to fill, wring, or empty. Most users report cleaning a typical room in 5 to 10 minutes.
Refillable Cartridge System
The refillable cartridge is a key differentiator from disposable-cartridge systems like Swiffer. When your Bona cartridge runs empty, you have two options.
Buy a replacement cartridge: Pre-filled Bona cartridges cost approximately $8 to $10 each and are widely available at home improvement stores and online retailers.
Refill the existing cartridge: The cartridge cap twists off, allowing you to refill it from a Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner refill jug (128 ounces for approximately $18 to $22). This is significantly more economical — a single refill jug fills the cartridge roughly four to five times, bringing the cost per cartridge fill down to about $4 to $5. This is one of the Bona mop’s strongest selling points versus disposable systems.
Some users refill the cartridge with other hardwood-safe cleaners or even plain water for light touch-up mopping. Bona naturally recommends using only their products, but the cartridge physically accepts any liquid of similar viscosity.
Pros
Excellent cleaning performance: The combination of Bona’s proven cleaning formula and the microfiber pad delivers streak-free, residue-free results. Floors look clean without any haze or dullness.
Safe for hardwood: Bona’s formula is specifically designed for sealed hardwood floors. It is pH neutral, leaves no buildup, and dries quickly. This is a mop system you can use daily without worrying about long-term damage to your finish.
Easy to use: No bucket, no wringing, no mixing solutions. Spray, mop, done. The learning curve is essentially zero.
Washable pad: The reusable microfiber pad eliminates the ongoing cost and waste of disposable pads. At 500 washes per pad, a single pad can last years of regular use.
Refillable cartridge: The ability to refill from bulk solution makes the Bona system more economical than disposable-cartridge competitors over time.
Low moisture: The fine mist spray applies a minimal amount of liquid — far less than a traditional wet mop. This is critically important for hardwood floors, where excess moisture causes warping, cupping, and finish damage.
Lightweight and maneuverable: The mop weighs approximately 3 pounds loaded, making it easy to handle for extended cleaning sessions. The swiveling head navigates furniture and tight spaces well.
Cons
Trigger fatigue: On very large floors (over 1,000 square feet), repeatedly squeezing the trigger can cause hand fatigue. Users with arthritis or grip weakness may find the trigger uncomfortable over long sessions.
Pad size limitations: The 16.5-inch mop head covers less area per pass than some wider mops. For very large open spaces, mopping takes more passes than a wider mop head would require.
Cartridge capacity: The 28.75-ounce cartridge covers approximately 1,000 to 1,500 square feet per fill, depending on how liberally you spray. Large homes may need a mid-session refill.
Upfront cost: At $30 to $40 for the complete system, the Bona mop costs more than a basic microfiber mop ($10 to $20) or a Swiffer WetJet starter kit ($25 to $30). The long-term economics favor Bona, but the entry price is higher.
Proprietary cartridge: While refillable, the cartridge is Bona-specific. If it cracks or the seal fails, you need a Bona replacement — not a universal part.
Bona vs. Swiffer WetJet
The Swiffer WetJet is the Bona mop’s most direct competitor. Here is how they compare.
Cleaning solution: Bona uses a pH-neutral, residue-free formula designed for hardwood. Swiffer’s standard WetJet solution contains surfactants that can leave a light residue on hardwood floors. Swiffer does offer a Wood-specific solution, but even that gets mixed reviews from hardwood flooring professionals. Advantage: Bona.
Pads: Bona uses washable microfiber pads. Swiffer uses disposable pads that must be replaced after each use. Over a year of weekly mopping, Swiffer pad costs add up to $50 to $100 depending on the pad type. Advantage: Bona.
Solution cost: Swiffer WetJet solution bottles cost $5 to $8 each and are not refillable — the sealed bottle design prevents refilling. Bona’s refillable cartridge system costs less per ounce over time. Advantage: Bona.
Ease of use: Both are simple spray-and-mop systems. Swiffer uses a battery-powered spray mechanism (push button), while Bona uses a manual squeeze trigger. The Swiffer spray requires less hand effort but depends on batteries. Slight advantage: Swiffer for ease, though batteries add hassle.
Environmental impact: Bona’s washable pad and refillable cartridge produce far less waste than Swiffer’s disposable pads and sealed solution bottles. Advantage: Bona.
Overall verdict: For hardwood floors specifically, Bona is the better choice due to its safer cleaning formula, lower long-term costs, and washable pads. Swiffer WetJet is more convenient for quick cleanups but is not purpose-built for hardwood care.
Bona vs. O-Cedar ProMist MAX
The O-Cedar ProMist MAX is another popular spray mop that competes at a similar price point.
Cleaning solution: The O-Cedar comes with a reusable bottle that you fill with any cleaner you choose — including Bona’s solution if you prefer. This offers more flexibility but puts the burden on you to choose a wood-safe product. The Bona system removes that guesswork.
Pads: Both use washable microfiber pads. The O-Cedar pad is comparable in quality and durability to Bona’s.
Mop head: The O-Cedar features a slightly different mop head design with a flip mechanism that lets you use both sides of the pad without removing it. This is a clever feature that extends pad use between washes.
Price: The O-Cedar is slightly less expensive at $25 to $35. Ongoing costs are lower because you buy bulk cleaner of your choice rather than Bona cartridges.
Overall verdict: The O-Cedar offers more flexibility and slightly lower costs. The Bona offers a more curated, hardwood-specific experience with less room for user error. If you are committed to using Bona’s cleaner anyway, the Bona mop provides a more seamless system. If you want more flexibility in cleaner choice, the O-Cedar is an excellent alternative.
Maintenance Tips for Your Bona Mop
Wash pads regularly: Do not reuse a dirty pad across multiple cleaning sessions. The trapped dirt in a used pad can scratch your floor. Wash after every one to two uses.
No fabric softener: Fabric softener coats microfiber strands and reduces their ability to pick up dirt and absorb liquid. Always wash Bona pads without fabric softener or dryer sheets.
Clean the cartridge connection: Occasionally wipe the cartridge connection point on the mop handle to prevent solution buildup that could clog the spray nozzle.
Clear the spray nozzle: If the spray pattern becomes uneven, the nozzle may be partially clogged. Remove the cartridge and run warm water through the spray mechanism to clear any dried solution.
Replace pads when worn: Even with 500-wash longevity, microfiber pads eventually lose their effectiveness. When a pad no longer picks up dirt well or leaves streaks, replace it. Bona sells replacement pad packs for approximately $8 to $12 for a set of two or three.
Store upright: Store the mop standing upright or hanging on a hook to prevent the mop head from being compressed, which maintains pad loft and cleaning effectiveness.
Where to Buy
The Bona Premium Spray Mop is widely available at major retailers including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, and Walmart, as well as online through Amazon. Prices range from $30 to $40 for the complete system. Refill cartridges and replacement pads are available at the same retailers.
Bona also sells bundle kits that include the mop, extra pads, and a refill jug of cleaner at a slight discount compared to buying components separately. These bundles offer the best value for first-time buyers.
Final Thoughts
The Bona Premium Spray Mop earns its reputation as one of the best cleaning tools for hardwood floors. Its combination of a proven hardwood-safe cleaning formula, refillable cartridge design, washable microfiber pad, and easy operation makes it a smart long-term investment for any home with wood floors. The upfront cost is modest, the ongoing costs are low, and the results are consistently excellent. If you own hardwood floors and want a single cleaning tool that does the job right, the Bona spray mop is a safe and reliable choice.
Prefer to explore on your own?
See how new flooring looks in your actual room in seconds — free, no signup.
Try the free Floor Studio →
