How we research and rank floor cleaner

Every guide on Floor Care Guide Australia follows the same process. We publish it so you can judge our picks for yourself.

1. We start with what Australians can actually buy

We only consider products stocked by Australian retailers, sold in Australian dollars, with Australian warranties. A product that is brilliant overseas but grey-imported here with no local support does not make the list.

2. We check the specifications that matter

For floor cleaners that means the numbers the maker publishes and a retailer repeats. For wet-dry hard floor cleaners: the clean and dirty water tank sizes in litres, the stated run time and the mode it was measured in, whether the self-cleaning cycle also dries the brush roller with hot air (and at what temperature), edge cleaning on one, two or three sides, the weight, the floors the maker says it is safe on, suction in pascals where the maker states it, and what a replacement brush roller or filter costs. For carpet cleaners: corded or cordless, spot cleaner or full-size upright, whether the water is heated, tank sizes, cord length and weight. For steam mops: tank size, heat-up time, cord length, whether steam is on demand, and the floors the maker lists as suitable.

3. We check certifications and Australian standards

Anything that runs on mains power, and the charger of anything cordless, should carry the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), the electrical safety mark used under the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS); where a listing is unclear we check the public EESS register. Germ-kill figures such as "kills 99.9% of bacteria" are reported only as the maker's claim, with the test conditions the maker gives, never as our finding. Floor safety follows the flooring maker's care instructions first: a cleaner that its maker calls safe for "sealed timber" is not automatically safe for oiled, waxed or unsealed boards, and steam on those floors can void a flooring warranty. Suction figures in pascals are compared only as published claims, because makers measure them in different ways. A claim that appears only in marketing copy, with no test condition behind it, is treated as unverified.

4. We read owner reviews for patterns, not scores

Star ratings are easy to game. We look for repeated complaints and repeated praise across retailer reviews and owner forums, and we weight long-term ownership reports more heavily than first-week impressions.

5. We re-check prices

Prices in each guide are what we found at named Australian retailers on the date shown at the top of the guide. Prices change, and sales come and go, so always confirm on the retailer's site.

What we do not do

• We do not accept payment, free products or other consideration for inclusion or ranking.
• We do not write fake reviews or present opinions as tests we have not done. Where a pick is based on specifications and owner reports rather than our own hands-on use, the guide says so.
• We do not make health, safety or performance claims that the manufacturer's own documentation or a recognised certification does not support.