5 Questions to Ask So You Can Choose the Best Vacuum for your Home

Remember those old ads and shows that featured women blissfully vacuuming in their twin-sets and pearls? Those days are long gone for most of us, as our days are filled with rushing from event to event; vacuuming can fall by the wayside for days or even weeks.

That means it’s even more important to have a vacuum that does an exceptional job and leaves your floors in a perfectly clean condition. If you’re trying to choose the right vacuum for your floors, we’ve put together a few questions you should ask in order to find your floor-finishing soulmate.

1. What type of floors will I use this on?

Different floors can require different types of cleaning treatments. While the same vacuum can be used on carpet as on tile, for example, there may be certain models that will be more effective on your home’s particular floors. Consider the types of flooring in your house, then evaluate complementary vacuum features:

• Hardwood: you want to make sure your vacuum’s rollers don’t create scratches in your wood finish. Look for an option with a softer roller brush or one where you have a handheld or brushless option along with the traditional upright function.
• Tile: It can be difficult to clean dirt from all the grouted areas in your tile floors. A stick vacuum can help you make sure you’re thoroughly cleaning each and every nook and cranny.
• Carpet: Look for a vacuum that’s adjustable so it can work most effectively on your carpet’s specific height. You may need to adjust and experiment with the vacuum’s settings to find one that works best on your carpet’s specific pile type.
• Vinyl: If you have vinyl flooring in some areas of your home, consider whether you actually need to vacuum it. Many homes install durable vinyl in kitchens or bathrooms, areas where it’s more common to sweep and mop than to run a vacuum because of the potential for spills or sticky substances.

If you have a combination of flooring types in your home, as many of us do, you’ll want to look for the vacuums that combine multiple features and will handle the majority of your floors with ease.

2. How dirty are we, really?

It’s not necessarily the dirt that’s visible on top of your carpet or other flooring that’s the problem. You may often find that your biggest flooring issues have to do with dirt that lurks under the surface.

Suction is one of the most important factors to consider when searching for a vacuum. The more powerful the suction, the more likely you are to clean away that under-the-surface dirt that can accumulate and make your home seem more grimy over time.

Another “dirty” factor to consider is pet hair. If you have a lovable, furry friend in your home, you may need to look for a vacuum that is specifically designed to keep their shedding under control.

3. Will I plan to vacuum my stairs?

Whether your stairs are carpeted, wood or another material altogether, vacuuming them can mean a lot of bumping around and trying to maneuver your vacuum into weird angles.

Look for a vacuum that has a handheld nozzle attachment or wand. You can use it to get into those crevices that are hard to clean, yet that accumulate dust so easily.

4. Do I want bags or bagless?

Many of the flashier, newer vacuum models on the market are bagless; however, bagged vacuums still maintain a corner of the market and have their own benefits.

Bagged vacuums are often better for allergy sufferers, because all the accumulated dust and dirt are contained in the bag. Disposal is also easy because you can just throw the bag away without worrying about emptying and releasing particles back into the air. Bagged vacuums can also be more affordable than bagless.

Bagless vacuums are easy to clean and prevent the additional annoyance that comes with forgetting to purchase new bags. Bagless vacuums make it easy to see when you need to empty them (once their canister is full) and they also often include more updated technology that may make it easier to get your floors clean.

5. Do I actually need to vacuum at all?

To be clear, we’re not advocating that you never clean your floors. Instead, what about allowing someone (or something) else to do the work?

Robot vacuums have become a popular option for many busy families. Rather than setting aside time to vacuum every few days or once a week, you can turn on the robot vacuum before you leave for your day at work or school.

When you return, a tiny robot will have managed all your floor cleaning responsibilities, leaving you with sparkling surfaces and a feeling of accomplishment. You can even truly set-it-and-forget-it by programming the robot vacuum to run at a certain time each day.

This hands-off option may definitely seem like a no-brainer, but there are still a few things you should consider regarding entrusting your flooring to a robot vacuum.

If you have a multi-story home, the robot will only be able to clean one floor at a time. And, if your home contains different types of flooring, you may need to observe the robot to see whether it’s able to switch from carpet to wood, or vice versa, with ease.

If you’re wondering about the right kind of vacuum to tackle your dirt, or feeling discouraged about getting your floors like-new clean, maybe it’s time to shop for more than a new vacuum.

New floors can transform the look of your home. And, if you haven’t made updates in a while, your lifestyle needs may have changed but your floors may not have gotten the memo.

Our team at Austin’s Floor Store can help you find the perfect flooring to fit your lifestyle, and while they can’t vacuum for you, they can probably offer some recommendations based on the new flooring you choose, so you can keep it sparkling new. Contact us today to talk about your flooring needs and find an option that’s perfect for your home.