How to select the right vacuum cleaner? Of course, you have asked this question to yourself, especially during the moment you need to get a vacuum for your home and office. The process of choosing and buying this device is not that straightforward similar to other appliances and devices.
However, the thing is, vacuum cleaners are pretty diverse. Hence, there’s a difficulty in standard-setting these devices. You just have to identify your needs, requirements, and your desired applications before you can narrow down your choices.
In this guide, allow me to discuss some of the important points about these vacuum cleaners, as well as their mechanisms. Let’s get started.
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How Does A Vacuum Cleaner Work: An Overview
A vacuum cleaner is an innovative cleaning utility. Since its inception, this machine evolved and branched into different types. Fortunately, similar technological concepts are still used to operate them.
Before learning how to choose one, we must first discuss how this device works. In this way, you will be able to appreciate the vacuum cleaner and hopefully, understand the fundamentals whenever buying it.
Negative pressure
The simplest way to comprehend a vacuum cleaner is by checking the way it operates. Specifically, this unit sucks debris the same way as a straw. When you sip through a straw, you are also creating negative pressure inside it. Keep in mind that this pressure is lower than the external atmospheric pressure. Of course, this has an implication. In your sci-fi movies, a breach in the hull of a spaceship will create a negative pressure, which, in turn, results in the air to flow in it.
Electric motor
These vacuum cleaners are using electric motors that have fans on them. The fan is the one that sucks the air in and all the particles caught. The absorbed air will be pushed into a canister or bag, depending on the model of the vacuum cleaner. The motor works hand-in-hand with its exhaust port that ejects the air without releasing the dirt and debris.
Filter
The filters are the ones that trap the debris and dirt caught in the air. They should be present in any vacuum to ensure that every time the air exits the exhaust port, it is free from any contaminant. Both mechanical filters and HEPA filters are crucial in capturing both large and small particles. HEPA filters, for instance, are responsible for keeping asthma-causing pollutants from recirculating in the air. They just remain on the dirt collection system of the vacuum cleaner.
Different Types Of Vacuum Cleaner
As I mentioned, there are various types of vacuum cleaners out there. They differ in shape, performance, and use. It is best that you know them all so that you can decide which one suits your requirements.
Upright Vacuums
With their tilt-and-push mechanism, upright vacuums became a staple cleaning utility in many homes and offices. They are powered through a cord, and can either come as bagless or bagged. They stand out when it comes to aggressive and deep cleaning. If you have carpets in your home, they are the ideal cleaning tool. For handling bare floors, you simply need an upright with a brush roll you can turn off. Height adjustments are good if you are dealing with different pile thickness. Overall, the notable trait of upright vacuums is their strong suction. But then again, they are not lightweight and versatile.
Canister Vacuums
The design and construction of a canister vacuum vary from an upright vacuum. They feature a large tank and a long hose. They also possess strong suction and come with a myriad of cleaning attachments. Canister vacuums are great for general cleaning. After all, they can include a motorized brush roll head that can deal with carpets and piles. Furthermore, they also include other accessories for cleaning hardwood, upholstery, stairs, furniture, and ceilings. Similar to upright vacuums, the main body of canister vacuums are heavy. Dragging them around might be cumbersome on your part. They are also bulky.
Stick Vacuums
The construction of stick vacuums is somewhat similar to upright vacuums. However, these sticks are downsized. They are lightweight, compact, and portable. They also have a rotating brush roll for picking debris. Moreover, their cleaning heads are slim and low-profile; it is for them to maneuver under your furniture. However, keep in mind that their suction power is not as strong as upright or canister vacuums. Therefore, you can say that their performance is only suitable for quick clean-ups, and really for the extensive and rigorous cleaning. They are not a replacement for upright vacuums. Their mobility is not as good as handheld vacuums, too.
Handheld Vacuums
It is not surprising that most of you have handheld vacuums. Aside from being portable, they are cheap, too. They are the epitome of compactness, which enables you to take them wherever you are. Many people are using them for maintaining the cleanliness of the interiors of their vehicles. Handheld vacuums are either corded and cordless. You can also find models with or without brush roll heads. Use these vacuums if you don’t want to lift heavy canisters or uprights. But let me remind you that they are not suitable for full-sized clean-ups.
Robotic Vacuums
One of the latest innovations in vacuum cleaners is the robotic vacuum. Unlike other vacuums, you no longer need to operate these devices manually. They use sensors for automatic navigation and you can even program them for their cleaning schedules. Controlling these vacuums can either be through a remote or voice-command. Hence, it is possible that you can configure these devices to work even if you are sleeping or away from home. Once their batteries are almost drained, they automatically return to their charging ports. But similar to handheld and stick vacuums, their suction power is not that strong.
Central Vacuums
For workshops and garages, central vacuums are the most suitable type of vacuum cleaners. Unlike all aforementioned vacuum cleaners, these central vacuums are immovable. Their main body is attached to a wall, and only their hoses are the ones that you should move. It gives you freedom from lifting anything that is heavy and burly. They are great because their suction power is strong; even more robust than conventional commercial vacuums. But at the same time, they are expensive and require professional installations.
Vacuums In Cleaning Different Types Of Flooring
When it comes to your house floorings, there are two general categories: bare floors and fabrics. For bare floors, we have hardwood, tiles, stone, and other similar materials. For fabrics, we have carpets, piles, shags, and rugs.
One should know that not all vacuums have enough versatility to deal with these floorings. Well, you can use any vacuum, as long as they have the right attachments and features that can clean these surfaces without damaging them.
For bare and solid floors, you need strong suction power alone and accessories that could make the job faster and quicker. Since there are no obstacles, you can suck the dirt and debris on them right away. Keep in mind that brushes with stiff and sharp bristles are not suitable for these floorings, especially on the hardwood. The latter is susceptible to scratches, especially if you are not careful when vacuuming them.
If you want to take care of your carpets and piles, strong suction is also necessary. Along with it, the vacuum should have a rotating brush roll to tackle the embedded and stuck debris on the fabrics. Aggressive and deep cleaning is crucial to any materials that have lots of protruding fabrics.
Now, what if you have carpets and bare surfaces in your home or office? Does it mean that you need to invest in multiple vacuum cleaners?
Not necessarily. In this application, you need a vacuum cleaner that you can configure the operation of the brush roll. You might want the latter to turn on when you are cleaning carpets and turn off when it is on solid surfaces.
Meanwhile, above surfaces like ceiling, stairs, tables, and upholstery will require you to use portable vacuums such as sticks and handheld. Canister vacuums are great if they have long hoses and attachments can reach hard-to-access areas.
How To Choose A Vacuum Cleaner
Specific features are needed for the optimal performance of a vacuum cleaner. Here are they:
Suction Power
The vacuum should be able to suck any debris that it comes across. Interestingly, suction in vacuum cleaners can be expressed differently. Most upright and canister models label their performance through “airflow” and “waterlift.” Basically, these concepts refer to the amount of air and water that can be moved by a vacuum cleaner.
On other vacuum types, measurements like kilopascal (kPa) and air watts (AW) are the ones being used to measure suction power. Of course, the higher the number, the stronger the suction is.
Keep in mind that the wattage of the motor does not directly reflect the overall suction force of the vacuum. Wattage simply indicates the amount of electricity needed for the vacuum to operate. Although it requires the motor for the vacuum to function, it is not the only determinant of the overall suction of the vacuum. The design and technology equipped on the machine also affect its performance.
Filters
I mentioned earlier about the filters. And from that explanation, it is safe to say that it is a crucial component in the entire operation of the vacuum.
When the air comes in alongside with the debris, the ideal situation is that the dirt will stay on the dirt collection system. It should not leave together with air as it will exit on the exhaust. The filters are the ones that are responsible for preventing such a predicament from happening.
There are two types of filters generally used in any filtration system: the pre-filter and HEPA filter. The prefilter is any type of mechanical filter that traps large debris such as pet hair and food crumbs. Meanwhile, the HEPA filter captures microscopic contaminants that can harm your health.
Cleaning Attachments
You have to bear in mind that the overall capability of a vacuum cleaner is also indicated on its versatility. Gone are the days where the vacuum is only usable in floors and ground surfaces. These days, these vacuums should also be flexible enough to handle other parts of your home and office. They should be able to clean your furniture, appliances, stairs, and other above-the-floor areas.
Crevice tools are necessary for tackling dirt in narrow and tight areas. Extension wand and hoses are definitely suitable if you are trying to take out the residues from your sofa, chairs, tables, and curtains.
If you want to optimize the suction of a vacuum cleaner, a powered intake tool can help you on that. It allows more airflow than ordinary intakes. Meanwhile, small cleaning heads with brushes are great for quick touches.
Cleaning the corners and edges are pretty tricky, especially if the default vacuum head is not designed to handle such application. Fortunately, there are edge tools with side brushes that can fulfil this errand for you.
Bagged or Bagless
The dirt collection system of a vacuum cleaner plays a vital role in the overall performance of a vacuum cleaner. And right now, you have two options for this: bagged and bagless.
A bagged model is pretty cost-efficient. After all, you don’t need to pay for replacement bags–which is something that you need to deal with if you have a bagless vacuum cleaner. But at the same time, their capacity is pretty limited. Moreover, you are prone to get exposed with the dirt every time you empty the dirt bin. You also have to wash their filters from time to time.
Bagless models, on the flip side, may come with a cost. However, such a tradeoff is compensated by the mere fact that they are hygienic and convenient. They have a large holding capacity, too. You’ll not get exposed to any dirt as you just need to throw them once they are full.