Vacuum cleaners are everyday household items. This, however, does not restrict their purposefulness to the homes only. They are commonly used in industrial areas as well. Vacuum cleaners come into existence back in 1860 following the invention of the first manual vacuum cleaner. Since then, several changes and improvements have been made on the concept. There are several types of vacuum cleaners in the market. They include stick vacuum cleaners, handheld, upright, central, robotic, upright, wet or dry, and cyclonic, among several others. Each of these types stands out from the rest owing to the unique features and functionality. This makes it challenging for vacuum users to determine which model to opt for in the market. However, there are several concerns to check when choosing a vacuum cleaner.
Factors to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner
- Type of floor or surfaces
- Bare floors– for bare floors, a vacuum cleaner with several attachments would be the best option. This is because a regular vacuum cleaner like an upright vacuum may cause damages to your floors. Such costs include scratching of the floors. Regular vacuum cleaners may also end up scattering the debris across the surface of the bare floor as opposed to cleaning the surface. While some upright vacuums are designed to work on bare floors, the ones with several attachments (like canister vacuums) are the safer option. Also, look for vacuums that are not as hefty.
- Carpeted floors– for completely carpeted floors, the issue of scratching is not quite an issue. This means that you would instead go for a powerful vacuum with the ability to pull up all the dirt and debris stuck to the strands of the carpet. Upright vacuum cleaners would be the preferred option.
- Hardwood floors– hardwood floors are also prone to such issues like scratching and scattering of debris. This means that upright vacuum cleaners would not be a safe option for this type of surface. Generally, powerful vacuums would cause these issues. Therefore, less powerful and lightweight vacuum-like canister or stick vacuums are the safer option for cleaning hardwood floors.
- Furniture– less powerful vacuum cleaners would also be the best option for furniture. This is because the more powerful vacuums would cause damages. Vacuums with small frames like stick vacuums would also work well on furniture.
- Bag or bagless feature
Bagged vacuum cleaners are those that feature a bag where the dirt and debris are stored before disposal. This would be the preferred option for households with asthmatic residents or those that are sensitive to allergens. This is because the vacuum reduces exposure to dust. On the other hand, bagless vacuums eliminate the issue of having to replace the bags.
Bottom Line
There are many other features to contemplate when purchasing a vacuum cleaner. If you have pets in the house, you may want a vacuum that can fit in tight spaces to remove hairs and other dirt from the pets. Other features of the vacuums like durability, cost, and availability in the market are also worth considering.
