We believe in what to do with a vacuum. Connect it to the outlet and turn it on, right? It turns out it’s not as easy as it appears. In other words, when you can do it properly, your results will be quite different from the plug-and-play “that’ll do” method the majority of us employ.
Not all machines are created identically. We’ve gone so far as to suggest the most effective vacuums (ever) to provide you with the best equipment to do the task at hand.
How to Vacuum Your Home Efficiently?
From sparkling staircases to sparkling carpets and clean floors (yes, even when you have pets), Understanding how to use your vacuum cleaner to its fullest potential can help you save hours of effort and time each week.
Here are our suggestions to vacuum, enjoy cleaner floors, and ensure the life of your device is extended by providing some tips and tricks.
1. Take It Slow
The secret to getting the cleanest and tidy is to go slowly. Start at the edge of your rug and then push your vacuum in a unidirectional direction. This motion lifts the surface (or fibers) of the flooring covering, revealing any dirt or other debris hidden under it.
Then, pull the machine in a slow, steady direction to remove all the debris. Next time, overlap the first one by approximately 50% and repeat until all the surface has been cleaned.
2. Be Patient
The right speed to set is among the best cleaning techniques to ensure your floors are as clean as they can be. Be careful not to perform your work too fast because simply running across the floor will not give you the highest value for your money.
Also, you should move your vacuum forward and reverse along the floor as you work. The appliance’s vibrations will be able to break up any dirt that has accumulated on the carpet’s fibers to ensure that dirt is removed when you make another sweep.
3. Vacuum in Two Directions
Another way to get your carpet spotless is to not just sweep across and down in rows but also rotate 90 degrees and clean from side to side. This extra effort will be worthwhile in the end since it will catch all dirt and dust.
4. Clean the Machine
Your vacuum will indeed have to be cleaned. Cleaning the canister regularly can increase the suction, and cleaning the bristles and brushes will allow them to sweep all the crumbs off your carpet.
Follow these guidelines for cleaning your vacuum to empty bristles following each use, empty the canister each use and make sure you check the filters every month.
With some maintenance, your vacuum will operate smoothly, meaning you don’t have to clean the same places repeatedly.
5. Take Small Objects Off
While it’s tempting to use vacuum cleaners to get rid of every kitchen spillage, they shouldn’t be employed for anything more than a grain of lentil or rice.
Larger pieces of debris may get lodged in the vacuum. This can cause the suction power to decrease completely. It could even penetrate the interior of the vacuum.
If you’re living with messy children, you should thoroughly clean the kitchen with a toothbrush and dustpan first. In other areas, just a quick look for tiny objects should suffice.
6. Set the Vacuum Too Hard Floors
Before you vacuum hard floors, make adjustments to the settings of your vacuum cleaner to match the floor. If you use the wrong settings, it could cause your vacuum to be less efficient.
Check the manual for your vacuum to determine the exact settings. However, it’s the standard recommendation:
- Cordless vacuums: If the vacuum is equipped with a floor-specific tool, use it. If not, you can lower the floor to let the vacuum move across the floors.
- If you have a corded canister vacuum, you can lower your brushes using the switches on the head of the floor.
- For upright vacuums with cords, turn off the motor (if it is present) and then lower the floor head as it is.
Certain models come with suggested power settings for floors with hard surfaces – read more information on this in our vacuum settings guide below.
7. Vacuum the Same Area More Than Once
If you choose to vacuum with long strokes or short forward and back, it’s worth revisiting the same area a few times. Even our most efficient vacuums can’t remove every speck of dust in the first go.
This is especially vital if you own pets with fluffy fur. We put real fur from dogs and cats into a carpeted area and then measured the amount of time each vacuum was required to clean it.
Low-scoring models may take longer than three minutes; however, the most efficient vacuums can remove it in under 30 seconds.
Dust and other debris can accumulate around the edges of floors, so ensure you clear them through the walls. If the floor’s head cannot be close enough to the edge, put the crevice tool at the other end of the pipe (or use it to end the hose) and sweep the space.
Once you’ve covered the entire space, you’ll decide if the room needs another inspection.
8. How to Vacuum a Rug?
Why do rugs come first? If you wash the rug first, then put it aside, you’re not scattering rug dirt on your flooring.
In any case, we thought it is worth explaining how to vacuum your rug since there’s an effective method that’s worth imitating.
Check the care label for instructions for vacuuming and any warnings. Take the item outdoors and apply a firm smash (over an area if you can but not over the garden chair, however away from your home as dust can be blown straight back into.
Bring it back in place, flatten it and then stand with your feet set wide on the rug, sweeping between them, making sure not to remove all the fine trimmings. You can then fold it up and place it aside while you clean your floors. Leave it outside in the sun for a good little bit of UV light treatment to rid it of any bacteria and clean it up.
9. Increase the Frequency of Your Vacuuming
The first step is to determine whether you’re vacuuming enough.
It will differ based on the family. If you live on your own and have no pets, children may not need to clean frequently like those with pets, roommates, and family members of different ages.
Even if you don’t think of yourself as a messy person, perhaps it would be helpful to clean your house each day. It doesn’t need to be a thorough cleaning.
Houses with more mess should certainly think about cleaning the house daily. It is possible to reduce it to once per week if you find it uncomfortable. The aim is to remove dirt and dust before it gets absorbed into the carpet’s fibers.
Vacuuming is an essential part of your regular cleaning routine.
10. Don’t Rush
It’s common to give your vacuum an inspection of your vacuum at the end of your daytime or when you invite guests over. If you can spare time, you should utilize it with care.
Make sure that your vacuum has time to remove dust and dirt. It will not give you the cleanest possible result if you rush it.
It’s an excellent idea to check each space once for some time. This may be a bit difficult, but it’ll make your home cleaner and less dusty.
11. Pay Attention to Areas That Are Prone to Traffic
The areas that are the most used in your home are most likely to be the most filthy, even if you’ve got an extremely strict policy of no shoes. Every time an area of carpet is used, dirt and dust settle further.
These areas that are heavily used, like the living room threshold or the lower step of the staircase, require more attention than areas with less traffic, like bedrooms that are not used for sleeping.
The top cordless vacuums are equipped with a sensor for dust that will automatically boost suction when they pass over a hotspot of dirt; however, making multiple passes over the areas that are most frequented can also be effective.
12. Clean the Vacuum
When it comes to cleaning? How often do you wash your vacuum?
Modern vacuums are simple to clean and empty. They come with plastic chambers that can be removed and emptied into the trash can.
In addition, ensure you clear all other areas of the vacuum which could become blocked.
This could include hoses, spaces between that dirt compartment, or the brushes. Brushes are often coated with hair (both pet and human hair) which could reduce the effectiveness of the vacuum or even cause it to break completely.
Vacuum it up, and you might be amazed by what you see!
13. Spend More Time in Specific Areas
While it’s crucial to sweep all over the place, It’s better to spend more time cleaning in areas with high traffic. This includes foyers, bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms.
Even if there isn’t anyone within the house which is a “messy” person, the areas are subject to more people walking through. Some people may be hairier, and even people could be dragging dirt into the home without intending to.
14. Add Baking Soda
Have you tried the baking soda trick??
If your carpets constantly smell musty, you may be able to fix the issue by including baking soda in the routine of vacuuming.
The vacuum should be run once to eliminate dust and other debris. After that, sprinkle baking soda over the carpet. It’s best not to let the baking soda sit on the carpet for as long as you can (so it is recommended to do this while everyone is gone).
Clean the baking soda, and you’ll find the carpets smell nicer!
15. Include an Occasional Deep-Clean
When was the last time you cleaned your carpets thoroughly?
If you’re like most people, you can’t remember. It’s normal. However, it’s time to get out of the steamer.
A few people choose to wash their carpets. For ordinary people, it’s not a good option. If you allow enough moisture on the flooring long enough, it may develop moldy floors.
A steam cleaner, however, does not use enough water to trigger the issue. It goes deep into the carpet, removing the dirt, stains, and grime that vacuums cannot access.
It is important to use the vacuum first to eliminate debris and dirt so that you don’t have more of an issue.
16. Dust Mop or Vacuum?
Many flooring manufacturers suggest dust mopping only on flooring made of hard surfaces. For smaller spaces such as closets, bathrooms, and under furniture, you’ll likely find a mop much easier to use than vacuums.
17. Manage Your Expectations
What do you think if your carpets aren’t as filthy as you believe?
Certain carpets (like the carpets found in the apartments) aren’t of the highest quality. They’re typically dingy due to being aged or because their color conceals dirt (because it’s always slightly dirty).
Consider that your carpet could be worn out rather than just filthy. If your home is exposed to lots of sunlight, it will show color differently with the course.
If your carpets look dirty, regardless of how you treat them, it could be the way your carpets look rather than caused by the accumulation of dirt or grime.
This Is How You Can Vacuum the Right Way
Make use of this “vacuuming for novices” guide to understand how to vacuum effectively and efficiently. The carpet is spotless and new in no time, as long as you are willing to make an effort!
