Vacuums & Cleaners

There are five main types of Vacuum Cleaner on the market today, each with their own strengths and limitations.

Upright Vacuum Cleaners are generally the most powerful capable of deeper Carpet Cleaning. Their design tends to be bulky making them awkward to carry and tricky to store.

Barrel Vacuums also known as Canister Vacuums are also amongst the most powerful. Instead of an all in one build, Barrel Vacuums house the motor and dust collector in a wheeled unit pulled along behind you. They support multiple Attachments and can reach into tight and awkward places.

Stick Vacuums are light with a rechargeable battery for complete portability. They are less powerful as a result and need recharging after use. Handheld Vacuums are in the same vein but better for spot cleaning in difficult places, however they're not suited to complete floor cleaning.

Robot Vacuums are expensive and less powerful than Upright and Barrel Vacuums but can clean the floor automatically while you're away.

Although there is no such thing as a silent Vacuum Cleaner, some models are quieter than others. Different types of Vacuum Cleaners also tend to produce different levels of noise. Generally a Vacuum Cleaner with more powerful suction will be louder, so consider that Upright Vacuums tend to be both the most powerful and most noisy. Barrel Vacuums are also very powerful but tend to be less noisy because their design allows for additional layers of sound insulation without increasing the unit's size.

Robot Vacuums tend to be the quietest and have the added benefit of Vacuuming autonomously, which means it can be left alone in a room whilst you're in a quieter room or only let it clean when nobody is home. Stick Vacuums are light and portable thanks to a small motor, which makes them relatively quiet but does not allow for a lot of sound insulation. Regular maintenance also helps keep a Vacuum quiet.

Steam Cleaners are designed for deep carpet cleaning without the use of chemicals or Carpet Stain Removers and shampoos. Other Carpet Cleaners work by using concentrated detergents and water to scrub the lower surface of the carpet and suck the dirtied water back into a tank. Steam Cleaners use pressurised hot water to penetrate deep into the carpet and agitate the dirt, with some including a powerful Vacuum in the head that sucks the dirty water back into storage.

Cleaning with chemicals can produce fumes and leave residues that can cause burns and irritation. Steam Cleaners do not use chemicals and can even clean up chemical residues from previous Carpet Cleaning. They also kill germs, viruses, bacteria, mould and dust mites, but may find it hard to break through stuck stains.

Steam Cleaners provide a much deeper and more thorough Carpet Clean as steam is better able to penetrate the porous surfaces of carpet. Steam Cleaners can clean a variety of surfaces, although you should check that the flooring won’t be damaged by steam before starting or buying.
 

When shopping for a new Steam Cleaner there are four main features to consider.

Steam Cleaners perform best when they can produce a strong and steady steam pressure with some models including a pressure gauge to help track the performance. Faster heat up times will allow quicker cleaning in as little as 5 minutes.

Steam Cleaners with continuous refill functionality can be topped up with water mid clean during use. These models have a separate cold and hot water tank so that hot water is always available after initial heating up. Steam Cleaners without this feature need to heat up again after each refill.

Most models have a steam volume control which allow quick and easy adjustments for different surfaces. Models that place these controls on the handle are the most convenient to adjust. For added versatility, check the functions of the attachments that come with it for the best personal fit.