Best Vacuums for Hardwood Floors
The best vacuums for hardware floors eliminate dust and can take a lot of the manual labor out of the cleaning process. Pushing a vacuum can be easier on your back and arms than sweeping. Buying a vacuum to use on your hardware floors is different than buying a vacuum to use on your carpets. A traditional vacuum will scratch your hardwood floors and not do a very good job picking-up the dirt. Knowing what vacuum feature will help and hurt your hardwood will help you to pick the best vacuum possible for your floors.
Best Features for Hardwood Floor Vacuums
A good hardwood floor vacuum will not have beater brushes. The beater brush is the rotating cylinder in the vacuum head that is covered with thick bristles. The thick bristles on the beater brush create tiny scratches in your hardwood floors. Make sure your vacuum does not have these brushes. In addition to your vacuum being beater brush free, you will want your hardwood floor vacuum to be compact and easy to maneuver. A heavy vacuum can leave scuffmarks and scratches on your floor surface. You will also want a mid-size to small vacuum that can easily be rolled across your floor without too much exertion on your part. Finally, the best vacuum for your hardwood floor will have a vacuum head that is padded with rubber or felt strips. The padding on the vacuum head will also prevent it from scratching your floors.
Wet/Dry Vacuums
To really get hardwood floors clean, you will need to mop the surface of the floor. In addition to all the features above, you may also want a vacuum that can sweep and mop your floor. Make sure your wet/dry vacuum is small and easy to maneuver on a hard surface. Keep in mind that wet/dry vacuums will not disinfect your hardwood floor. The wet feature on the vacuum will only help to clean up any dirt left behind after you have vacuumed the hardwood floor. After you use the wet feature on your wet/dry vacuum, you will need to make sure there are no puddles or standing water on your floor. Any water left on your hardwood floor for a prolonged period of time can cause the wood to warp and damage. The best wet/dry vacuum will have all the features required of a hardwood floor vacuum combined with a wet cleaner that leaves a thin, fast drying coat of water behind.
Handheld Vacuums
A handheld vacuum is best to use between major cleanings of your hardwood floors. Handheld vacuums typically do not have bristles and will not scratch your floors. They work well for getting into the crevices and corners of your hardwood floors that can often be missed by larger vacuums. Handheld vacuums also work well for cleaning up kitty litter spills and any dirt tracked in from outside. A handheld vacuum is best for instant and fast cleaning of your hardwood floor.
Any of these options will do an excellent job of vacuuming your hardwood floors. Your floors will be dust and dirt free with little effort.
