Suck it Up: Take a Vacuuming Masterclass for a Spotless Home
Sometimes, it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it... Find out how to vacuum efficiently and bag yourself a dust-free abode
Compared to old-school carpet cleaners or the humble broom, vacuuming is a super-efficient way to rid floors and upholstery of crumbs, dust, pet hair and debris. But even if you’ve splashed out on the fanciest cleaner on the market, your technique and approach to vacuuming could be flawed. Here’s how to tackle the task effectively and get the best from your machine, so your home is happily hygienic and beautifully dust-free.
Avoid one direction
Simply running the vacuum cleaner up and down a carpet or rug, repeating the same direction, will not get a thorough clean. The machine will not remove all of the dirt and dust, as some of it can hide under carpet fibres. Vacuuming in both directions solves this. So go north-south across the whole space, then east-west to ensure a really deep clean.
Simply running the vacuum cleaner up and down a carpet or rug, repeating the same direction, will not get a thorough clean. The machine will not remove all of the dirt and dust, as some of it can hide under carpet fibres. Vacuuming in both directions solves this. So go north-south across the whole space, then east-west to ensure a really deep clean.
Pay attention to pets
Shed hair from dogs and cats can quickly cover a carpet or roll into tumbleweed-style clumps at the edge of a hard floor. The dander that pets produce, which is the tiny flecks of skin shed by them, can also cause allergies.
If you have pets, remember to vacuum the floor, but also any sofas or chairs they curl up on. Most vacuum cleaners come with a specialist upholstery attachment for this task.
Home truths for those who live with dogs
Shed hair from dogs and cats can quickly cover a carpet or roll into tumbleweed-style clumps at the edge of a hard floor. The dander that pets produce, which is the tiny flecks of skin shed by them, can also cause allergies.
If you have pets, remember to vacuum the floor, but also any sofas or chairs they curl up on. Most vacuum cleaners come with a specialist upholstery attachment for this task.
Home truths for those who live with dogs
Plan your route
Approach vacuuming your room strategically. Don’t just start in the middle and go from there. Instead, begin at the corner that’s furthest from the door and vacuum your way out of the room, leaving satisfying track marks in your carpet as you go.
Approach vacuuming your room strategically. Don’t just start in the middle and go from there. Instead, begin at the corner that’s furthest from the door and vacuum your way out of the room, leaving satisfying track marks in your carpet as you go.
Factor in different surfaces
Many homes have a combination of hard flooring, rugs and carpet, so be mindful of these different surfaces as you vacuum. Be sure to adjust your cleaner’s height or the bristle depth on its head as you move across different types of flooring. This makes a big difference to your cleaner’s ability to suck up dirt.
Many homes have a combination of hard flooring, rugs and carpet, so be mindful of these different surfaces as you vacuum. Be sure to adjust your cleaner’s height or the bristle depth on its head as you move across different types of flooring. This makes a big difference to your cleaner’s ability to suck up dirt.
Freshen up underfoot
Make your own eco carpet freshener. Try a simple recipe of two cups or scoops of baking soda, and between 10 and 20 drops of your favourite essential oil. Mix it together in a container (ideally with a perforated shaker lid) then sprinkle on your carpet and leave for 10-15 minutes so it can absorb odours. Then just vacuum it up.
All-natural cleaning products
Make your own eco carpet freshener. Try a simple recipe of two cups or scoops of baking soda, and between 10 and 20 drops of your favourite essential oil. Mix it together in a container (ideally with a perforated shaker lid) then sprinkle on your carpet and leave for 10-15 minutes so it can absorb odours. Then just vacuum it up.
All-natural cleaning products
Slow down
Whizzing round at high speed with your vacuum cleaner may leave track marks in your carpet as evidence that you’ve been busy, but, in reality, you won’t get a decent clean this way. The trick is to slow down. This allows your machine to suck up more dirt and dust, and will get your rugs and carpets much cleaner.
Slow vacuuming allows the brush to really move and agitate the pile in the carpet properly and suck up the unclean bits that emerge. On a hard floor, it gives time for even chunky pieces of debris to be sucked up.
Whizzing round at high speed with your vacuum cleaner may leave track marks in your carpet as evidence that you’ve been busy, but, in reality, you won’t get a decent clean this way. The trick is to slow down. This allows your machine to suck up more dirt and dust, and will get your rugs and carpets much cleaner.
Slow vacuuming allows the brush to really move and agitate the pile in the carpet properly and suck up the unclean bits that emerge. On a hard floor, it gives time for even chunky pieces of debris to be sucked up.
Sweeten your vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaners have a nasty habit of belching out slightly stale air as they work. To help prevent this, put a few drops of your favourite essential oil on a cotton wool ball and drop it into the dust canister of your machine.
Vacuum cleaners have a nasty habit of belching out slightly stale air as they work. To help prevent this, put a few drops of your favourite essential oil on a cotton wool ball and drop it into the dust canister of your machine.
Empty frequently
Your vacuum cleaner’s suction will be compromised if the canister or bag is full, so be sure to regularly bin all the dust and fluff you’ve sucked up. This helps your cleaner to work efficiently and reduces the risk of fluff being leaked back into the atmosphere.
Clean the filter frequently too, to cut down on odours and prevent dust being recycled.
Your vacuum cleaner’s suction will be compromised if the canister or bag is full, so be sure to regularly bin all the dust and fluff you’ve sucked up. This helps your cleaner to work efficiently and reduces the risk of fluff being leaked back into the atmosphere.
Clean the filter frequently too, to cut down on odours and prevent dust being recycled.
Be thorough but less frequent
If you follow all these tips, you can afford to vacuum just once a week. In-between, remove crumbs and debris with a dustpan and brush, then repeat your thorough vacuuming every seven days.
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Do you have any vacuuming tips? Add them to the Comments below.
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If you follow all these tips, you can afford to vacuum just once a week. In-between, remove crumbs and debris with a dustpan and brush, then repeat your thorough vacuuming every seven days.
TELL US
Do you have any vacuuming tips? Add them to the Comments below.
MORE
Read more stories about cleaning
Vacuum the edges of the room first using the crevice tool on your machine. The draughts and airflow across a hard floor will blow light dust, hair, fluff and other debris into the corners and edges, so failing to vacuum these spots allows muck to gather there.
If you have carpet, gathered dust can, in time, become hard to remove and even discolour the carpet.