Maintain a glass cleaner and also a towel dustcloth or old paper in different areas in your residence. Possibly it’s in one shower room or in the kitchen area. Take a paper bag as well as kind with the things drawing out what you no longer demand. Water them if required. I constantly maintain containers of anti-bacterial wipes in different areas around the residence.

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One word of caution – If you have laminate flooring, read the manufacturer’s recommendations. Some laminates need to be kept as dry as possible so you won’t want to use a steam mop or a regular mop.

Benefits of a Top Steam Mop

Steam mops will clean, disinfect and sanitize without chemicals. The best ones also kill dust mites and sometimes restore the shine to your floors.

As an added benefit, the floor dries quickly unlike a Swiffer or a regular mop. This is important if you have pets who love to walk over where you were cleaning. My two cats are always waiting just outside where I’m cleaning.

What I also love is you don’t have to clean the mop or cart around a mop bucket.

The bursts of steam will also help loosen up a stuck-on mess (hello, spaghetti sauce) and may be able to deep clean what you thought was a stain.

How to Use a Steam Mop

It’s important to remember that steam mops are not vacuums. You will need to vacuum or sweep before running your steam mop. The steam mop can handle some dirt, but it won’t pick up cereal or pet food.

Some steam mops can handle regular tap water while others require distilled. You should use filtered water if your steam mop doesn’t specify or if you can use regular water. It reduces the mineral buildup in the mop.

Follow the directions for your particular steam mop for how much water to put in the tank. Most mops need at least 30 seconds to heat the water to steam. Some require longer.

Press the nozzle to generate steam and dampen the cloth.

It’s a good plan to work from one corner diagonally to another corner. And if possible, end near a doorway so you can exit. Thankfully, the floor will dry quickly.

Top Rated Steam Mops

I chose these steam mops because my research showed they had the best reliability as well as the effectiveness with cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing hard floors.

Bissell Power Fresh

This easy-to-use steam mop cleans and sanitizes sealed hard floors killing 99% of germs and bacteria. You can adjust the steam level from low to medium to high. Bissell also provides three types of cleaning pads including a carpet glider. So if you need to steam clean part of a carpet, you can do it.

The Bissell Power Fresh can also be used to clean upholstery with a variety of included tools. The main handle is removable to allow for easy cleaning of things like stovetops, countertops, grout, and more.

This unit is corded with an extra-long 25-foot cord and uses washable mop pads.

Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop System

The Shark Steam Pocket Mop has an 18-foot power cord. It uses plain tap water and special microfiber pads.
It’s extremely easy to use. You fill up the tank, let it heat up, and the steam gets released directly where you want it to go as you move the mop around. You don’t have to pull a trigger to release the steam.

What makes the Shark genius is that you can flip the mop head over and keep on cleaning. This doubles your cleaning time without having to change the mop pad.

PurSteam ThermaPro Steam Mop

The 10-in-1 cleaning machine is a best seller because of the price and the flexibility of the unit. The main upright mop comes with a variety of other cleaning accessories. It has a detachable built-in handheld steamer which is great for around the bottom of a toilet. It includes a window squeegee and a straight nozzle for corners and baseboards. There is also a bent nozzle for hard-to-reach areas and other nylon brushes for grout, countertops, and more.

While the mop pads are washable, they’re not intended to last as long as the mop pads on the other steam mops. My research shows that people buy a third-party brand that covers the steam mop head as it stays on better.

Bissell Spin Wave

This is the only cordless steam mop I could find. It gives you 20 minutes of power and it does a great job too. It has dual rotating mop heads that scrub the floor for you while it steam cleans. You can also spray shoots of cleaning solution to loosen up the tough spots before you go over them. It uses microfiber pads which are machine washable and should last a long time. You get two soft-touch pads and two scrubby pads along with two 8oz trial size multi-surface cleaning formulas.

This is a great option if you have a lot of spills or messy eaters (like my cats) and need some extra help scrubbing it off of the floor while you clean and sanitize.

Which Should You Buy?

You can’t go wrong with any of these options. You should evaluate how much cleaning you will do and what type. If you just want to clean your floors, you can choose a simpler model. If you want to steam clean other areas in your home, you should get the multi-function.

What other questions do you have about steam mops? Leave a comment and I’ll answer them.

The post Top Steam Mops for Cleaning Your Hard Floors appeared first on The Cleaning Pantry.

It’s Not the Plan….

Planning is essential. You don’t always have to follow your plan because life gets in the way, and some rooms don’t get as dirty. Give yourself the flexibility.

It is a good idea to figure out how you want to clean your home.

Are you the kind of person who wants to spend one hour cleaning the house top to bottom or would you rather do five to ten minutes a day so it doesn’t seem like a lot of work?

I like to wash all the toilets at once and get it over with. But I need to have a better plan for vacuuming.

Find Products That Help You

To save time, use cleaning products that do the hard work. If it’s been a while since you scrubbed the tile, it’s going to take a few rounds to get it squeaky clean again. So you may as well let some cleaning products help you. I love CLR for removing the water deposits on the glass door.

And there are a number of bleach-based products that can help you with grout. (And don’t forget to have a good brush that you can keep nearby to brush the grout while you’re showering.)

All-purpose cleaners are great for cleaning up counters in the kitchen, bathroom, and general surfaces around the house. Microfiber clothes can be used for wiping up counters as well as dusting. And you’re not using up paper towels.

If you have a lot of non-carpet floors, invest in a combination vacuum and mop that will clean everything all at once. It makes things so much easier.

I’m also testing out a robotic vacuum to see if it can help with keeping the upstairs cleaner. And, honestly, I want to see if my cat takes a ride on it.

Smarter Ways to Reduce Cleaning Time

There are some simple things you can do to cut down on cleaning time. For example, place a doormat outside and inside every door. It will catch dirt before it comes inside.

When cleaning a room, work top to bottom. So if you’re dusting up high, you can then vacuum it up. I’ve definitely vacuumed first, dusted, and then had to go re-vacuum.

You can reduce clutter by following the one-touch rule. When you bring in the mail, toss the junk mail into the recycle bin, and then place the useful mail in one spot where you can review it at the right time.

I also keep a donation box in the front hall, so if I find something I no longer want to keep, I can pop it in the box. Then periodically, I’ll bring the box down to my favorite donation station.

Some people also clean as they go and use a squeegee to clean the shower before they step out. I knew I’d never do this, so I haven’t tried. Remember, you have to set up the steps you’ll follow.

Finally, sometimes scrubbing is the wrong way to go about it. Let’s say you were making strawberry jam in your big La Cruset, and someone came to the door to give you some homemade teriyaki sauce. And you were talking for at least twenty minutes. When they left, you suddenly remembered the jam simmering on the stove.

Well, you would find a mess. And yes, I did that.

I found that the easiest way to clean the pot was to warm it up, scrape off what I could with a silicon pan scraper, and then let it sit with a baking soda paste as it cooled down. Otherwise, I’d still be scrubbing that pot.

I had a friend who didn’t like planning chores since it cut into her freedom. But the truth is, you have more freedom when you plan the basics. And you will enjoy more free time in your clean home too.

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To start off with I decided to measure the box. It was almost 13 inches each side and almost 27 inches tall. The total package weighed in around 14 pounds.

I loved the box because of the shadow dog and cat on it. I also had no idea that Bissell will donate money on each of the purchases of their pet products.

A lot of thought was put into the packaging. Like I mentioned before, I love the design of the box itself. When I opened it up I noticed that everything had a place and it was fairly easy to empty everything out. There was an extra beater bar, two small containers of the cleaning solution, the tray to store it on, a container to funnel the water into the tray, and a small pitcher to pour water in. More on this later. There was also a bottle for holding the cleaning solution.

After pulling out the accessories and the cardboard keeping everything in place, I got to the actual machine.

The Crosswave is a corded cleaning machine. The cord is very long (25 feet). I pulled out the handle and then tried to get the actual vacuum out. It wasn’t too difficult, but I did have a little bit of a struggle trying to get it out because the box so firmly held the Bissell in place. Friction. We meet again.

Once I got the vacuum cleaner out, I was able to snap the handle in place. You had to look for a small black button, press that in, and then pushed down the handle until you heard a firm click. I weighed the Bissell Cross wave without the fluid container, and it weighed 10 pounds.

But How Does It Clean?

I hadn’t cleaned my floor in a few days, and my cats are really messy eaters. I’d also spilled some flour. And something had leaked from my recycle bag. All in all, I thought it would be a great test.

It was easy to fill the cleaning solution. One thing I really liked is that it gives two sets of lines. One is for a shorter cleaning, and the other is for a longer cleaning. I used the lesser amount, because I only wanted to clean the kitchen floor.

The Bissell is quite easy to turn on. You get to choices of buttons. The hard floor does not use as much fluid when you press the triggger. The area rug squirts out more fluid. I started with using the hard floor button and only pressing the trigger when I was coming to someplace that seemed like it needed extra cleaning. I gave that up pretty quickly and held down the trigger the majority of the time.

It did a good job of cleaning. But some of the stuff didn’t come up too easily. I switched over the area rug and it did a better job of cleaning. I tested the floor and it was damp where I used hard floor, and it was a little wetter in the area where used area rug. But there was no standing water or anything.

Overall the floor was completely dry within 5 minutes. And I do think you did a better job than using a wet cleaning cloth attached to the bottom of one of my Swiffer.

I’ve since cleaned two more times and the floor looks a lot cleaner.

I was also surprised at how well the actual vacuum worked on hard floors. It picks up kibble a lot better than my Dyson.

However, it’s not a replacement for a household vacuum.

There is no power-assist, so moving it across carpeting isn’t easy. Also, I couldn’t figure out how to use it on the stairs easily. It does clean carpeting well, but I won’t give up my regular vacuum for quick cleaning any time soon.

Also, don’t use it to clean up self-clumping litter. Trust me on this one.

How Easy Is It to Clean?

Cleaning it out takes a few extra steps than a stick vacuum, but it’s worth it.

I don’t have to take out the beater bar and cut longhair off of it. You set the Bissell Cross Wave on its docking tray, turn it on, lean back the handle so the brush roll is engaged, and then slowly pour water into the mat. The machine washes itself. I felt it did a great job of cleaning the beater bar.

I then cleaned out what was left in the main fluid container, and then pulled out the cup where the liquid and debris get deposited. It was very easy to just rinse out everything, let it dry, and then put it back together again.

I forgot to take pictures. I may update and show that.

All in all I’m really glad I bought this, and I’m going to look into buying one for my daughter. It is a great job on hard floors, and she’s in a nice apartment with hard flooring and no stairs.

Things I Love

The two-tank technology is awesome. I know I’m cleaning the floor with fresh water rather than pushing dirt back over the floor. And the floor isn’t sticky after due to too much cleaning solution.

The hair and other big stuff gets trapped making it easier to pick out and throw away (or compost) instead of being poured down the sink.

The tangle-free brush roll is truly tangle-free.

The post Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Review – With A Cat Judging appeared first on The Cleaning Pantry.

If You Only Have Five Minutes

Shuffle things around so your winter clothes are in one section, fall in another, then summer, and finally spring. It’s spring right now going into summer, and you should organize it depending upon which season you’re in. Then have the next season lined up.

If you have a small closet but good storage space, pull out the season that just passed and the one before it.

This way, you have more room to expand your clothes. Is anything more frustrating than trying to get clothing in and out when it’s packed together tighter than sardines in a can?

If you don’t organize your clothes like that, then take a few moments to get it back to the way you like. Often we’ll quickly hang something up and intend to fix it later. Some people like to keep all their shirts together and then sorted by color.

Now Is A Great Time to Thin the Herd

We all have clothes in our closet that doesn’t fit, or we honestly don’t care for. We thought it looked good, and then our weight changed or we realized that the fit wasn’t quite right. I have a lovely lavender blouse that looks great, but I hate the neckline. It creeps up.

Pull everything out that doesn’t make you feel your best.

Let it go to someone who really will enjoy wearing it.

And do you keep your shoes in your closet? Are there ones that don’t fit or you just haven’t worn them since the last time you went clubbing before you got married and had kids and pets? I have a pair of thigh-high high-heeled boots that need to be rehomed too. As Peter Walsh says, mementos are not memories. And you keep your memories in your head and heart and don’t need the mementos cluttering up your life.

Clean the Closet

Bring in the vacuum cleaner and give everything a good cleaning. Now is the time to get rid of all the dust that accumulated.

Thankfully, closets tend to stay clean. But it never hurts to at least wipe down the crevices and flat surfaces with a dust cloth.

Help Your Future Self

We tend to wear many of the same clothes over and over. My husband folds laundry and leaves it in the tubs, and so he will wear the same shirts over the weeks. It probably doesn’t help that he’s run out of room in his closet.

And no, I don’t tell him to clean and organize. I like having a happy marriage. Plus he says nothing about my yarn and fabric stash.

One way to help your future self is to turn your hangers around. Then when you’ve worn something, put it back with the hanger facing the correct way. At the end of a set period of time (like 6 months or a year), you will see what you never touched.

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Your best bet is to find one with excellent true HEPA filter that also has good suction.

There are also specialized mattress vacuums just for dust mites. My feeling is that a good vacuum should be able to handle this for most people.

If you have strong dust mite allergies, you will want a good vacuum for your home and a specialized vacuum for your mattresses and the rest of the upholstery in your house.

Let’s dive in to the top choices, shall we?

The Top Picks

Ok, for those who want to just check out the top vacuums, here they are. I’d recommend reading the rest of the article to see why as well as the pros and cons of each model.

• Dyson V7 Mattress Handheld Vacuum
• Housmile UV Mattress Vacuum Cleaner
• Raycop Allergen Vacuum Cleaner
• Iris Mattress Vacuum Cleaner
• Dibea Bed Vacuum Cleaner

Dust Mite Allergies

Dust mites are living creatures who live in dust and feed on skin flakes from humans and pets, and on some mold. Because they’re part of the mite family, they’re really tiny measuring approximately 0.2-0.3 mm.

Thankfully, dust mites don’t burrow under the skin. So why should you be concerned?

Well, they produce a protein that creates allergic reactions when inhaled. So you want to try and prevent them from developing a colony as much as possible.

Dust mites can make asthma worse. Dust mites are also associated with allergic rhinitis. That means you have a stuffy nose. They can also cause you to wheeze.

How to Get Rid of Dust Mites

You’ll want to start with good quality sheets with a thread count over 250. Actually get two sets since you will want to change your sheets and pillow slips once a week.

Then wash them in hot water and a nice hot dryer. I recommend 100% cotton sheets which will stand up to hot water and dryers better than polyester. And definitely don’t use satin sheets.

Even if you’re not particularly sensitive, you should invest in good dust mite covers for your mattress and pillows. That will provide a barrier between you and the dust mite protein.

If you are sensitive, you should look into a duvet cover if you don’t want to wash your comforter every week.

Additional Anti-Allergen Methods

You can also look into an effective anti-allergen spray for the other areas of your bedroom including the carpet, any rugs, upholstery, curtains, etc.

Some people use baking soda on surfaces and then vacuum it off.

If you want to stay completely on top of the dust mites, you may want to look into spraying your whole house including pet beds with the anti-allergen sprays on a regular basis.

And of course, you want to vacuum regularly with a high quality true HEPA filter vacuum.

What to Look for In A Mattress Vacuum

Let’s look at what you need to know when choosing a dust mite mattress vacuum.

What’s a HEPA filter?

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance. It captures stuff from the air and traps it into a filter. A “True HEPA” filter can capture 99.97% of particulates 0.3 microns or larger from the air, and that’s what you want.

The “HEPA Type” or “HEPA Like” filter only can capture 99% of the particulates 2 microns or larger which includes pet dander and dust.

While that’s nice, to really get rid of dust mites, you need a vacuum with True HEPA filters.

Why do I need a vacuum cleaner for dust mites specifically?

Vacuuming up the little guys is the fastest and easiest way to clean your mattress.

You may read about how ultraviolet (UV) light will kill them. But the truth is you’d have to have a strong bright light on one spot for an hour, and you’re counting on the dust mite not moving.

Some people also say that the vibration of the vacuum will kill the dust mites. It won’t.

The vibration will knock the dust mites loose which makes it easier to vacuum them up. That’s why you want a good vacuum cleaner with strong suction power.

To get rid of dust mites and keep them gone, you need to consistently vacuum, change your linens and wash them regularly, and treat your carpets with anti-allergen sprays.

Once you have a weekly routine down, you’ll find changing your bed goes quickly. Your reward will be better sleep since you’ll be breathing easier.

How does this special purpose vacuum cleaner differ to a regular vacuum cleaner?

True HEPA filter vacuums are able to suction up dust mites and trap them.

Regular vacuum cleaners with HEPA like filters (if they even have a filter) just are not able to capture dust mites, and they can get blown back out into your bedroom.

Why? I hear you ask.

HEPA like filters have larger spaces so the mites can sneak though. A true HEPA filter will be able to capture 99.97% of particulates 0.3 microns or larger.

What Are the Different Types of Vacuums On the Market?

I’ll quickly review the types of vacuums. You may be able to use your regular household vacuum if it has a strong enough suction as well as a true HEPA filter.

There are three main types of vacuums. They are:

• Specialized
• Upright
• Canister

I’ll explain them in a second.

There are also robotic vacuums and stick vacuums. You’ve probably seen YouTube videos of cats wearing shark costumes riding around on these automatic vacuums. You can set them up to run automatically once a day or even more.

I don’t discuss them here because no robotic vacuum has a true HEPA filter. Plus, you can’t vacuum your mattress with them.

I also won’t discuss stick vacuums because they aren’t powerful enough, although they are convenient for quick vacuuming off of mattresses and couches.

Specialized Vacuums

Specialized vacuums were designed just for vacuuming up dust mites from your mattress, bedding and upholstery. They are not designed for whole home cleaning, and are used in addition to another vacuum.

All specialized vacuums are bagless. That is to say, there’s a collection cup that traps all the dust and debris. You need to hold the main unit over a bin to empty it out. Some people feel that this releases the dust particles (and mites) back into the air.

Some collection cups are easier than others to empty, and if you hold it low enough in the bin, you have a great chance of getting everything out.

Upright Vacuums

Upright vacuums are what you think of when you think vacuums. They stand upright and are pushed across the surface.

Some upright vacuums now have wand attachments which is very useful. It used to be that upright vacuums were limited to only being able to vacuum up what was directly below them.

That made it difficult to vacuum off couches or curtains. And you could forget about crevices.

But now, you can get a lot of the same attachments as a canister. Some people feel it’s easier to push an upright vacuum than the canister. It’s honestly a personal choice and what you’re most comfortable with.

Some of the new upright vacuums are bagless. Some people prefer not to have to keep vacuum cleaner bags on hand.

The bagless are easier to empty out than the stick because you can remove it completely from the vacuum cleaner and then empty it into the bin.

Canister Vacuums

Canister vacuums are comprised of two parts. You have the vacuum cleaner head attached to the main body of the vacuum which is often called a canister. The original ones were more barrel shaped and that’s how they got their name.

Canister vacuums are quite flexible in that you can extend the wand for easy vacuuming of ceilings and the corners of the walls.

You also have a wide variety of attachments for easy vacuuming of your mattress and the tiny corners around the bed frame.

And like the upright, some of the newer canister vacuums are bagless.

Features

Filter

As I’ve mentioned before, you want to ensure that you have a True HEPA filter.

On some vacuum cleaners, the HEPA filters are removable and washable. This is convenient for keeping your HEPA filters as effective as possible.

Other models have you replace the HEPA filters regularly. You’d need to read the instructions that come with your particular vacuum cleaner.

Cycle per Minute Suction Power

Some vacuum cleaners will tell you their suction power, some will have cycles per minute suction power.

It’s not always easy to compare. Plus, there’s no one standardized specification, so the vacuum cleaner companies are free to promote whatever number they like.

The bottom line is that strong suction doesn’t always equate to strong power.

The vacuum motor creates a vacuum by having the pressure inside the vacuum be less than the pressure outside. That pulls air (and dirt, debris, and hopefully dust mites) into the vacuum.

The larger the difference in pressure, the stronger the suction power.

Now, you have companies like Dyson that promote their consistent suction that doesn’t lose power. They have a motor that can maintain the suction while it’s cycling.

What do I mean by cycling? When something gets pulled into the vacuum cleaner, it immediately changes the pressure differential. So you need a motor that can maintain a relatively consistent suction.

It’s like if you’re boiling water and you put in your pasta. That lowers the temperature of the water and you have to wait until the pot of water comes back up to a full boil before turning down the temperature to maintain a nice, rolling boil.

Anyway, what you should be focusing on is airflow. That’s measured in cubic feet per minute and is the force of airflow across a surface that’s going to be picking up the dirt.

Real airflow can be affected by turbulence in the wand or hose, any restrictions on airflow where the beater bar meets the floor, and any resistance from the vacuum bag or debris cup being full.

Cordless vs Corded

Some upright vacuums and most stick vacuum cleaners are cordless. They have a large lithium ion battery that lasts anywhere from 20 min to 60 min of vacuum time.

Most canister and upright vacuums have cords. That limits you to the length of the cord. And when you reach that limit, you need to move the plug.

Cordless can certainly be easier if you’re doing a quick vacuum. However the downside is that when the battery runs out, the vacuum just stops. Then you have to wait until the battery is charged up again to finish vacuuming.

With cords, you need to remember to take care of them and not let them get tangled up. Then when you’re done vacuuming, you need to put them away.

Some vacuums have retractable cords which is very handy. Others need to be wound up manually.

All specialty mattress vacuums are corded. So you will need to ensure that there’s an outlet near your bed.

Warranty

Always look carefully at the length and terms of the warranty. You first want to look at the length of time you have to get repairs or replacements.

And you also want to look at what is covered. Will they replace a non-functioning unit or will they have you take the vacuum to an authorized repair center?

If the manufacturer requires you to take it to an authorized repair center, do you have one near you? Do you have an easy way to transport it?

Finally, you need to be sure that your vacuum cleaner is covered from where you purchased it. Certain manufacturers are a bit picky that their vacuum has to be purchased only from an authorized distributor or dealer.

Finally, you will want to be aware of how your vacuum cleaner gets repaired. Some companies require that you bring in your machine to their nearest approved repair shop. That could be more than 25 miles away.

Other companies work with you to send you replacement parts or send you a return label so you can mail the vacuum back to them.

You will want to carefully read the warranty and understand the requirements of each company that you’re considering.

Weight

If you’re going to be vacuuming your mattress, you will care how heavy the vacuum cleaner is since you’ll be lifting something up on to the bed.

If you use the upright, you may use an attachment on the wand. If there’s no wand, then you’ll have to be comfortable lifting the full vacuum cleaner up.

Canister vacuums are easier since you can remove the long wand and attach the motorized vacuum head directly to the hose and vacuum the mattress.

All of the specialty mattress vacuum cleaners are small and light so you should be able to easily vacuum the mattress.

Is It Best to Get A Vacuum Cleaner That Vacuums Just Dust Mites or Dust, Pet Hair, and Everything Else?

It all depends upon your allergies.

If you have breathing problems, then try the mite covers first. If it helps a little, then get the specialty vacuum for mattresses.

Then be consistent with changing your linens and vacuuming your mattress.

You definitely want to get a True HEPA filter vacuum for the rest of your house. Then be consistent vacuuming there as well.

I would recommend a bagged vacuum if you have severe allergies. It captures all the dust. Less leaks out when you remove it than when you empty out a bagless vacuum.

You may want an upright to vacuum the majority of your home. Having a handheld vacuum just for dust mites would be a great way to regularly vacuum off all your mattresses when you’re changing the linens without having to pull out the upright vacuum cleaner.

How Often Should I Vacuum to Keep the Dust Mites Away?

Once a week, you should change all your linens, and vacuum off your mattress.

It’s also a good idea to regularly vacuum your whole bedroom once a week as well.

Can A Special Purpose Vacuum Cleaners Clean All Surfaces Where Dust Mites Live and Breed – Floors, Mats, Carpets, Mattresses and Sofas?

You could vacuum sofas and mattresses, but you’d get really tired trying to vacuum floors and carpets on your hands and knees since the special purpose vacuums are handheld only.

What kind of criteria to use to choose between models?

If you have severe dust mite allergies, then you will want to look into having multiple vacuum cleaners. You’ll want a handheld specifically for cleaning mattresses, pillows, couches and chairs.

Then you’ll want a good vacuum cleaner for the rest of your household so you can keep your rugs, carpets and floors clean of dust and dander.

The Top Mattress Vacuums

The following are the best selling and highest rated on Amazon.

Now, all of them try to say they’re the widest and therefore the best. They’re all about the same width, so find the one that you think works best for your needs and budget.

And remember that most of these are specialty vacuums only designed to pick up dust. They won’t pick up pet fur. The Dyson probably will but that’s not what it was designed for.

Dyson V7 Mattress Vacuum

This is the most expensive option. It is backed with the well-known Dyson cyclonic vacuum suction.

It weighs a little more than 3 pounds (1.44kg) and is rather large. It’s looks exactly like a normal Dyson V7 vacuum except that it has the special head that prevents you from hooking up the long tube of a normal vacuum.

You have to hold down the trigger to keep it running. So your hand could get tired if you have a larger mattress.

It’s filter is removable and washable.

This is cordless and will need to be charged regularly.

And this is the only one to come with attachments that can be used for cleaning crevices on couches or a dust brush for flat surfaces.

You will want this if you have a lot of areas you want to vacuum easily all your mattresses, couches, sofas, tables, bookcases, and anything other than floors.

Housmile Mattress Vacuum

The Housmile is a moderate priced option that also includes UV light. It weighs a bit more coming in around 4.5 pounds (2 kg). It also has a vibrating motor to beat the surface knocking dust mites loose.

You can remove and wash the two filters (and should after every use).

This vacuum has a cord and an on-switch so it’s easy to maneuver on top of your mattress.

It cannot be used for anything other than fabric covered items like couches.

There are no attachments and you cannot replace the UV bulb. It is supposed to last for the life of the vacuum.

This vacuum is shaped like a manta ray in that it’s a triangle with a handle over the top. You use it like an iron in that you leave it in place for a moment and then move to another spot.

You would choose this model if you want a reliable specialized vacuum cleaner just for your mattress and upholstered furniture.

Raycop LITE Mattress Vacuum

Like the Housemiele, the Raycop uses UV light as well as pulsating pads to knock dust loose. It is also corded and can only be used for mattresses and upholstered furniture.

It’s the second most expensive option.

There is an on/off switch and it is also triangular with a handle so you can slowly move it across your mattress.

It weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg) so it’s lighter than the Housemiele.

The Raycop has two filters. One should be washed after every use. The second should be replaced every six months.

This is a good option for people who want a specialized mattress vacuum that is reliable and slightly lighter than the Housmile.

IRIS Mattress and Furniture Vacuum

This was probably the most fun of all the mattress vacuums because it has a color light system that goes from red to orange and finally to green when it feels it has vacuumed up all the dust.

It’s corded with an on/off switch. You can wash one of the filters and it’s easy to buy replacement filters.

It’s the cheapest and the lightest coming in at 3.5 pounds (1.6kg).

It’s also shaped like a small upright vacuum.

It does use vibration and strong suction to pick up the dust but does not have UV light.

Dibea Bed Vacuum

The Dibea is shaped a little more like the Dyson and has a roller brush. It has both vibrating pads and UV light.

It weighs a little less than 4.5 pounds (1.98kg).

It’s also an affordable model. And it has an on/off switch.

You can remove and wash one of the filters. HEPA replacement filters are available. And there are no other attachments.

This is best for people who want an easy to use vacuum with vibration and UV that’s affordable.

Conclusion

I hope this has helped you! Leave a comment as to your experience with mattress vacuums.

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What Are Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

In days of old, vacuum cleaners had special bags which held all the dust and hair and Lego bricks that were picked up. But once upon a time, Sir James Dyson invented the bagless vacuum. It has a special receptacle that you can take out and empty directly into the garbage can. So never again will you be caught needing to change the bag in your vacuum cleaner and find out that you’re out.  And, worse, there’s no place to buy them.

So what is the downside? Some of the cups are quite small and need to be cleaned out frequently. And some are awkwardly placed so it’s difficult to pull it out gracefully and you get dust everywhere.

Bag vacuums can hold up to 2 pounds of debris. And they have good filtration systems. Then the bag is easy to take out and dispose of into the garbage can. Some people with stronger allergies need the bagged version to better contain the dust and allergens.

Bagless vacuums are cheaper in the long term because you don’t have to purchase the bags. And some people have concerns about adding to landfill with vacuum bags.

How Bagless Vacuum Cleaners Work

Bagless vacuums tend to be smaller than bag based vacuums. Some are robotic and do the work for you. Stick vacuums require you to pull a trigger when you want the vacuum on.

They use a fan system to create a suction that pulls dirt and dust and pet hair through a series of filters. That ends up in the container that gets cleaned. Some containers are pull out and then you dump. Some are a hinge and you open it up over the garbage can.

You will need to regularly clean the filter.  In mine, I just take it out and rinse it off about once a month. Then I let it air dry. The purple thing is a filter. I can easily pull it out and put it back in.  It’s like cloth with a rubber gasket around it.

How Good Are Bagless Vacuum Cleaners

Bagless can be better than a vacuum cleaner with a bag because they’re easier to use. You can quickly clean them out. And you don’t have to worry about the bag.

They clean easily on hardwood, vinyl flooring, and carpeting.  It’s true in my household that the suction isn’t as strong and it does not get all the dust. However, since it’s easy for me to grab, I vacuum much more frequently than if I pulled out the canister vacuum.  It’s also lighter and easier for me to maneuver.

I love how I can use the attachments and vacuum the sofa as well as my car.

Are Bagless Vacuum Cleaners Good for Pet Hair?

As with all things, it depends upon the surface, the vacuum, and type of pet fur.

Long Versus Short Hair

This kind of goes for both human and pet hair. My friend has short hair and a boxer.  My household has long hair and two Maine Coon cats.Her home is mostly wood flooring. My home is mostly carpeted.

So, she is able to use the robotic vacuum. I would not be able to.  The receptacle on the robotic vacuums tends to be small.

I use a Dyson stick and will empty out the container about three times per floor. I live in a two story house. And I empty it out after vacuuming the stairs. I love using the long vacuum attachment on the stairs and then using a small crevice attachment along the edges.

What Are You Vacuuming

Is your home mostly carpet or tile or hardwood? Carpet will tend to hold on to dust and debris a lot tighter than flat flooring. Also, if you have long shag carpet, you’ll need a stronger bagless vacuum.  Some have special boosts to increase the suction. The downside is that it drains the battery faster.

Features to Look For

Cord vs. Cordless

Vacuum cleaners with cords tend to have more power. And you won’t run out of battery if you’ve been using it for awhile.

Battery Life

If you choose cordless, you will want to take note of battery life.  In the case of my Dyson stick that I purchased a few years ago, it’s about 20 minutes of constant high suction or 8 minutes of even higher suction.

Robotic vacuums are often over sixty minutes.

Motorized Brush

Most vacuum cleaners have a motorized beater brush that picks up debris more easily. It’s the bar with brushes on it that spins and moves the carpet fibers around so you can suck up the dust that gets dislodged.

Make sure you find one that’s easy to clean out. I have to clean mine after every use because there’s so much long hair wrapped around it.

Attachments

Robotic modes aren’t going to have any. However, they do all the vacuuming. So they may be a great option if you don’t need attachments.

Handheld models should have a variety of attachments. Some upright vacuums have special wands for attaching accessories.

You will probably want a crevice tool.  We also use the smaller vacuum head. It also has a motorized beater brush. But it’s about half the width of the regular brush head. The non motorized head is great for curtains since it just sucks up the fur and doesn’t suck up the actual cloth.

Headlight

Canister and upright vacuums may have a special head lamp which makes it easy to see when you’re vacuuming in dark places like under a bed. It can help you look for any item that shouldn’t go in the vacuum.

Models

If you click on a model, it’ll take you to a more in depth review page on this site.

• Dyson DC44 Cordless Animal
• Best Canister Vacuums for Pet Hair
• Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors and Pet Fur

The post Best Bagless Vacuum for Pet Hair (Updated for 2021) appeared first on The Cleaning Pantry.

Just in case you haven’t seen it, here it is from Shark Cleaning:

Key Features of the Shark IonFlex 2X

MultiFlex(tm) Technology

The MultiFlex(tm) is a simple latch that lets you unhinge the wand and fold it down to a flat surface. This enables you to vacuum underneath furniture like tables, couches and beds more easily and naturally.  You can then fold it down entirely for easy storage. One really cool thing about when you fold it down for storage is that the stick vacuum can stand on its own.

DuoClean(tm) Technology

Shark has designed a beater brush which they feel cleans better.  It has two brushes on the vacuum head. One has firmer bristles allowing you to deep clean carpets. The other bristle type is a softer brushroll which pulls in larger articles and directly sweeps the floor for a more polished look. Many reviewers on Amazon felt that it did a deeper and better cleaning than their other stick vacuums.

Benefits of the IonFlex 2X

The IonFlex 2X has two removable lithium-ion batteries so you can charge one while the other one is powering the vacuum. Each battery lasts about 23 minutes. You can choose to have more suction power or less. And if you’re vacuuming with less, you have longer battery time. It does take about 3.5 hours to charge each battery.

There is a light on the front of the vacuum head to see where you’re going when you’re underneath the furniture or vacuuming in dark corners.

The IonFlex has motorized brushes that can you can adjust to the type of floor you’re vacuuming. They call it the Smart Response Technology.  It lets you select the ideal power setting and brushroll speed for each cleaning job. You select your carpet setting or floor setting, and then you choose a suction setting. They call low “extended runtime” and high is “max power.” But you get the idea.

Like most stick vacuums, it’s easy to convert the IonFlex to a handheld vacuum for easy cleaning of stairs, the couch and your car.

And there are three ways to charge the batteries:

• The battery in its battery charger station.
• Directly to the battery in the handle unit.
• And directly to the battery.

When you connect directly to the battery, you can charge a spare while using your Ion Flux.

The Not So Great Bits

Even though you can lift it up for cleaning things like the tops of your curtains, it’s a bit heavier than other stick vacuums coming in at 7.2 pounds.

There is a power button on the vacuum head. That means you don’t have to hold down a trigger like on other stick vacuums. And it makes it easier for your hands and fingers. Some people felt it was awkward to reach it. However, I think it’s great that you can just step on the button and the IonFlex starts right up.

You can’t remove the brushbar from the vacuum cleaner head. That’s one thing I really love about the Dyson because we have so much hair. I’m always taking it out and cleaning it every time I vacuum. You need to cut off any string, hair or whatever that’s wrapped around while the bar is still in the cleaner head. That’s why I got frustrated with my canister. This won’t be a problem if you don’t have a lot of long hair.

My Final Thoughts

This is a great stick vacuum. It comes with two batteries so you can easily vacuum your whole house with power left over. And you can be charging the other battery directly while still using the IonFlux2X.

You also don’t need to hang it up anywhere. The stick vacuum folds up for easy storage in a closet.

And because it bends, you can finally vacuum under the bed easily.

The majority of purchases on Amazon really liked it, and I suspect you will too.

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You’ve heard of Dyson and know how excellent the brand is. Have you heard of Deik? Did you know they make a very good stick vacuum as well? But how do Deik vs Dyson compare?

How Are the Deik and Dyson Similar

The Deik and Dyson vacuum cleaners use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and bagless dirt cups for catching debris and dust. They both are easy to empty out. And they both have motorized beater brushes.

The Deik and Dyson are both considered 2 in 1 vacuums because you can remove the wand and use the handheld vacuum cleaner separately. This is useful for when you’re cleaning stairs or dusting. I love being able to take the handheld vacuum cleaner out to my car and clean up messes on the floor mats.

Both are lightweight at 4.7 and 4.5 pounds respectively. This is helpful if you are cleaning cobwebs from the ceiling or light fixtures and need to hold the vacuum up at an angle.

The vacuum bars are able to handle transitioning from a hard floor to carpeting. Remember that stick vacuums generally are not as good as upright or canister vacuums for heavier carpeting. However, they’re useful for doing a quick clean up of fur and dust.

The roller brush is easy to clean on both vacuums. With the Dyson, you unlock a part on the side of the brush head. Then you can pull out the sturdy bar and clean it.  And with the Deik, you press and hold down the roller brush release button, and then gently pull the roller brush out.

How Are the Dyson and Deik Different

You can purchase additional batteries for the Deik vacuum cleaner. This can be useful if you do a lot of vacuuming and don’t want to wait the 5 hours for the battery to recharge. Also the Deik has lights on the cleaner head.

The Deik has a suction power of 7Kpa and only one speed.  The Dyson has two speeds of suction for a useful power burst when cleaning. It’s regular suction power is 11kPa and the extra power comes in at 19kPa. So the Dyson is quite a bit more powerful than the Deik.

And while they both are stick vacuums with triggers, the Deik has a way to keep the vacuum running without having to hold down your finger. This is nice if you have a lot of vacuuming to do. I know my finger can get tired when I’m trying to vacuum the whole house.

Final Thoughts

The beater brush on the Dyson is sturdier than the Deik. However, the Dyson is also more than twice the cost of the Deik.

Dyson has excellent customer service that you can chat, email, or phone.  Deik customer support is only available via email. So if anything goes wrong, you can be assured that Dyson will definitely help you.

The biggest complaints on the Deik are that the battery stops holding its charge and drops down to 10-15 minutes rather than over 20 minutes. You can purchase additional and replacement batteries. However, the Dyson maintains it’s charge for the full time.

So, if you can get the Dyson, it will be a better vacuum cleaner.

The post Deik vs Dyson Stick Vacuum Cleaner Review appeared first on The Cleaning Pantry.

The best stick vacuums have a good charge, consistent suction, and can be stored easily.  Stick vacuums are great if you want to vacuum frequently. And because they’re small, they work well if you have a tiny living space. My daughter who lives in a private dorm keeps asking me to send her one.

Benefits of Stick Vacuums

I vacuum frequently because we get a lot of dust and dander. And it matches my cleaning personality better. I’ll vacuum downstairs one day, the stairs the next, upstairs the third day, and then rinse and repeat. The stick vacuum makes it much easier to just go vacuum. I mean, if your’e like me, you don’t like vacuuming. But you know it needs to be done.

More Convenient

So it’s easier to grab the stick vacuum and just go do it rather then try to dig the canister vacuum out of my husband’s study and drag it all over the place. Plus, since stick vacuums are cordless, I no longer have to worry about watching the electrical cord when I’m vacuuming.

And it’s easier to put on an attachment for cleaning the couch or slurping up cobwebs while I’m there.

Easy to Clean

I also like the way you can empty out the canister on a stick vacuum. You don’t want to know how many times my husband put off vacuuming until right before we had guests coming over, and then discovered the bag was full. (how it got full when he rarely vacuumed, I’ll never know.) And of course, this was during the time when sewing and vacuum stores were closing up, and it wasn’t easy to find a replacement vacuum bag quickly.

Plus, we all have long hair. Hubby and I love our heavy metal music and even though we’re getting a bit more seasoned, we both still like his hair being long. Our daughter has long hair. She moved out to go to University last year, and I thought it would make the hair amount go down. It sort of did, but not a lot.

And our two cats are longer hair. They’re not like Persian long, but they do have longer fur then our previous cats (American shorthair tabby and Russian blue).

Easy to Maintain

Unlike canister or upright vacuums, it’s easy to maintain a stick vacuum. You need to wash the filter regularly. Other then that, there’s no belts that need replacing or anything needing oiling.

I do need to clean the vacuum head after every vacuum. Chances are great you won’t have to. So I made sure I found one where the motorized bar could be removed for easier cutting off of hair.

What Features Should You Look For In the Best Stick Vacuum

How to Turn It On and Off

Many of the stick vacuums have triggers for turning it on and off. If you’re doing a lot of vacuuming, it can wear out your hand holding down the trigger while vacuuming. However, there is something nice about it turning off immediately when you stop instead of hunting for the on/off switch when someone comes running up because they have something super important to tell you.

So I’ll just let you know to look for it if it’s important to you.

Corded vs. Cordless

Some people feel that vacuums with cords have better suction than those that don’t. I haven’t found this to be true. And I honestly prefer cordless so I can keep vacuuming without thinking about moving the electrical cord.

But that’s my preference.  There are some great corded stick vacuums out there that are very convenient and easy to use.

Powerful and Consistent Suction

Nothing’s worse then having to go over a clump of hair again and again and it still doesn’t get picked up. You will want to look for vacuums that have an extra burst of power for when you need it.  And you want to be sure you’re getting as good of suction on your hard flooring as you are on your carpeting.

Quality stick vacuums sense the change in flooring and adjust automatically.

Anti-allergen Filtration

It’s a plus to have anti-allergen filtration so you’re not pushing the dust back out into the room. And I like being able to take it out and wash it regularly. It helps me feel like I’m cleaning the house better.

Easy to Clean

You want to look for dirt cups that are larger so you’re not constantly running to the garbage can. And you want it to be easy to open up and dump out the debris. You shouldn’t have to be fooling around with unhooking something while trying to hold it over the garbage can and then have all the junk fall back onto your floor. So look for one with an easy hinged mechanism for simple emptying out.

My Recommendations

Right now, my heart belongs to Dyson because it cleans so well. People are also getting great results from Black and Decker and Shark.

I need to do further research and will update this soon! I just needed to get this out there so you know what to look for when you’re shopping.

The post Best Stick Vacuums for Cleaning Your Home (Updated for 2020) appeared first on The Cleaning Pantry.