Living in a house with pets means being used to finding endless hairs on the furniture, on your clothes. However, the biggest pet hair depository is the floor.
Let’s face it: when you get a pet, you know that your premises are going to be covered with a nice fluffy blanket of hair. And here’s the deal: unless you are planning to collect all those hairs and weave them into nice warm winter clothes for the freezing days to come, you need a good vacuum for pet hair.
Types of Vacuums
To ease the decision-making process, you first need to familiarize yourself with the most common vacuums. They include:
- Cordless stick vacuums
Being a rather handy tool that allows for a quick cleaning “on the go”, cordless cleaners are a more lightweight, slimmer version of the regular vacuum cleaners. However, they don’t have a cord and work on integrated batteries.
Stick vacuums are easy to use and super portable. Some even feature the extendable hose, which allows users to reach the tough spots.
However, keep in mind that cordless stick vacuums are not that effective on carpets (when compared to the standard corded models). They are more suitable for quick touch-ups and occasional cleaning.
If you need that regular heavy-duty vacuuming, cordless models are not a good idea.
- Handheld vacuums
They are small, portable, and super easy to use. Handheld vacs are usually designed to be used as spot-on cleaners.
They work well on furniture, car salons, carpeted and hardwood stairs, windowsills, and other small (and oftentimes hard to reach) surfaces and spots. This type of vacuums is also ideal for people who have some health issues.
For instance, for those who have wrist problems and cannot carry a heavy cleaner around. Additionally, handheld models work great when you need to do some fast cleaning or to get rid of occasional spills or clusters of pet hair.
Such vacuums operate on batteries. The maximum known operation time is 30 minutes (on a single charge).
- Canister vacuums
This is the most common type, which we all are used to. Such cleaners feature an effective construction. It involves a cleaning nozzle, which is connected to the main unit (or canister) via the hose.
These vacuums can feature a dust bag or a dust cup. What makes them a great solution to the pet hair problem is their powerful performance. Moreover, they work great on all surfaces, including thick carpets.
- Upright vacuums
Upright models are great for larger debris and pet hair. However, they can be rather difficult to maneuver around. Moreover, many upright vacuums are quite heavy, so they aren’t the best option for people with health issues or the elderly.
On the bright side, upright models usually feature powerful motors, a large dust capacity, and specific settings for different surfaces (including carpets). Oftentimes, they are equipped with the lights above the brush.
They allow users to clearly see what they are vacuuming. This is a great feature for those tough spots under the furniture or in the corners.
- Bagless vacuums
Such models have a dustbin (also known as a dust cup) instead of a bag. The good thing about bagless vacuums is the fact that, in the majority of cases, they feature a multi-level filtration system.
This is especially good for people who are sensitive to dust and allergy-prone users. Moreover, while being quite powerful (especially if we are talking about the corded models), bagless cleaners are super easy to empty and to wash.
What to Consider Before Buying a Vacuum for Pet Hair
Here are some aspects you need to think about before making a purchase:
- What exactly you need to clean. If you want a vacuum to clean the pet hair in your car salon, a small handheld model would suffice. However, if you need a heavy-duty helper to deal with a large living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a couple of extra storage rooms, consider getting yourself a large and powerful corded model.
- Floor type. Not all vacuums are suitable for hardwood floors. Moreover, not all models are powerful enough to handle shaggy carpets. Depending on the floor type you plan to clean, get yourself a proper model.
- Bag or no bag. Bagless models are easier to empty, but they don’t always offer a huge dust capacity.
- Corded or cordless. This is totally your preference, but keep in mind that cordless vacuums are less powerful. However, they offer a better portability.
- Your budget. Realistically, how much can you spend on your new vacuum? Remember that you get what you pay for. Therefore, if you need to clean pet hair regularly, investing in a more expensive but high-quality model is probably a wise decision.
- Included accessories. If you need to clean multiple surfaces, some extra accessories are necessary (especially hoses for furniture).