As flooring experts, we have noticed that people love installing hardwood floors in their homes but are confused about its cleaning among homeowners. They usually think, “Can you vacuum hardwood floors?” for quick and efficient cleaning.
Yes, Hardwood floors can be vacuumed for a clean and bright appearance. Vacuuming is not harmed until and unless you use the right vacuum correctly and at the right time.
Proper vacuuming will last your wooden floors decades successfully. Let’s look at the right method of vacuuming, its advantages, disadvantages, and comparison with sweeping and mopping.
Can Hardwood Floors Be Vacuumed?
Homeowners usually worry about cleaning the floors. They want a perfect finish for their home floors but a quick process. Here is a solution for such people.
Vacuuming hardwood floors is the best and most reliable method among all other cleaning procedures. It works amazingly for hard floors and carpets as well. Vacuuming sucks the dirt and dust from the floor without dusting the surrounding air. Therefore, vacuums with attached exhaust air filters are always preferred.
Vacuuming hard floors is prioritized over all other cleaning methods due to its suction ability. They remove debris from the cracks, grooves, and other small places in a way no cleaner can.
Is It Better To Sweep Or Vacuum Hardwood Floors
Sweeping is a very common cleaning method in almost every household. People are very concerned about cleaning their floors and usually ask, “Should we sweep or vacuum hardwood floors?” Worry not. This article is a complete guide for you.
Sweeping and vacuuming can be used for hardwood floor cleaning, depending on your requirements. They have unique characteristics. Let’s have a look at them;
- Sweeping does not make any noise, whereas vacuums have some specific noise.
- Sweeping does not need any electricity, while vacuum cleaners operate by electricity.
- Sweeping is a budget-friendly option. However, a vacuum cleaner is an expensive tool.
- Brooms usually have soft bristles, which is why they don’t leave any scratches or marks on floors, whereas vacuumers with harsh bristles can damage your floor.
These are some of the advantages of manual sweeping with a broom. But they are not the deal breaker for using a vacuum cleaner for your hardwood floors cleaning.
Why Vacuuming Is Preferred Over Sweeping
- When it comes to cleaning hardwood floors or even carpet, nothing can beat vacuuming. Vacuums remove the dust and debris collected in their canister or filter and clean the floor perfectly. In contrast, sweeping can only push the dirt from the surface of the floors. It cannot clean the blinds and drapes completely.
- Vacuuming is a less labor-intensive and quick process compared to manual sweeping.
- Vacuuming prevents the spreading of dust in the air. Although old vacuum cleaners used to do the job nicely, modern ones come with HEPA filtering technology.
- Vacuuming increases the lifespan of hardwood floors to its max.
These amazing features help every homeowner stay happy and satisfied. Being home improvement professionals, we suggest you learn the correct way of cleaning wooden floors, invest in one of the best vacuum cleaners for hardwood floors and make your life easier.
Do Vacuum Damage Hardwood Floors
You must be thinking, “Do vacuums scratch the hardwood floors?” The answer is “May or May not be.”
Some vacuum cleaners, mostly designed for carpets, have beater brushes with hard nylon bristles attached to them. These bristles have a rotating motion with thousands of rotations per minute. They hold the hair of carpets or rugs and suck the dirt and debris from them. This way, they clean the mats perfectly. When such vacuums are used over wood floors, they rotate multiple times, remove the finish, cause scratches, and damage the floor.
Special cordless vacuums are designed for hardwood floors and carpets to avoid floor damage. Usually, light canister vacs and light stick vacs types of vacuums are preferred. They have different attachments for bare flooring and carpeted ones. They have soft bristles at their cleaning ends, so they do not scuff or scrap the hardwood floors. Another benefit of using them is quick cleaning due to their handy, cordless nature. You can use them immediately, only in dirty places.
Besides bristles, the wheels of the vacuum cleaner also need attention. Plastic wheels may scratch your floors. Look for rubber wheels while purchasing your vacuum.
How Often Should You Vacuum Hardwood Floors
No one can deny the fact that excess of everything is harmful. You must observe the results of the vacuum on your floors and decide your cleaning plan accordingly.
Experts recommend using vacuum floors once a week unless you live in a very dirty and dusty area or have pets at home. Dust makes its way and settles in the pores or grooves of the floor in one way or another. Therefore, it is said to leave any area uncleaned for a week.
If you have pets at home, it is necessary to vacuum daily. Pets shed fleas that may cause different allergies and health issues. To prevent this, it is preferred to vacuum daily. If you don’t find the time to vacuum the entire home daily, never forget to vacuum the areas where your pets spend most of their time. You can do it manually or use a robotic vacuum cleaner as well.
If you are living in a dusty area or want to clean the floor of a high-traffic area, it is preferable to vacuum them twice a week.
How To Vacuum Hardwood Floors Without Scratching
No matter how often you vacuum your wooden floors, it would help if you did it correctly. Let’s learn the step-by-step guide on how to vacuum hardwood floors without damaging them.
1. Spare The Space From Unnecessary Things
Before starting your vacuuming procedure, you should clear the space. Get some help and remove the heavy furniture that may be an obstacle while cleaning. Vacuuming takes less time when there are fewer items to deal with.
2. Choose A Right Kind Of Vacuum Cleaner
The right kind of vacuum does wonders. Choose the right vacuum cleaner according to your floor and carpet. For hardwood floors, canister vacuum cleaners are the preferred choice due to their perfect grip and lightweight. Look for a cleaner with a rubber wheel.
3. Get Control Over The Vacuum Cleaner
The grip of the vacuum cleaner is an important factor in cleaning. Upright vacuum cleaners are difficult to control and carry throughout the process, whereas canister vacuum cleaners are easy-to-carry machines with full control.
4. Vacuum In A Specified Direction
Specify one particular direction to vacuum the area. It is preferred to start from the inside, e.g., rooms, and move towards the outer area. Narrow down your path and move your vacuum in long straight lines.
5. Change The Attachments For Different Places
Vacuum cleaners have different attachments for cleaning different areas. Start by using a crevice attachment to clear the edges of the room. It isn’t easy to clean the meeting area of walls and floor with every face of the tool.
Specified vacuum cleaners should be used for different floorings. Use the cleaner with a flat padded head and soft bristles for hardwood floors, or turn off the bristles if you find them hard.
6. Vacuum Slowly
Vacuum the entire room slowly. Slow pace vacuum cleaning will help you suck the dust and debris from the cracks perfectly. Quick vacuuming cleans the surface only. Complete the entire room slowly from wall to wall. Turn back and repeat the process for a fine finish.
Tips For Vacuuming Hardwood Floors
Vacuuming is an efficient cleaning process for hardwood floors. Neglecting its correct way or missing small details may not give the desired results. Let’s have a look at some of the tips for making the process perfect.
- Make a regular vacuuming routine for wood floors that may be daily, weekly, or twice a week
- Before vacuuming, dust the complete room and its furniture.
- Avoid toe walking on vacuumed floors because it may leave marks on your floor.
- Cover the furniture wheel with rubber while dragging it on the hardwood floor
- Do not force the vacuum to pick an object that it cannot.
- Keep a mop near you to manually scratch the debris buildup.
- Protect your floors from excessive water exposure.
- Once you are done vacuuming, avoid shoes on them.
Following these tips and tricks will help you complete the vacuuming perfectly in no time.
Faqs
What Is The Most Efficient Way To Clean The Hardwood Floors?
Vacuuming hardwood floors is the best way to clean them rather than sweeping and mopping. Remember you are using the right vacuum, in the right way, and most specifically at the right times.
Can Shark Vacuums Be Used On Hardwood Floors?
Shark vacuums can be used on wooden floors due to their dual floor heads. Due to its roller brushes, It can be seamlessly used for both hardwood floors and carpets. Look for one of the best types according to your preferences and enjoy them on your floors.
Should Hardwood Floors Be Vacuumed?
Hardwood floors should be vacuumed at least once weekly for a complete and fine finish. Only sweeping and mopping cannot clean the wooden floors perfectly. Vacuuming removes the dust particles from the blinds and drapes that a broom or mop can’t reach.
Final Verdict
Hardwood floors can be vacuumed once or twice a week. Vacuuming damages your floor is nothing less than a myth if you use a perfect cleaner correctly. Prepare a vacuuming plan for the floors and do it religiously. Once vacuuming is completed, you can mop your floors with a mild wood shiner for a perfect finish.
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