Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cleaning and vacuum

Most recommended roomba, hopefully sub-$200

lrodman — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:42:27 -0800

Most recommended roomba, hopefully sub-$200 I'm looking for a first roomba, I'm a student and will be upgrading from almost never vacuuming, so any results should be impressive. No pets, no shag rugs, apartment.

Is it worth it to get one of these $400-600 new roombas, or is there one that goes in the $100-200 range that is almost as good? I'm looking for bang for the buck here (also, horror stories if you have a roomba and find it doesn't clean enough - but we're just looking for it to pick up crumbs and dust).

Effective, inexpensive cordless mini-vacuum?

radioamy — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 09:03:46 -0800

Effective, inexpensive, cordless mini-vacuum. Does it exist? Please help out a fur-covered Corgi owner. After we got our Roomba I threw away our crappy upright and vowed to never again be a slave to a traditional vacuum. Well, it looks like I'm going to have to go back on that.

I love my Roomba, don't get me wrong, but we just added a four-legged shedding machine to our household and the hair gets everywhere. We're avid Furminators and we put down a towel on the couch before letting Sunny up for a snuggle, but I guess Corgis and couches don't mix. Ditto for the backseat of my car.

So dear hivemind, can you point me in the direction of a good "dust-buster"-type device? I've seen this thread, but a) it's four years old and b) the user ends up with a corded vac rather than cordless. I don't want to spend more than, say $50. I'm open to online or any of the big-box stores (or hey, if they sell it at my local hardware store, even better!).

How can I keep my apartment free of cat fur?

bchaplin — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:10:22 -0800

[Cat fur filter]: What's the best way to keep my apartment free of cat fur? I have two indoor cats in a smallish carpeted apartment. I vacuum thoroughly at least once a week, and wipe down kitchen surfaces daily, but the fur still gets EVERYWHERE. I am surprised and disgusted to find it coating the top of kitchen surfaces, inside my drawers, literally everywhere. I can only conclude that the fur is airborne, possibly stirred up by the open windows and my two ceiling fans.

The cats pretty much stick to sitting on their cat trees, two pieces of furniture, and the floor. They never get on the counters or table. They get very high quality cat food, FWIW. All the places they sit are thoroughly vacuumed when I do the weekly cleaning.

I can't really up the cleaning schedule due to other commitments. In short, I'd rather throw money rather than time at the problem. So what could I invest in that would help me have a cleaner environment?

Would air filters in every room solve the problem? (Though my windows are open all summer so they may be of limited use.) Or a better vacuum cleaner? (A full-size vacuum absolutely won't fit, and I'm currently using a canister style vacuum.)

I need a vacuum that really sucks!

missjamielynn — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:35:54 -0800

What's a good vacuum for mostly hard floors and some carpet for a cat owner? I have a serious cat hair and litter issue-it's all over my floors and rugs. I've recently tossed my old vacuum because it just didn't work. Can you recommend a good vacuum for this problem? I'm not looking to spend a ton, so I'd like to cap the budget around $150. Thanks!

Central vacuum?

bondcliff — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:53:50 -0800

I need recommendations for a good central vacuum system to install in my house. I grew up with a Sears central vac and it was the greatest thing ever. We’re hoping to install one in our house and I was hoping someone out there was passionate enough about theirs that they could recommend it and tell me why they love it so. What make/model do you have? What attachments can you not live without? Are the kick-plate inlets worth it?

It’s going into new construction and will be installed by the contractor so ease of installation isn’t so important. Cost is a factor, but we’re willing to pay for quality. Quiet is good. Suction is key, I want to be able to suck up dustbunnies at 30 paces.

Thanks.

Hardwood floor vacuum

sandpine — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:29:21 -0800

I'm looking for a reasonably priced vacuum for use on hardwood floors. Doesn't need any sort of powered brushes just suction. Thanks!

This sucks

bilabial — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 08:40:56 -0800

Why won't my Shark HEPA vacuum roller spin on it's own any more? The last time this happened we fixed it by getting rid of all the people hair that had twisted around the roller, which was at the time keeping it from spinning. Now, it only spins for a few seconds after I flick it into action. Currently, there is no obstruction, on the roller or the little spinner thing that seems to move the roller. The hose seems to suck just fine now that we've cleared the giant hairball/ plastic bag combo that one of my old roommates left for me to find.

The machine makes no ungodly noises, and I've checked out some other AskMe threads, notably this one. I have also not done any upkeep for this machine besides banging out the filter with each use (which I know is counterintuitive with my allergies). It's clearly time to order another Shark brand filter from the internet, but I have to wait for a paycheck on that one.

Because we've lived in this apartment with cats for almost 2 months without using the vacuum, I'd like to take care of this.

How do I clean wood floors?

sdis — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 08:59:23 -0800

My apartment is wood floor and tile. Hell, my whole building is wood floor and tile. How on earth do I clean all of this (particularly the wood)? What's the best way to clean large amounts of hardwood flooring? (If devices are suggested, any specific brand/model suggestions?) It's tons and tons of beautiful australian cyprus, covered in polyurethane. I bought a Bissell 35758 Cleanview Bagless Special Edition Upright Vacuum, which apparently lacks the feature to pick up, say, dust. I've tried mopping (sponge mop, Murphy's oil soap), but the only way I can really get the streaks out and a neat reflective floor is by getting down on my hands and knees and buffing it with a dry towel.

Has anyone used a Dyson, or the DC07?

carter — Mon, 05 Jan 2004 12:27:09 -0800

After living together for four years, my sig other and I are ready to take the plunge - and buy a good vacuum cleaner. We have a dog, she has allergies, I googled and quickly came up with the Dyson DC07 'Animal', which has 5 stars on Amazon but which costs $500. Simple? Well, other reviews, including some other Amazon reviews, say it's a bit of a dog, and one accuses Dyson of padding the reviews with their PR material. Has anyone used a Dyson, or the DC07? [More inside]