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How To Use a Vacuum Cleaner?

The vacuum cleaner is one of the best inventions ever when it comes to saving time and cleaning. Even so, a lot of households do not use it to it’s most effect levels. People fail to realize that a vacuum can be used for many things other than just vacuuming the floor. Most modern vacuums come with many nozzles and attachments that can be used for clearing dust and dirt from different home surfaces.

Vacuum Cleaners Supplied With Attachments For a Variety of Cleaning Jobs

Vacuum cleaners usually come with a small brush for dusting, a small nozzle attachement for furniture and stairs. There is usually also a crevice tool included for those annoying, tiny corners that you can’t get with just a vacuum alone. Cylinder vacuums usually come with an attachement for floors also. This features a brush edge that remains inside the attachment when carpets are being vacuumed, but is dropped into position when the surface being cleaned changes to hard flooring.

Upright vacums contain a fixed head which is used to clean floors. These days, the attachment of other tools to an upright is typically done with a hose which can be inhinged from the central frame of the cleaner.

Both varieties of vacuum normally give the option of a turbo tool, which encloses a spinning brush and is used to remove pet fibers and other refuse from carpets and upholstery.

Remember, once the dust is extracted into a vacuum cleaner it remains inside. Dusting with a dry cloth will take away furniture , but most of it will end up airborn and settle back again quickly.

Here are a few basic steps in use and care of your vacuum:

1)  Do a spot check of the area of the vacuum where it retains dirt. In vacuums that are not new, tit will have a bag instead of canister. In new ones it is usually a removable canister. IIf it is filled to capacity, you will need to replace the bag; if it is a reusable container it should be cleaned as often as possible to prevent avoid loss of suction. If the retaining area is full the vacuum won’t be able to suction dirt properly.

2)  Have a look at the height of the vacuum. Most vacuums will contain a tractable indicator for carpets of varying degrees in length. If your vacuum has one, make sure it is set to the proper grid for your carpet. If it is set too high it will not allow suction and if it is set to low it won’t allow proper airflow.

3)  Relocate little items out of the way of the vacuum. Even if you don’t plan to move the furniture when you vacuum, such as chairs and end tables, you can easily remove smaller items that could get in the way of the vaccum.

4)  Turn the vacuum on and propel the vacuum back and forward in motion in even, slow movements. If you move the vacuum too fast you will not get a thorough cleaning.

5)  Work with the attachments, like the hose with convertible ends, to clean crevices and the bottom edges of furniture. Most vacuums have several types of attachments for these types of tasks. This is helpful in preventing the dust from becoming airborne again and ending back up where it was to start with.

*Keep your cord wrapped when not in use to prevent fraying of wires
*Keep a check on the plug as a damaged plug can cause damage and fire hazards
*Maintain and wash your filter to prevent loss of suction.

Kelly

About the author

Kelly Sperber has been a professional writer for 5 years. She joined TheHousingForum Team in January, 2011. Kelly enjoys skydiving, attending fashion shows, and gardening in her spare time.

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q5U2Z7DIDDHWPYXSRJOYIZQR74 S. Wolf

    Query:  is there a rule of thumb as to how many times one should pass over the same spot with the vacuum cleaner?  I’ve seen anything from three times to eleven.

  • Penny

    Basically, the rule of thumb of how many passes over the same spot with a vacuum cleaner would depend on the type, age and condition of carpet/flooring being vacuumed.  Some types of carpets and flooring can handle the wear and tear from vacuuming better than other types can.  Newer carpets can handle more vacuuming than older ones can.  Well-maintained carpets can cope with the stress from multiple passes better than worn out, frayed carpeting can. 
    Athough you have to be cautious about not overworking any of the carpet’s fibers and matting, most modern carpets can take quite a beating and lots of vacuuming.  It’s normally safe to make as many passes as you feel are necessary to get the dirt up.  However, most of the deepest dirt will require some type of steam cleaning or professional-styled cleaning.  Just the routine type of vacuuming won’t be able to get the deeper, more embedded dirt.

    Although most carpets can handle frequent vacuuming, you should make overlapping passes from one direction, such as from North to South, and then change the direction for the second set of passes, such as then going East to West.  To cut down on the amount of vacuuming needed, it’s best to  do all the dusting first, starting with the ceiling and ceiling fixtures and working your way downwards, leaving the carpet/flooring as the last task.  It’s also a good idea to use door mats and runners to catch the dirt from the heaviest foot traffic.  Another good idea is to have everyone remove their shoes at the door before entering the house.  This protects against dirt entering the house; as well as reduces allergens, grease, pet dander and other unwanted messes being spread throughout the house. Using the right type of vacuum and vacuum setting will save you time, energy and money, as well as cut down on the number of passes needed too.