Recommend a vacuum for delicate carpets/rugs and pets

[Pandamonium]

Need a good vacuum for ~75% hardwood and ~25% delicate rugs. The rugs were a gift. All I know is that they were ridiculously expensive, and if I destroy/damage them, there'll be hell to pay. If I had to guess, they're some kind of wool woven in a relatively tight pattern. One of them is also an oriental rug of some kind, but I'm told it was less ridiculously expensive.

The other issue is that we have two dogs that shed a fair amount, so I want a beater brush to get the pet hair out of the rugs. I've played with a a few Dysons- the bristles on some of them are really stiff. One of their newer super compact models (DC50) has a brushroll with alternating rows of soft and stiff bristles. I think the soft row is almost perfect (could be a tiny bit less soft). I'd consider buying it and trimming the rough bristles down, but reviewers ream it for being underpowered and the cleaning head is a little narrow.

Anyway, I've searched the forums and google, and I haven't been able to identify a clear winner for a vacuum that fits this usage model. I've also read through that 50 page fatwallet thread about the Hoover Whispers a few years ago, so I feel as though I'm somewhat well informed, yet I am at a loss for what vacuum to get.

 

[BoomerD]

DEFINITELY NOT a Dyson.

We have the DC14 Animal. There's NOTHING delicate about that.

 

[Meghan54]

For your oriental carpets, I'd think you should look into a vacuum with suction control, manual beater height adjustment (automatic doesn't work as well and can under- or overestimate the height adjustment needed), and an on/off switch for the beater brush, very useful for bare floors....keeps the brush from scattering debris around before the vacuum can pick it up.

I really don't think the bristles are going to make a huge difference on your carpets/rugs. We have a couple of oriental rugs very similar to what you have and our Miele upright hasn't posed any threat or shown any damage to them in a year of use.


As for a bagged vs. bagless vacuum, some vacuums and canisters use bags, some collect dirt in a bin. Bag-type vacuums tend to hold more dirt, and emptying them releases less dust into the air. An indicator that tells you when the bag or bin is full reminds you to empty the dirt before it impairs cleaning.

With bagless vacuums you can save money by not having to buy bags, but they still use filters (such as HEPA filters) that need to be periodically cleaned or replaced. Replacement filters tend to be significantly more expensive than bags. Another caveat: Emptying the dustbin and cleaning a filter can be messy, and handling it can expose you to dust and other allergens. And there is always some residual dirt left in the canister from the static that builds up, looks dirty.


And while Dyson started the bagless craze, they've been outdone in cleaning ability, especially on carpeting---never a Dyson strong suit, by other bagless vacs, such as some from LG, Hoover, Kenmore and Eureka...all uprights.

I prefer uprights because, while a canister typically does make less noise than an upright, the uprights tend to clean a tad better and have larger capacities for dirt. And while the upright means you have to push/pull the entire machine when you vacuum, I still find that easier than constantly having to drag the canister part of the vac behind like a lost puppy dog which constantly loses its way.....you're restricted in easy freedom of movement in a canister by the length of the hose between the powerhead and the canister, and then by the cored length. With an upright, the movement is only restricted by the cord length.

We love our Miele, the Twist (definitely not cheap!), but I'd also look at the Kenmore Elite 31150, Kenmore Intuition 31100, and the Hoover WindTunnel Max UH30600. All are no less the equal of any Dyson on bare floors and all outperform any Dyson on carpets and picking up pet hair.

 

[NetWareHead]

My parents had some ridiculously expensive handmade Turkish carpet and our hoover was too powerful for it. We could see damage and fray beginning to show on it. My mom ended up cleaning it old school. Took it outside and beat it on the clothesline. When it snowed, she threw the rug upside down on the snow and walked on the back part. Rubbing the snow into it surprisingly got rid of alot of dirt. She shook any snow off of it before bringing it back inside and let it dry before placing furniture back on it.

You may just have to vacuum it but with the beater bar turned off.

 

[alkemyst]

You'd probably want to have a vacuum cleaner person look at one of the rugs.

Generally delicate <> beater bar.

The better vacuums come with a beater bar attachment and non. Plus ways to adjust suction.

 

[Pandamonium]

Thanks for the suggestions Meghan!

I was afraid I'd have to look into bagged. In the past I've avoided them specifically because I don't like bags. I didn't mention it earlier, but weight is a factor as well. So it looks like I'm between the Kenmore 31150 and Hoover UH30600. We already own a Hoover Whisper Cyclonic Upright (~25 lbs), and that's pushing the limits. I've always been curious about Miele's quietness, but they are all past our weight comfort zone. I'll have to do some more reading about the bagged models.

 

[margotstrole]

Need a good vacuum for ~75% hardwood and ~25% delicate rugs. The rugs were a gift. All I know is that they were ridiculously expensive, and if I destroy/damage them, there'll be hell to pay. If I had to guess, they're some kind of wool woven in a relatively tight pattern. One of them is also an oriental rug of some kind, but I'm told it was less ridiculously expensive.

The other issue is that we have two dogs that shed a fair amount, so I want a beater brush to get the pet hair out of the rugs. I've played with a a few Dysons- the bristles on some of them are really stiff. One of their newer super compact models (DC50) has a brushroll with alternating rows of soft and stiff bristles. I think the soft row is almost perfect (could be a tiny bit less soft). I'd consider buying it and trimming the rough bristles down, but reviewers ream it for being underpowered and the cleaning head is a little narrow.

Anyway, I've searched the forums and google, and I haven't been able to identify a clear winner for a vacuum that fits this usage model. I've also read through that 50 page fatwallet thread about the Hoover Whispers a few years ago, so I feel as though I'm somewhat well informed, yet I am at a loss for what vacuum to get.

What type of vacuum are you looking for? Canister, upright or backpack? It's hard to pick a clear best option for you when you need it for so many different things... for pets, hardwood floors AND delicate rugs. I'd recommend going through some of the rankings at Vacuum Top for guidance, I find them pretty helpful.

If you don't want to consider Dyson (which are as you say, very stiff), then Shark might be a good option with the Navigator Lift-Away, alternativly the Bissell CleanView. Anyway, let me know what type you you'd like and I could give some better advice.

 

[Vdubchaos]

over past 20 years I've been thru just about every vacume you can imagine. Cheap, expensive and medium.

We have no pets, but we do have plenty of kids. Not many vacuums lasted more than a year or 2 or simply ended up not doing their job.

The best vacuum I've found = workshop vac.

Dirt cheap, sucks like nothing else and they have lifetime warranty.

Sure it's not be a looker or it might be loud (it should be, anything powerful is). Thing is, I don't care. To me it's all about function. Suck thing up and do it well.

Please don't get into HEPA filter crap. You are picking up dirt that's already in your house EVERYWHERE. Marketing BS.

We have a 5hp Ridgid from Home depot (small version), about 70 bucks.

Best vacuum I have ever bought (and yes we had a Dyson, hoovers and # of others).

What a waste of money they all were......I just wish someone would've told me many years ago.

 

[sdifox]

necrospam

 

[Skeeedunt]

I wouldn't vacuum a delicate pet just my opinion.