The Best Vacuum For People With Pets
They can be fluffy, cuddly and lovable, but they can also be messy. Pets are great companions, but they can come with complications. From unpleasant odours to mountains of hair, cleaning up after these family members can get tiresome and aggravating. But there are things to make clean up a lot easier.
These are simple ways to fight odour:
- An odour neutralizer for carpet and upholstery
- Cleaning litter, sawdust and birdcages frequently
- Bathing your pet
There are also specific vacuums to help with odours. Vacuums that don’t recirculate the air back through the exhaust are going to be best for pet odours.
A great vacuum for odour is a central vacuum system. They remove all the dirt, hair and allergens in a sealed environment and the exhaust goes outside. Other good vacuums to eliminate odours are ones with HEPA or an Activated Charcoal filter. These portable vacuums will do the same thing, as long as they are true HEPAs and not an imitation or “like” HEPA filtering. Additionally, using a vacuum with paper bags and making sure to get the best quality bags for your vacuum will help. A portable vacuum with cups tends to leak and recirculate the dirty air.
Even if you have hardwood floors you should still be using a vacuum to get any allergens or hair left from your pets. For hardwood, the central vac system works well, and so do canister vacuums. For any small area rugs, vacuum systems with turbine powerheads will work best.
For a mostly carpeted home you would want an upright vacuum with a powerful canister and an electric powerhead, or the sealed central vacuum system. Both of these choices will also give you attachments to get into small spaces and the edges of your carpets. This type of vacuum is also good for homes with both carpeting and hardwood floors. They ensure that you can pick up as much from both styles of flooring.
Most pets aren’t fond of the vacuum, and this makes it even harder to clean. There are some ways to help your little family members with the stress. First, you could purchase a high-end vacuum that’s quieter than other vacuums. Central vacuum systems seem to be less scary than their portable counterparts. If you still find your little critters are still afraid, there are a couple other things you could try such as:
- Storing the vacuum in an open area so they can see it when it’s not in use
- Keeping the vacuum as close to the ground as possible so it looks less intimidating
- Allow your pet to investigate and get comfortable with it while it is off
- Make it familiar with a towel, sheet or toy your pet uses, put it on the vacuum while its off so it will smell and seem familiar
- Put treats on your vacuum and reward them after you’re finished using it
There are many different things to make cleaning easier so you can get back to playing with and cuddling your pets! But regardless of how they react to vacuums, ensure that you’re making cleaning a priority. Having a powerful, suitable vacuum will help not only keep your home tidy, but it’ll help clean it better for both your two- and four-legged family members.