Canister vs. Handheld For Hardwood Flooring: How do You Choose?
If you have natural hardwood floors, chances are good that you have paid a considerably price for them. For that reason you are also continually looking for ways to keep your floor looking its best for years to come. After all, unlike carpeting all you need is one small grain of sand or other gritty material run over by a foot or other object, and you will probably have a scratch to deal with for quite some time.
It behooves you, as a result, to vacuum your floors often, which means selecting the canister or handheld you think is best for your needs. The first problem is whether to choose a canister or a handheld, which is the focus of this article. Vacuums Are Not Created Equal
All it takes is one look at practically any vacuum display at your local store to see that there are an almost infinite variety of models available. Generally speaking there are several things to keep in mind, whichever you choose.
No beater brushes: A vacuum that features beater brushes is great at digging up dirt that is buried in a carpet, but when it comes to hardwood floors they cause scratches and dings in the wood.
Contains mop and sweep functions: Vacuums that have both mop and sweep functions are great for hardwood floors since they allow you to wet mop after you have vacuumed. Make sure, however, that the model you buy doesn't leave water puddles behind.
Good suction power" Having a lot of suction power is essential to being able to pick up deeply embedded things like pet hair.
Lightweight and Easy to Use: Of all the requirements that you should have for a vacuum, be sure you pick one that you can pick up and move easily, especially when you want to vacuum an entire home. Make sure also that there is nothing complicated about operating your vacuum.
Packing it Together
With these guidelines in mind, next is to determine whether a canister or a handheld vacuum is best for you. After all, besides what your vacuum does it also needs to be maneuvered around your home in the easiest way possible. There is more direct control over the entire machine with a handheld vacuum, since the canister of that variety takes some doing to keep it oriented to where you are going.
Handheld vacuums tend to be made in such a way that makes them easier to carry. This doesn't, however, mean that they are light-weight. Further, since handheld vacuums are carried in one way or another, they are usually heavier than canister types, which usually require that you actually carry no more than the brush tool.
A canister normally contains all of the actual functioning parts of the vacuum, and this rolls behind you wherever you go. This is also important to understand that many if not most canister models have rubber rollers which rotate easily and also prevent scratching.
All things considered, a canister vacuum is generally better suited for cleaning hardwood floors, both in terms of how they function as well as how they are built.
More Information:
http://www.homefloorexperts.com/canister-vacuum/
http://www.homefloorexperts.com/handheld-vacuum/
http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-portable-vacuum/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/vacuum-cleaners.htm















