USA Today thought the most important question was "how much do you want to spend?" Well if you ask my husband that question in a sales situation, he'd say "a dollar". It's really not how much do you want to spend, but how much can you afford and is quality an issue. When I'm working to help someone find the right vacuum, price is not one of my top five questions.
Question two -What are you cleaning? Well, USA Today, I usually assume that if they are purchasing a vacuum they are cleaning floors. My question is usually - What types of floors do you have in your home. I also want to know how they clean hard floors. My questions is : Do you vacuum them or use a mop? I also need to know what type of carpets they are trying to clean. Berber carpet is much easier to clean than the new "shaggy" carpet. And I need to know if they own expensive orientals. They need special care when it comes to vacuuming.
Question three - Where are you cleaning? Again, USA Today - I don't need to know where - I need to know what they are cleaning. I would rather know more about what is in the home, pets - kids - how many people are they cleaning up after. Unless you are living in a closet or a box - where doesn't matter.
Question four - How does it filter the air? Do we really need to know HOW the vacuum filters the air? Air filtration is important if you have allergies. We don't need to know HOW it filters. just that it does the best job. If someone in the home has allergies, we need to make sure the vacuum had a HEPA filter.
Question five - "How does it dump the dirt?" Bagless vacuums tend to leak dirt, so if you are allergic to dust - a bagless vacuum is not a good investment. Think about it - you are going to spend $40 on a HEPA filter to keep the dust out of your home. and then DUMPING a canister full of dust in your garbage. You are being directly exposed to the dust you are trying to avoid. Vacuum bags were a great invention in the early 1900's. They made empting the dirt from the vacuum clean and easy. We have actually gone back to the future. Vacuum bags catch allergens and protect the motor in the vacuum from leaking dust. Vacuum bags are a small investment to keep you and your vacuum healthy.
Here are the questions I ask before helping someone find the perfect vacuum
How big is your home? Do you know how many square feet does it have?
How many floors does your home have?
Do you have stairs?
Do you prefer an upright or a canister.
Does anyone in your home have allergies?
Do you have pets?
Do you vacuum your hard floors?
What type of carpets do you have in your home?
Do you have children?
Are you looking for a quality vacuum or something that will get you through until you can afford quality?
Is the weight of the vacuum an issue?
Who does most of the vacuuming in the home?
These questions give me a picture of your home and help me - help you find the right vacuum FOR YOU! To check out some of my favorite vacuums go to www.backdoorvac.com You will see some of the best vacuums on the market.
Green cleaning is behavioral as well as simply using healthy and environmentally-friendly products. Consumers are being made aware of the ways in which green cleaning is most-effectively used. People are taking note and beginning to demand green house cleaning products that are safer yet still effective.
ReplyDeleteAs a professional carpet cleaner I get asked quite a bit what vacuum the customer should buy. My recommendation and the one my wife uses is the Shark. It is good technology, gives a good clean and it is pretty affordable. Just my two cents. I hope it helps.
ReplyDeleteI take it you've never tried a Miele. My personal favorite.
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