Taking good care of your hardwood floor ensures that it will last for a good long time. This means removing spills as fast as possible to avoid stains and also removing dust and dirt which when stepped on acts like grit that can scratch your floors. This is where a hardwood floor vacuum can come in very handy.
When shopping for a hardwood floor vacuum, look for a wet/dry floor cleaner. These types of vacuums are available as both upright and canister units. Many people find the more lightweight upright versions to be easier on the back and easier to use in general. Choosing a lighter model, made more of plastic, will also encourage you to use the vacuum more often to clean up spills like water which of course can cause stains and warping of your hardwood floor. Ideally look for one that only weighs about ten to fifteen pounds for the most ease of use.
Hardwood floor vacuums are usually wet/dry vacuums meaning that it consists of two canisters that stack on top of each other. Usually the top canister of them holds a mixture of cleaning solution and clean water and the bottom holds dirty water that has been sucked up from the floor.
These machines operate in two modes. You can set them to operate in dry pick up mode and use that to pick up any debris or dust that may already be settled into your hardwood floor. Avoid any attachments that have rotating brushes inside as these can literally beat up the finish of your floor over time by scratching and denting it. The dry attachment on a proper hardwood floor vacuum will be hollow and shaped like a squeegee.
Using a hardwood floor vacuum in wet mode is usually very simple. You simply fill the top canister with cleaning solution and water. Most models have caps on their canisters that also double as measuring cups so you know exactly how much solution to use. Some models have triggers that allow you to release and shoot an extra dose of cleaning solution on tough to clean spots. As you vacuum clean water is applied to the floor and then sucked immediately back up into the canister so you are not dealing with any mess or danger of slipping on wet floors or rugs.
Some hardwood floor vacuums also come with a scrubbing feature. There will be a vacuum attachment included that usually has about six very soft rotating brushes. This is very handy for cleaning up sticky substances from hardwood floors and even real messes such as coke mixed with cat hair. Running the vacuum cleaner gently back and forth over the spill should remove it completely.
Keep in mind that although these wet/dry hardwood floor vacuums are as close to a miracle as you can get when it comes to preserving and cleaning your hardwood investment, most of them do not run well on floors that are really crooked or planked floors with a lot of rough spots and edges. This would be true of any vacuum.
You can expect to pay $180 and upwards for a good quality hardwood vacuum. Brands to look for that make quality machines are Oreck, Hoover and Dirt Devil.
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