How to Choose the Best Laminate Floor Vacuum

A vacuum cleaner that does an excellent job of cleaning your carpets and rugs may be not be necessarily as effective with laminate floors. In fact, some can actually damage this type of floors and leave dust, debris, and dirt behind as well.  Incorporating the tried and tested concepts of past cleaning tools such as the broom and dust mop with the more contemporary vacuum cleaner is the only way which a floor made from laminate can be thoroughly cleaned without damaging it. Theoretically, this would involve designing one with a vertically-oriented, medium bristled brush to replace a broom and, to replace a dust mop, a washable, removable microfiber pad.

Bissell 1161 Hard Floor Expert Deluxe Canister Vacuum – Corded	Our favorite for 2020
BISSELL PowerEdge Pet Hard Floor Corded Vacuum	A great value unit from Bissel
Electrolux Ergorapido Lithium Ion 2-1 Stick and Handheld Vacuum	A great choice for Laminate

Both replacements should be able to collect dust, dirt, pet dander, debris, and other small particles through a powerful suction system and subsequently contain them in a sealed container while pushing the vacuum across a floor’s surface. This would work well on smooth and bare hard surfaces, meaning they are devoid of rugs, carpets or upholstery.

While installing laminate floors is easy enough, maintaining them in tip top shape may be challenging without the assistance of a top quality vacuum. Using the right type of machine will help your new floors maintain their shiny finish and wood-like feel in optimal condition. There’s nothing more unsightly than scuff marks on an otherwise elegant-looking floor and the inappropriate model can do those in a jiffy.

Choosing a model specifically to work on laminate is not difficult if you know what features to look for. Pet hair has the tendency to stick to floors of this type and could prove to be extremely hard to get rid of using conventional-type cleaning machines. Here are some suggestions on what to look for in a unit for cleaning laminate and eliminating pet hair at the same without scratching, scuffing or marking them:

1. A model that has a roller brush with an on-and-off switch will keep it from spinning on hard surfaces and prevent scattering dust, debris, and dirt. This feature will also prevent snagging thick rugs and shag carpets.

2. A switch for suction control will help reduce the amount of airflow while cleaning if what you need is just light suction. Take note that shag carpets may tangle when cleaned with overly-powerful models.

3. Look for a unit that has a setting for bare floors or manual adjustments for height since either one will enable the power head to be lowered while hoovering; some machines are designed to automatically adjust to heights.

4. Not all models will have a feature that specifically cleans edges which is actually essential for picking up dirt. A unit with this feature – usually as a soft bristld-brush or crevice tool — can easily clean the areas where the floors meet the walls.

Reviews

Bissell 1161 Hard Floor Expert Deluxe Canister Vacuum – This corded, compact vacuum was designed to provide powerful cleaning suction, while being gentle and safe enough to use on bare wood and laminate floors. The rubber wheels have felt treads, ensuring they leave no marks on your floors. It is also equipped with fingertip controls which allow you to easily adjust the suction level depending on the surface you are cleaning, helping to protect delicate upholstery. The vacuum comes with two heads. The first is a rotating head meant specifically for bare floors. The second is versatile, and with the flip of a switch, you can change the setting from bare floors to low pile carpet.

Users report that this versatile head does clean carpeting to some degree, but not as well as some other vacuums. The vacuum shines, however, when fitted with the bare floor specific, rotating head. Users love the high powered suction and the swivel action of the rotating heads, which are to effectively maneuver into all the tight spots in the home. Another impressive feature of the design is an easy clean, bagless dirt tank located at the bottom of the unit, making cleanup simple.

Bissell Powergroom Multicyclonic Bagless Canister Vacuum – This corded, high powered vacuum has what it takes to clean both carpets, bare wood and laminate floors. With 15x multi-cyclonic technology, the suction is strong enough to pick up dirt, debris and pet hair from all the surfaces in your home with ease. Users of this vacuum consistently report being very impressed with the high suction power in this model. The motor is notably quiet, making your cleaning experience more pleasant.

This vacuum provides great versatility, as well. With just the flip of a button, the rotating brush heads switch from carpet to bare floor settings. The design also includes a detachable wand and a crevice tool to reach all the edges and corners in your home. The wand bends easily, allowing you to reach under beds and sofas. There is also an easy cleaning system built into the model, complete with a bagless, easily removable dust container. One of the most notable and impressive features of this vacuum is the motorized brush, which functions to provide a “spray free” vacuuming experience across bare floors. No longer will you have to endure your vacuum blowing dirt and hair from the sides.

Electrolux Ergorapido Lithium Ion 2-1 Stick and Handheld Vacuum -This cordless, budget-friendly model has 180 degrees of maneuverability and a weight of only 5.5 pounds, allowing you to clean all the hard to reach places in your home with ease. The bagless cyclonic system provides consistent power, and combined with the high performance lithium iron battery, you have quite a mighty vacuum in a small, lightweight body. The battery provides over 20 minutes of cleaning on a single charge.

This vacuum was designed to work well on both hardwood and laminate floors, making use of a motorized brushroll. Another notable feature of the design is the two in one body style of the vacuum, allowing the user to detach a handheld vacuum to clean upholstery and carpets, and it includes a crevice tool for cleaning in tight spots. Users report that this Electrolux vacuum can be outperformed by other models when it comes to carpeted floors. Still, for a bare wood or laminate floor, this vacuum is reported to be extremely effective. The units lightweight, cordless design makes it easy to store the vacuum in an easily accessible spot, further encouraging and simplifying cleaning.

BISSELL PowerEdge Pet Hard Floor Corded – You won’t need attachments for the Bissell PowerEdge to trap debris found in tight or small spaces and along edges and crevices. This model’s V shape can direct larger debris right into its suction path’s center while its ends capture fine debris and tiny particles. Designed for hard surfaces, it comes with a 20-foot power cord and a swivel head for easy cleaning of low pile rugs, baseboards, and around furniture legs.

Cleanup is a breeze with this model’s Easy-to-Empty Dirt Cup. With its superior suction power, picking up dirt, dust, debris, and pet hair is convenient because there is no need to attach either a broom or a dust mop to do this. It can be easily and quickly assembled because of its lightweight design. The unit is also very much of a budget item.

Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner (ZZ550) – With two scrubbing modes that perform at a thousand scrubs per minute, the ZZ550 cleans hard surfaces and carpets with high efficiency. It comes washable with microfiber pads designed specifically for cleaning hard floors and carpet. This model has headlights, a 22-foot power cord, swivel steering and AirGlide Maneuverability that combine together to give you convenient, and efficient cleaning experience.

Moreover, the ZZ550 comes with this set of non-toxic and gentle solutions to help improve the shiny and classic look that laminated floors should naturally exude: Spot Remover, Polish Solution, Hard Floor Solution, and Carpet Solution. These all have formulations with a seven-to-one concentration, meaning it is safe for use by humans and pets as well.

Hoover FloorMate Deluxe Hard Floor Cleaner, FH40160PC – This lightweight hardwood model has spin scrub brushes that counter rotate gently while washing and scrubbing hard surfaces from different angles. The FloorMate Deluxe’s Dual Tank Technology separates dirty and used water to prevent any of the former to get back on your hard floors. Its tank capacity of 1.5 quarts reduces your effort for refills from your sink and cuts your cleaning time by half.

This model’s nozzle measures 11.5 inches to provide you with a combined action of suction and squeegee for faster drying. Additionally, the 20-foot cord of this model can take you cleaning in just about every part of your home without having to change outlets. Moreover, the FloorMate is suitable for use not only on laminate surfaces but also on those made of materials such as marble, vinyl, sealed hardwood, and ceramic tile.

Hoover Windtunnel Air Bagless Upright, UH70400 – At 12 pounds, the Hoover WindTunnel is probably the most lightweight but full-sized upright bagless model available on the market today. The one touch release of its quick fit hose makes for convenient attachment to all included on-board tools which include a dusting brush/crevice tool. The WindTunnel’s technology enables this model to minimize dirt blowback on rugs and carpets and remove even deeply-embedded dirt.

The rinsable and reusable HEPA filters of its multi-cyclonic system traps 99.97% of all collected dirt, debris, dust, and other potential allergens, including pollen, to an unbelievable 0.3 microns. The model comes with a two year manufacturer’s limited warranty, a carry handle, and intuitive power controls. For a machine with all those features, this model is quite a steal.

Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-Light Upright (HV322) – The cleaning performance of the Shark Rocket HV322 covers bare floors and carpets with twice the power of the original. It has LED lights on the hand unit and nozzle, advanced swivel steering, and comes with attachments such as an on-board storage clip, a dusting brush, crevice tool, the Hard Floor Genie, pet hair tool, a microfiber pad, and the New TruePet Motorized Brush.

Like all Shark models, the Rocket HV322 has “Never Loses Suction, Never Loses Power” technology but without the weight of a traditional upright. Clean around and under furniture and stairs with this portable model’s handheld effortlessly. Transition cleaning is easy with this model’s quick release foot pedal; likewise for reaching above floor or between tight spaces with the use of the extension wand.

Buyers Guide – How to Choose the Right Vacuum for Cleaning Laminate Floors

As mentioned earlier, the right type of vacuum can do wonders as a laminate cleaner of floors. The rule of thumb for any vacuum to use on laminate  is: it must not scratch, scuff or mark them. Here is a quick guide for buyers which you may want to go through before buying your cleaner (you may also want to do your own research on the models reviewed earlier).

• The model must come with attachments designed specifically to clean laminate floors; if the attachments can also clean other types of hard floor surfaces, you have a winner.

• If there are no attachments, ensure that the unit is versatile enough to come equipped with brushes that can either be turned on or off depending on the kind of surface to be cleaned.

• Portability of the unit is essential if you live in a multi-level home. Additionally, the model should have a lightweight design to ensure that you do not get strained when using it.

• Choose a model from the plethora of lift-off vacuums that are designed with hoses and canisters which can be lifted from their bases to allow the main machine to be carried without difficulty.

• Bagless models will save you more money in the long run since you do not have to buy replacement bags often; bagless machines are also a way of reducing their numbers that end up in landfills and contribute to more pollution.

• Reading customer reviews can help you do effective comparison shopping. Just remember to go for those that are on third party websites and not on the websites of the manufacturers so you can get objective reports.

• Price is a major consideration when buying anything but don’t let that be the sole basis of your purchase decision. Moreover, most models are now in more affordable price ranges.

The best vacuum for hardwood floors and pet hair should effectively remove dirt, dust, debris, and other small particles with damaging the finish of your laminate  regardless of features, consumer popularity or price.