At Spotless Vacuum, we firmly believe in getting the most for your money. And, let’s face it, the best vacuum cleaners don’t come cheap!
The good news is that vacuums can be far more multi-functional than many people realise. From finding small items to removing carpet dents, knowing how to make the most of your vacuum can save you time and stress.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of our top 8 vacuum tricks for getting the most out of your vacuum cleaner. These are genuinely useful tricks too – things you can use around your home today.
So let’s get started!
1. Keep your Refrigerator Running Efficiently
Refrigerators usually just work, we don’t think too much about them – until something goes wrong. A potential problem is if dust or lint builds up on the coils at the back of the fridge. This can cause the refrigerator to overheat.
The solution is simple. Just move the vacuum away from the wall and use your vacuum to get rid of dust on the coils. You’ll also probably want to vacuum underneath the fridge at the same time.
2. Clean Dust Reservoirs Such as Books
Books can be a magnet for dust – especially older books that don’t get read often.
We don’t recommend a power attachment to clean books, but the hose of most uprights or almost any handheld can gently remove dust. Just make sure you use a soft attachment and check you aren’t damaging the books.
3. Finding an Elusive Lost Earring
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as losing an earring or other small item in your home…and being sure it must be somewhere in your house…yet being unable to find it. Depending on the size and colour of the earring, it can be almost impossible to see.
Luckily, there’s an easier way to find it. Simply pull a pair of tights over the hose of your vacuum and keep it in place with a rubber band, then vacuum under furniture, in sofa cracks and anywhere else the earring could have dropped.
With luck, it will be sucked up by the vacuum and nestle in the pair of tights. Of course, you need fairly strong suction via the hose for this – especially if you’re looking for a heavy earring – but it’s worth trying.
4. Suck Up Dust Everywhere In Your Home
Like most people, you probably feel you’re engaged in a continuous battle with dust. You can vacuum the whole house and dust down surfaces, only for it to return a week later.
This is partly a fact of life – you can’t get rid of all dust in any home. But there are things you can do to reduce dust, such as:
- Make use of all your vacuum’s attachments. It’s vital to clean everywhere dust collects in your home. Use all of your vacuum’s attachments, such as the crevice tool, to get rid of hidden pockets of dust.
- Be creative about where you dust. Your vacuum is probably able to clean many more areas than you think. You can use it to get rid of dust resting on mirrors, pictures, blinds, lampshades and almost anywhere else.
- Use your vacuum to clean air conditioning and heating vents. If your home has vents, they can quickly collect dust which is then blown around the house. Use a soft attachment to remove dust whenever it starts to build-up on the slats.
- Regularly clean your vacuum’s filters! For most vacuums, the only thing stopping dust and allergens being ejected into the air is the filter. If it’s clogged, it won’t be able to collect tiny dust particles and allergens.
5. Get into The Tightest Spots with a Toilet Paper Tube
This tip follows on nicely from the last, as it allows you to get rid of dust and dirt in the tightest spots – even if your crevice tool is too big.
Simply take an empty toilet roll tube and hold it around the end of the vacuum’s hose. You can then shape the end of the tube to any size you want, allowing you to clean in the tightest or most awkward places.
While this might seem like a strange tip, especially as vacuums often come with multiple tools, we’ve found that no vacuum comes with an attachment for every job. Until a vacuum manufacturer comes up with a mouldable attachment, this is the next best option. It’s also great for getting into those tricky areas in cars.
6. Remove Carpet Dents with your Vacuum and Ice
Have you ever moved a piece of furniture, only to be met by ugly dents in the carpet?
Of course you have! We’ve all done it, and they can be very off-putting.
The good news is that dents are easy to remove with just some ice and a vacuum. Let an ice cube melt into the dent, which helps to soften the fibres, and then vacuum it. The vacuum will (hopefully) pull the now malleable fibres back into their proper positions.
7. Clean Crumbs from Keyboard
A keyboard can quickly become a disgusting reservoir of bacteria and dirt, yet they are notoriously difficult to clean properly. This is another job a vacuum can help with!
Firstly, turn over your keyboard to get rid of the loosest crumbs and dirt. Then, using your vacuum’s crevice tool, vacuum over the keyboard to get rid of more stubborn dirt.
Once complete, you can then use a cotton bud with a small amount of alcohol cleaner to brush the tight areas between the keys. You may need to use a tooth pick for the narrowest cracks. Finally, use a dry cloth to remove any remaining dust – and voila! A keyboard that looks as good as new.
8. Get Rid of Upholstery Odours
Odours can build up in sofas and cushions, especially if a drink or food is spilled. Once they do, they can be quite difficult to remove – especially if they aren’t machine-washable.
A quick solution is to sprinkle baking powder over the affected area and leave it to “soak” for around 30 minutes. This helps loosen up the odour. At the end of the 30 minutes, vacuum the baking soda off the cushion and the smell should disappear with it.
Tip: Sometimes the best way to clean and declutter your home is to get rid of unneeded furniture. Fortunately, there are now a number of apps that make this easy, including the popular AptDeco.
Conclusion
So there you have it – the vacuum cleaner is a much more versatile tool than many people think. This is why we believe it’s important to research and buy a high-quality vacuum cleaner, such as those in any of our “Best Of” lists, rather than just choosing the cheapest option.
Don’t mistake a higher price for a better vacuum though. Many of the vacuums we’ve rated highly are cheaper than you might imagine – price certainly doesn’t always equal quality.
Do you know any vacuum tips and tricks you think our readers would find useful? Or have you tried any of these tips before? Let us know in the comments. And if you think this article would help a friend, please don’t forget to share it with them!