Selecting the Right Vacuum Cleaner

by Mike Schaffer - President Tornado Industries

Vacuum cleaners have become critical tools in the war against soil and contaminants. As with the selection of all cleaning tools, it is important for distributors, building service contractors, and every cleaning professional to properly match the type of vacuum to the tasks at hand. Consider these tips in order to make prudent choices when selecting the most appropriate vacuum:

• During the testing and selection process, involve the cleaning professionals who regularly use vacuum cleaners. This step is critical and ensures “buy-in” by the cleaning workers once the vacuums arrive on the job site. So often, cleaning tools and equipment are purchased only to gather dust in janitorial closets because they are never used.
  
• Test a variety of vacuum cleaners on different carpet surfaces. Some carpets have a very thick pile, which can be hard to vacuum with some machines. Other carpets have a very low-cut pile. Some vacuums may not be effective when vacuuming this type of carpet. Select the vacuum that performs best on the greatest number of surfaces.
  
• Size equipment to the job at hand. A wide-area vacuum will work great in hallways, but it will be next to useless in congested offices. Additionally, a machine that is too small will slow down worker productivity since it takes longer to vacuum rooms and facilities.
  
• Weight and comfort cannot be overlooked. How light is the machine and is it comfortable to handle and maneuver? If either of these are a concern during the evaluation period, they are likely to become a much bigger problem after weeks or months of using the machine.
  
• Become familiar with terminology used to measure the effectiveness of vacuum cleaners,
  including airflow, amperage, filtration efficiencies, water lift and voltage. For cleaning professionals, your jansan distributor will often be the best source of information to help clarify these terms.
  
• Check out some of the newer upright vacuum cleaners that have just been introduced to the market. Many of these have undergone extensive research and engineering to address the needs of today’s cleaning workers and overcome some of the shortcomings of machines introduced a few years back.
  
• Take a look at some of the new backpack vacuum cleaners now being introduced as well.  Many of these machines are lighter, quieter, more powerful, and much more comfortable to use than the original backpacks introduced several years ago. These “new generation” backpacks are reigniting the interest in backpack cleaning like never before. 

Shopping for a vacuum cleaner can be like shopping for a computer. There are scores of models and each will have pros and cons. Select the best machine for your needs and stick to your decision.

Additionally, when belts, filtration bags, parts, or other mechanicals are needed, you can turn to one vendor—likely your local jansan distributor. This helps save time, energy, and resources.