A 5-point guide on which vacuum cleaner to choose – washing or regular: differences between models and comparison

Cleaning the house is a familiar and uncomplicated process. But, like other household routines, keeping the house clean and tidy takes a lot of time and effort. Modern cleaning equipment allows you to minimize the time spent on cleaning. Let's take, for example, a washing vacuum cleaner.

A washing vacuum cleaner is a universal vacuum cleaner that can be used for traditional dry cleaning and wet cleaning. With its help you can not only remove dust (vacuum), but also wash floors and other surfaces in the house. You can safely say goodbye to your mop, broom and rags. A modern washing vacuum cleaner will completely replace both this primitive hand-held equipment and a regular vacuum cleaner.

How does a washing vacuum cleaner work?

The washing vacuum cleaner has two special reservoirs for liquid. One tank is filled with clean water or water with added detergent. Water from this reservoir is supplied under pressure through a hose and pipe to the nozzle and falls on the surface to be treated. Water is not only supplied, but immediately removed. The vacuum cleaner sucks up dirty water from the surface and sends it to a second reservoir - a container for waste liquid. The characteristics, subtleties of the device and functionality of different models may vary. But the operating principle of all washing vacuum cleaners is the same.

A tube.

All models of washing vacuum cleaners have a telescopic tube, the length of which can be adjusted to suit your height. The electronic control unit for the vacuum cleaner is usually located on it. There are two types of control for a washing vacuum cleaner: wired and wireless. The disadvantage of wired control is that the handset is heavier, but the cost is lower. There are two types of wireless ones: radio control and infrared control. The first is more reliable, since with the second, there is a need for direct vision of the interacting ports, otherwise the control may not work, and during cleaning there are many obstacles in the form of furniture. Most often, tubes are made of plastic or steel. Steel tubes are more reliable, while plastic tubes are cheaper and lighter.

What can be cleaned and washed with a washing vacuum cleaner?

The washing vacuum cleaner can be used to clean hard and soft surfaces. With its help you can wash floors covered with ceramic tiles, moisture-resistant laminate, and linoleum. Moreover, you can wash not only horizontal surfaces, but also vertical ones (walls tiled or covered with a moisture-resistant coating, mirrors, glass surfaces). A washing vacuum cleaner can easily clean carpets and rugs with different pile heights. A washing vacuum cleaner will also come to the rescue if you need to quickly clean up liquid spilled on the floor.

Important details. Washing vacuum cleaners are not recommended for washing natural parquet boards. She is too sensitive to moisture. Carpets and rugs should be allowed to dry after any wet treatment.

If you need to do regular dry cleaning (vacuuming), simply do not fill the reservoir with water. And the device will operate in normal vacuum cleaner mode.

Nozzles, tubes, hoses and additional elements in the cleaning system

Modern washing vacuum cleaners offer a whole arsenal of useful functions and convenient tools. Sometimes it seems that the most “advanced” models are capable of cleaning on their own.

• A tube. Almost all modern models are equipped with telescopic tubes. They are adjustable depending on height, facilitating the process of using the device. Some devices are even equipped with a control panel on the handle. Plastic products are lightweight, but not very durable. Aluminum quickly loses its presentable appearance. Lightweight steel is the best option. It is worth considering that the fastenings, even on high-quality telescopic pipes, gradually become loose and begin to leak liquid.
• The nature of management. Devices on wires are a budget option; such devices significantly make the pipe heavier. Infrared control is activated using a remote control, but the rays do not always reach the vacuum cleaner, breaking off behind a closet or sofa. Radio control is considered the most convenient and trouble-free option, but there are not many such models yet, and they are expensive.
• Nozzles The standard set consists of 5-7 attachments designed for dry cleaning of floors and carpets, washing these surfaces, processing furniture and even glass. Additionally, the kit includes adapters for processing hard surfaces, brushes, antistatic polishes, and rubber scrapers for mirrors. Today, manufacturers are increasingly offering tools for cleaning TVs, blind slats, polishing furniture, cleaning window glass and even toilets.

We recommend: How to choose a reliable vacuum cleaner for cleaning your home?

Tip: Often, an impressive arsenal of accessories is designed more to attract attention than to facilitate the cleaning process. You should not purchase a vacuum cleaner only based on this criterion. It is necessary to evaluate whether such variety is really necessary, or whether most of the products will remain in an attractive suitcase.

What are the benefits of washing vacuum cleaners?

The main advantage of a washing vacuum cleaner is its versatility. If previously you had to have different tools at your disposal for different types of cleaning, today you can simply buy a washing vacuum cleaner. You can use one device to perform both dry and wet cleaning - to remove dust and wash surfaces. Moreover, a variety of surfaces - smooth and fleecy, hard and soft, horizontal and vertical. Also for cleaning up spilled liquids. It's extremely convenient.

As for the quality of cleaning, there simply can be no complaints about washing vacuum cleaners. They really perform their functions efficiently in any mode. They effectively absorb dust and wash away dirt perfectly.

Washing vacuum cleaners with an aquafilter do not dry, but humidify the air. If there are people in the house who have allergies or are sensitive to dry air, it is better to use just such a vacuum cleaner for cleaning. It efficiently removes the smallest particles of dust and animal hair and at the same time humidifies the air.

Functions of a simple device

A regular dust collector removes debris from the floor. It is suitable for refreshing furniture: both wooden surfaces and fabric upholstery. There are people who clean their clothes with it.

Dry cleaning includes work on carpets and all types of carpeting.

Dry cleaning is carried out using:

• conventional balloon;
• vertical;
• built-in
• robot vacuum cleaner.

The most common is the balloon type. Compact models weigh only 5–7 kg. But, despite their size, they have adjustable power and a filtration system. The power cord rewinds automatically. They take up very little space thanks to the “parking” device - it fixes the hose and pipe vertically during storage.

You can purchase a full-size unit with many functions. Weighing 8–10 kg, the model is equipped with a large dust collector. On the panel you can see an indication of all processes. And the most important advantage is the mechanized electric brush. It is also called turbo. It knocks out the carpet when removing dust, immediately sucking it into the dust collector. At the same time, dirt absorption increases to 90%. A regular brush can only absorb 75%.

All other types of dust collectors are rarely used in everyday life. They are usually used in large industrial facilities.

What are the disadvantages of washing vacuum cleaners?

Due to the special design and additional containers filled with water, washing vacuum cleaners are larger and heavier in weight than conventional vacuum cleaners. Also, washing vacuum cleaners are more difficult to maintain. Cleaning a conventional vacuum cleaner only involves emptying the dust container. Moreover, you can empty it not after each use of the vacuum cleaner, but as it fills. After each cleaning, you need to open the washing vacuum cleaner, disassemble the system of filters and containers, thoroughly wash and dry all the elements, and only then put them back together. Washing vacuum cleaners are more expensive than regular ones. But this is quite justified, because their functionality is much wider.

Power

Power is the first, but not the most important parameter that buyers pay attention to when buying a vacuum cleaner. Typically, the manufacturer indicates the power consumption in the specifications. And this is the maximum value of power consumption that the device can develop in the first seconds of operation. Power consumption in operating mode will be less than the specified maximum.

It is more important to know the indicators of another power - suction power. The quality of cleaning will depend on this power value. The suction power can be from 200 to 1000 W. The higher it is, the more efficiently the vacuum cleaner removes dust and absorbs liquid faster. All modern vacuum cleaners provide the ability to select a power mode. It is not always necessary to operate the device at full power.

Filters

Purification of the air blown out by the device is the most important issue, the solution of which directly affects the health and well-being of residents.

Aqua filters, which are a small reservoir of water, demonstrate high efficiency.

However, after blowing air through such a filter, some of the contaminants (approximately 2%) still remain. Therefore, a second cleaning stage is installed in washing units - a carbon filter. Such filters are divided into two types:

1. HEPA class.

99.95% of contaminants remain in the filter structure, the minimum size of captured particles is 0.6 microns (microns).

2. S-class

A more effective type of carbon filter. Retains 99.97% of dust with sizes starting from 0.3 microns.

Also, when purchasing, you should check the service life of the carbon filter, which can range from 1 to 4 years, and the possibility of restoring it by washing.

Recently, in expensive models, special devices - separators - have begun to be used for final air purification.

We have prepared an interesting article for you - this is an attempt to find the ideal type of device for home use, in particular, to understand which washing vacuum cleaner is the best option for the home, read it to have the maximum useful information for choosing your option.

We also recommend paying attention to the Korean company Samsung; they produce good vacuum cleaners for wet cleaning, in which you do not overpay for the brand. The article itself is located here, save money, you can always find more interesting uses for it.

In some cases, when there is old dirt, you have to call a cleaning company or rent a professional cleaning device. How they differ from “ordinary” ones, what determines their price, is it worth buying, how they work and much more can be read here: https://pylecoc.ru/types/professional/moyushhij-pylesos-professionalnyj.html, let it be in your The apartment is perfectly clean.

Volume and design of tanks

The washing vacuum cleaner has two reservoirs for liquids - for clean water and for dirty water. If you decide to buy a washing vacuum cleaner and start making your choice, pay attention not only to the volume of the tanks, but also to the features of their location.

The volume of the clean water tank for a washing vacuum cleaner can be from 2 to 10 liters. You should choose based on the area of ​​the premises in which you plan to clean. In other words, on the volume of upcoming work. For servicing a one-room or small two-room apartment, a model with a small 2-4 liter tank is quite suitable. For a spacious three-room apartment, you can take a vacuum cleaner with a larger tank - 4-5 liters. If you have a large house with many rooms, choose an appropriate vacuum cleaner - with a 7-10 liter tank. The volume of the dirty water tank will always correspond to the volume of the clean water tank.

You should not buy a vacuum cleaner with a very large tank unless there is a real need. The larger the tank, the larger and heavier the vacuum cleaner.

And now about the location of the tanks. There are three options for their placement. The tanks can be located one above the other - a container for clean water is installed on top of a container for dirty water. In this case, you will have to remove both containers to drain the dirty water. Second option: the dirty water container is placed directly in the clean water container. You can add clean water to the container freely. But to drain dirty water, again, you will have to remove both containers. The third option is two separate autonomous tanks located side by side. In practice, this is the most convenient design, because the containers can be removed and serviced separately.

Practicality

As for practicality, with an ordinary vacuum cleaner everything is extremely simple and clear. After all, after you have vacuumed everything, it will be enough to simply open it and take out the dust collection. It is very inconvenient if it is a bag, since you need to shake it out as thoroughly as possible. But in modern models, a plastic container with a handle is installed, which is very convenient to throw out all the dust and debris and put it back in place.

With a washing vacuum cleaner everything is quite complicated. After all, you need to take out both containers and pour the water out of them. After this, everything must be thoroughly rinsed and dried. Containers should be kept dry for safety reasons to prevent mold or mildew from developing.

When you need to quickly vacuum something, if, for example, a packet of chips has spilled or a flower pot has fallen from the windowsill and dirt is all over the floor. A regular vacuum cleaner is always ready to perform the task assigned to it. You just need to plug in the plug and start vacuuming.

In the case of washing vacuum cleaners, cleaning will be cleaner, but the preparation procedure will take quite a lot of time. You will need to refill the container with water and dilute the detergent in it, then place both containers in their place and plug in the plug, and only after that you can start cleaning.

Type of dust collector

In dry cleaning mode, the washing vacuum cleaner sucks dust like a regular vacuum cleaner into the dust collection container. This can be a regular bag, a container with a cyclone system, or an aquafilter.

Bag. The simplest and most familiar dust collection system is suction into a soft bag. This can be a disposable removable bag made of special paper or a reusable textile bag that can be washed.

Cyclone system. In vacuum cleaners with this system, dust is collected in a plastic container. Under the influence of air currents, the dust in the container is gathered into a dense lump, which greatly simplifies cleaning the vacuum cleaner. The container can be easily removed and washed with plain water.

Aquafilter. This dust collection system is considered the most advanced. The air sucked in by the vacuum cleaner passes through a water tank. All dust, including the smallest particles, settles in the water. Not a single speck of dust is returned into the air, as happens with vacuum cleaners with bags and plastic containers. If there are allergy sufferers in the family, we recommend buying a washing vacuum cleaner with an aqua filter. It removes dust as efficiently as possible and does not dry out the air. The disadvantages are also worth mentioning. Vacuum cleaners with an aqua filter are more bulky, heavier and more difficult to clean. The filter system must be disassembled, washed and dried after each cleaning.

What criteria to pay attention to when purchasing

When purchasing a vacuum cleaner (both washing and regular), you need to look at the following parameters:

1. Power . Performance indicator. Indicates the suction power (normally - from 250-300 W) and consumed (from 1000 to 2000 W).
2. Air flow intensity . It affects how much volume the vacuum cleaner processes per unit of time (a powerful modification provides up to 43 liters/sec).
3. Filters. For detergents, there is water filtration and motor filters for fine cleaning. For ordinary ones - with dust bags, a water filter, and a dust collection container.
4. Suction tube . It can be telescopic, plastic, aluminum or a variety made up of different materials or steel.
5. Brushes and attachments . More components means wider functionality, for example, collecting water for cleaning products, etc.
6. Noise level . Normal is from 71 to 80 dB.

Characteristics affect not only the price. Performance and durability depend on the parameters.