Let the job dictate the right vacuum
Boston Globe • April 29th, 2007

After 16 years in the housecleaning business, Richard Sparacio believes there is no such thing as an all-purpose vacuum.

"It's hard to find one vacuum that can do it all," says Sparacio, cofounder of the Boston cleaning service, MaidPro. The company was launched in 1991 after Sparacio's business partner, Mark Kushinsky, had trouble finding a reliable cleaning service for his Beacon Hill home. Today the company, which is based in the North End, has 85 offices in 35 states and serves about 15,000 customers nationwide.

The type of vacuum you need depends largely on what you'll be cleaning, Sparacio says. An upright vacuum with a rotating bar, for instance, is more suited to pulling up dirt in carpets, Sparacio says.

For hard surfaces such as tile or wood floors, he recommends a canister model with a tube that can pick up dust and cobwebs. You might want to keep a couple of attachments, such as a thin piece that can clean crevices or a long wedge for flat surfaces. A tube for additional length also can come in handy.

"You need an extra 6 or 7 feet if you want to clean a ceiling fan," he says. But Sparacio cautions against anything too complicated. Attachments might get lost.

Some vacuums try to blend features of canister and upright models. While that might be useful in a small house, Sparacio believes that having two vacuums is the best arrangement for thorough cleaning.

According to the NPD Group, a market research firm in Port Washington, N.Y., upright vacuums remain popular with Americans: Roughly 17.8 million upright models were sold over the past year, compared to about 1 million canister models.

Bagless vacuums, which have dirt traps that must be emptied as opposed to replaceable bags, are also popular. June Bilikas, a supervisor at Best Buy in Cambridge, says bagless models can be easier to clean, but which type you choose is largely a matter of preference.

A vacuum should typically last six years, Bilikas says.

She recommends that in addition to floors, people consider factors such as children and pets when making their choices. Some brands, such as Dyson, make vacuums specifically for removing pet hair. Many models also come with HEPA filters that trap dust, and can be attractive to people with allergies.

Overall, Bilikas agrees that floors should dictate what kind of vacuum to buy. An upright model can work on hardwood floors if the brush can be turned off. A canister model can be useful for vacuuming stairs.

At Best Buy, vacuums start at $89, Bilikas says, but can reach nearly $500 for brands such as Dyson. Sparacio believes people get what they pay for, but advises spending at least $100 for a vacuum.

MaidPro often brings its own vacuums on jobs, and typically uses a commercial model by Sanitaire that can provide 400 cleanings a month. But often they use the customer's tools.

Based on his experience, Sparacio believes people rarely put a lot of thought into what type of vacuum they need -- a mistake, he says, noting that housekeeping can become much more frustrating if you have the wrong equipment. "It's very low on people's priority list."