Think of the last time you purchased a vacuum. Did you do any research before the purchase? Perhaps you asked a couple of your girlfriends what they used? If you're anything like me, you blindly chose one that looked and sounded good enough online and plopped it on your wedding registry many moons ago.
How often are you using your vacuum? How many strokes with each pass are you making over that area rug beneath your kitchen table? Are you aware of each of the purposes of the attachment tools that came with it? Six months ago, I didn't really know the answers to these questions. I mean, I vacuumed my house when it was visibly dirty. I used whatever attachment I thought would best help me clean whatever part of my house needed cleaning. I thought, because my vacuum came with a HEPA filter, that it was really cleaning the air it released back into my home.
I had no idea what I was doing.
The cleaning and vacuuming suggestions that I am about to share with you are something, I feel, that should be a part of some kind of manual that is given to all people who find themselves on the precipice of adulthood. Why? Because more than half of these things that I'm about to disclose to you below were an absolute surprise to me many, many years into my adulthood.
1. How Often Should I Vacuum?
According to the folks at Good Housekeeping, high traffic areas should be vacuumed daily. I'll admit I was a bit surprised at this. Prior to having kids, there's no way I vacuumed that frequently although I can say, without a doubt, that having a family has changed the way I clean my home. Not a day goes by that I'm not vacuuming endless amounts of crumbs from beneath the kitchen table, dust and dirt particles that make themselves at home on the hardwood in our entryway or paper scraps and glitter from the carpeted floor of our playroom
after craft time. It is because of my frequent vacuuming that I find solace in knowing that not only is my Miele vacuum cleaning my floors but it's also purifying the air inside my home, making it a safer, healthier place for my family to live. It would be remiss if I didn't mention the noticeable decrease in allergies experienced by every member in our family since using our Miele vacuum.
2. Not All Vacuums Are Created Equal.
Oh, friends. Let me be the first to tell you that way of thinking couldn't be more wrong. It wasn't until I spent three days with the Miele brand that I learned not every vacuum is created equal, just like not all HEPA filters are created equal. Did you know, for instance, that here in the US we have the least strict testing standards for HEPA filtration as opposed to, say, Europe, where Miele is from, which has a much more regimented level of testing and must disclose with each of its products, the level of HEPA filtration achieved.
Things to consider when choosing a vacuum: First and foremost, you must decide whether you're in the market for an upright or canister vacuum. Do you have any pets? What do the floor surfaces in your house consist of? Are they hardwood? Mostly carpet? Do you have an abundance of area rugs? How about your price point? Above all, remind yourself that buying a vacuum is making an investment. A reputable product such as the ones backed by the Miele brand should (and will!) last upwards of twenty to twenty-five years.
3. It's Important To Vacuum Things Other Than Your Floors.
Sounds silly, right? But did you know that you should be vacuuming your mattress and bed pillows on a regular basis? Six months ago I never would have thought twice about vacuuming my mattress but think about how many hours you spend in your bed. Makes sense, right? Think of all the dirt, dust and allergens that can accumulate beneath your sheets. Think about how each night when you lay down you're breathing all of that in. Gross, I know.
That's why one of the first things I did after receiving my Miele upright vacuum is carry that baby upstairs and, using the appropriate attachment tool, went to town vacuuming each and every one of the mattresses in the bedrooms.I quickly moved on to the curtain panels and lampshades throughout our home as well. I won't even mention what the dust and dirt bag looked like when I was through!
4. When Vacuuming Your Carpeted Floors, The Magic Number Is Seven.
In high traffic areas, it is recommended that you pass your vacuum over the area in seven strokes. In less traffic areas, three to four passes is acceptable. Who knew there was an actual science to vacuuming? Surely not I, but one of my favorite features of my Miele vacuum is that I can actually feel it pulling against the carpet. It's almost as if I can literally feel it cleaning. Says the vacuum-obsessed mom of almost three. So obsessed, in fact, that I actually sang a rap song about how much I love my Miele.
5. The Attachments Are There For A Reason. Use Them.
Crevice tools, upholstery attachments, dusting brushes, oh my! Chances are your vacuum arrived with an array of attachments. My attachments fit ever so nicely on the back end of the body of my Miele vacuum making them ultra accessible while tooling around my house in a cleaning frenzy. When vacuuming surfaces beneath furniture or inside air vents, the crevice tool is ideal. When it comes to drapes, mattresses and other upholstered fabrics, you should be utilizing the upholstery attachment. Lastly, when cleaning surfaces such as molding and blinds, the dusting brush attachment should be the one you reach for first.
Be honest, how many of these things can you say you confidently knew before today? Are you still with me or have you already run off to vacuum your mattresses? Believe me, I know the feeling. Who knew choosing a vacuum and cleaning your home was so much more than that?
Many thanks to the folks at Miele for opening my eyes and educating me. For providing products that not only clean but provide for a safer and healthier environment to raise my family in. Even though I'm a #PureAirBlog ambassador, the opinions I have expressed over the course of the last six months have been honest and nothing but my own. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know this brand and in doing so, I'm a firm believer that yes, everyone deserves a Miele.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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