If people held award shows for household appliances, vacuums would bag almost all the awards for being the most trusted household device.

Here's why:

Vacuum cleaner uses include all kinds of messes – from handling the pile of dust on ceiling fans to suctioning scattered crumbs and pet hair from your soft carpets and vehicles, it truly gets the worst jobs done.

However...

In as much as this God-sent machine handles most of the housework, it can do more than get rid of the dust from your floors and carpets.

With that, here are some surprising uses for your vacuum's action around your home.

Learn more: Disinfecting a Carpet

But where to start?

For most of these tasks, you'll require a canister or an upright vac that features a hose with various attachments or a detachable portable handheld vacuum rather than the standard upright floor hoover.

For other tasks, a small, handheld vacuum cleaner will be the best option.

#01. Capture Excess Pet Hair

One of the most elementary uses of a vacuum is to gather all the pet hair that's sticking to your carpets and tumbling along on your recently polished hardwood floors.¹ 

However, apart from getting rid of scattered pet hair and dander, vacuums also come in handy when removing pet hair from pet bedding, quilts and bedspreads before you toss them in your washing machine.

Excess hair in your washer-dryers and washing machines is one of the chief culprits in triggering clogs, leaks, and water pumps to fail.

It's true...

There are also several attachments that you can buy to assist you in grooming your dog or cat by brushing and suctioning away all the loose hair.

Nevertheless, you must keep in mind that you shouldn't do anything that makes your pet uncomfortable.

#02. Exert Insect Control

A study conducted by Ohio State University shows that frequent vacuuming kills 96% of fleas (adult and larvae) in most homes, depending on the vacuum cleaner wattage.

A vacuum cleaner is also an excellent way to get rid of dust mites² and the human skin cells they feed on from your plush mattresses.

And that's not the end of the story...

A vacuum's hose and crevice devices are also a brilliant way to reach and trap spiders or mosquitoes that live in your ceiling corners.

After you've cleaned your home and the insects are gone, it's advised that you attach a clean white cloth to the device with a rubber band to those stubborn corral cobwebs and dust.

#03. Clean up Your Upholstery, Pillows, and Carpets

Other than getting rid of dust, crumbs, pet hair and debris, your vacuum cleaner and a box of baking soda can do wonders in eliminating odours and brightening fabrics.

Simply sprinkle some baking soda liberally over your upholstery, throw pillows, and low pile or soft carpets. Work it in gently with a damp sponge or a mop.

Now...

Allow the baking soda to stay on the surfaces for at least one hour and then vacuum away.

You'll be stunned at how much brighter your fabrics will look because the slight abrasive nature of baking soda assists in loosening soil, and the vacuum helps by whisking it away.

#04. Get Rid of Dust Before It Spreads

You can also use the vacuum's dusting brush attachment to trap dust on your elegant lampshades, shelves and books, light fixtures, blinds, and even on some of your plant leaves before you do any additional cleaning.

Getting rid of the dust first will prevent streaks and smears.

#05. Reduce Indoor Allergens

There's nothing as irritating as allergies.

They prevent you from working on various chores. So, to kick your allergies out, you need to keep window sills and the crevices between outdoor screens and window panes from amassing allergens by vacuuming habitually.

Use the dust brush attachment to clean your windows and door screens to eliminate all the pollen³ and dust.

You shouldn't also forget to give your curtains and any window treatments a good going over as well.

#06. Prevent House Fires

Vacuums are also the perfect devices for getting rid of any excess lint, a leading cause of most house fires, from your dryer vent system and from the dryer itself.

However...

You must ensure that you always unplug your dryer first and then turn off the gas line if you have one.

You can then use the crevice tool to gain access to the vent area and under the device.

If you're handy, make sure that you open the outer housing at the back of the dryer and vacuum away all the trapped lint.

#07. Find Your Small Lost Items

If you've been looking for your earrings or rings, nails, or even screws behind your hard-to-move furniture, vacuums can help you.

Here's a trick:

All you have to do is to connect a piece of mesh or old pantyhose over the end of the crevice device with a rubber band.

You should then aim for the lost items, and the suction from your vacuum cleaner will capture them against the mesh so you can recover your valuables.

#08. Clean Kitchen Appliances

Don't start celebrating yet.

It doesn't mean that your vacuum cleaner can clean out the refrigerator or get rid of the grease from your cooktops.

It's not a magical device now, is it?

Now, let me tell you this...

Vacuums are an essential part of your kitchen. Here are some examples of how it can come in handy in your favourite room in your home.

You should, however, note that for each of these tips, you MUST ALWAYS unplug the appliance first before doing any work.

Here's more:

• You can use the vacuum cleaner to get rid of dust from the refrigerator coils and condenser. Doing so allows your fridge-freezer to work more proficiently and keep temperatures colder and steadier.

• It also helps you in decrumbing the spaces between your devices and countertops. Keeping crumbs under control will help in the prevention of insect infestations.

To add to that...

• The vacuum also helps prevent small fires by using it to remove crumbs from any unplugged toasters and toaster ovens.

• After running an automatic oven cleaning cycle, you can also use the device to trap any ashy residue.

#09. Fix Carpet Dents

Most interior designers recommend consumers to use this trick when their carpets and rugs start forming dents.

All you have to do is to place ice cubes over the dented carpet.

As the water melts, the carpet fibres will become more malleable. You can then run a vacuum cleaner over the spot to get the rug to straighten up again. It works like a charm!

Common Questions

In Conclusion

Vacuum cleaner uses entail more than dust and debris collectors.

They can help you with most tasks around your house, so take care of them, and they'll take care of your home in return.

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