Choosing The Right Portable Vacuum For Your Interior
Allergens and irritants thrive in a vehicle’s interior. Carpet fibers and plastic surfaces attract contaminants, which may become embedded and difficult to remove.
How can you return your vehicle’s interior into a safe zone for allergy sufferers?.
“Vacuuming the interior isn’t something people generally want to do," said Sarah Windham public relations manager at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., which produces four styles of handheld vacuums. “Small, lightweight devices make cleaning less of a chore.”
Stashing a portable vacuum in the family car provides an on-board convenience, especially when the device is specifically designed for the cabin.
“Flat surfaces are hard to come by inside a vehicle,” Windham said. “A combination of brushes, flexible hoses, extensions and pivoting pieces reaches crevices and irregularly shaped spaces.”
Windham suggests people consider the following when shopping for a portable vacuum:
-Get something you can control. Hold the device for some time and see if it’s a comfortable weight and heft for you. Consider where in the vehicle you’ll store it.
-What comes with it? Flat surfaces are rare inside a vehicle. A device that includes attachments and tools provides more versatility.
-Convenience is king. Some models rely on a power cord inserted in a vehicle's 12-volt adapter. Pick a device with a cord that's around 16 feet long for ample room to operate.
-The right tool for every job. Look for products that offer a variety of brushes for different surfaces, including those cracks and crevices difficult to reach with standard vacuum hoses.
-Consider maintenance. How easy is the device to clean? Will parts require replacement over time? What’s the warranty?
-Beware of public vacuums. Clean vacuum apparatus before using them. That hose at the car wash or gas station was used by hundreds if not thousands of vehicles before you arrived. It can harbor bacteria and other environmental contaminants (goo, mildew, human or animal waste).
-Results may vary. Suction varies from vacuum to vacuum at car washes and gas stations. Units might also be out of service when you go to use them. Also, do you have enough quarters?