Vacuuming Hard Floors, Vertical Surfaces Works

This is part one of a three-part article about the advantages of using vacuums on hard floors and vertical surfaces.

Traditions are made to be broken. Just because something has always been done one way doesn’t mean there isn’t a new, better way just waiting to be tried. That’s certainly true when it comes to hard-floor and vertical-surface care. Old-school tools like dust mops, cloths and wands are giving way to more effective and efficient equipment.
 
“Vacuuming delivers a better result,” says BJ Mandelstam, a consultant with Only Cleaning Matters in Denver. “Using the right tool not only elevates the quality of your work, it also reduces labor costs.”

However, simply switching from a dust mop to any vacuum won’t necessarily improve indoor air quality (IAQ) or productivity. Distributors need to recommend the right machine for the job.

To properly vacuum hard floors or vertical surfaces, experts advise using a backpack vacuum with HEPA filtration. This type of vacuum is particularly well suited to offices, classrooms or other environments where the user must navigate around furniture or odd angles. Other smart options include canister or central models and walk-behinds for large, open spaces. For many vacuums, it’s important to also purchase accessories, such as hard- or resilient-floor tools.

“Distributors can help their customers decide which tool is best,” says Mandelstam. “Demo those tools to come up with a customized kit that works best for a particular environment.”