Shop vacuums are like the unsung heroes of cleaning up after pets and kids. Whether it’s hay, bedding, or even the occasional poop mishap, they’ve got it covered, no matter what furry or messy creatures you have in your home!
But here’s the catch: not all shop vacuums are created equal. In this discussion, we’re diving deep into the world of shop vacuums, exploring what makes the perfect one for your unique needs.
Whether you’re dealing with pet messes or kid-related chaos, we’re here to help you find the ideal cleaning companion. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and discover the shop vacuum that’ll make your cleanup a breeze!
Why A Shop Vacuum
It’s simple. Shop vacuums are built to suck up just about anything (even pet hair!). Even water is no match to most shop vacuums, that is why they also call them wet/dry vacs.
Plus, a shop vacuum is a lot simpler than other vacuums like a Dyson. A shop vacuum only has a hose that dumps into the canister. There are no complicated tubing or brushes to worry about getting clogged like they do in an upright vacuum.
My favorite part about a shop vacuum is that most of them are more affordable and more durable than the standard “super store” vacuums you can buy.
So, it’s settled, you buy a shop vacuum. But which one?
Ideally, you want a shop vacuum that fits your needs and budget.
I go over the best shop vacuums here, but conclude that a cordless option is the easiest, but for hay and rabbit poop you may want to get a larger corded option.
You may not even need a cordless shop vacuum if you can keep a larger corded one near the mess. Either way, a shop vacuum is the best answer to hay and rabbit poop.
Not A Replacement
I do want to say that the shop vacuum should not be a substitute to your standard vacuum cleaner. I still recommend you keep your other vacuum for cleaning the carpets and such. While a shop vacuum could clean carpets just fine, I find it’s best to keep a regular vacuum around for the other messes in your home.
Other Options
The shop vacuum is the better choice if you ask me, but not the only one.
I have friends who say a backpack vacuum cleaner would work well, but I’m not in love with the idea. Most backpack vacuums are like shop vacuums, but they’re mostly used in businesses to clean low pile carpets. The biggest perk of most backpack vacuums is that you can attach a long cord to them.
If it’s me, I try to go cordless these days, so a cordless shop vacuum or regular vacuum cleaner is ideal.
I think it just comes down to personal preference here on which one you like better.
If you’re trying to get the hay and other debris out of the carpet, consider getting a carpet rake (Amazon Link Ad) to loosen up the mess before vacuuming. The hay and other items can get stuck in the carpet fibers, and the carpet rake will loosen it up enough to vacuum it out.
The BROOM
I’m not a fan of the broom for cleaning up hay or bedding. I mean, who is? But it can be the most effective way to clean hay off hard floors.
If you keep your pet in a room with no carpets, then I would recommend looking at a dust mop like this one here (Amazon Link Ad). Dust mops are bigger than a broom and they glide over the floors. No need to brush or “sweep” the floors when you can glide over them. I like to quickly glide over the entire floor, picking up hay and other dirt that has fallen. This is super quick and probably one of the best ways to quickly clean the floors.
Now, there is a downside to the dust mop idea. The dust mop gets dirty super quick, and the hay and other debris stick to it like crazy. So, you’ll spend time removing the debris stuck to the dust mop, but I use my shop vacuum to clean it off.