Having kids and pets around the house means that you need more than your average, run-of-the-mill vacuum cleaner, since you’ll be picking up way more than just dust; try fur, bits and pieces of paper, large crumbs of food, dirt from the garden ,and who knows what else (children always find a way to bring in a surprise every week). Overall, vacuuming with kids can be summed up by this Pinterest quote: “Cleaning with kids in the house is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos”.
Like we said, your old vacuum might have been better suited for the job back when there were only a couple of adults living in the house and leaving an adult-grade mess behind, but now you’ll need to find something that packs a little more punch (or suck). Each of these entries has its own pros and cons, but all should prove heavy-duty enough for you.
(Most of these names are a mouthful, so you might want to follow the Amazon links if you wanna check up on prices.)
Oreck Commercial XL2100RHS
Let’s begin with what might be a surprise entry for some. The Oreck Commercial might not figure in most of the “Best Vacuum Cleaners” lists out there, but it more than proves its worth by offering an above-average cleaning capability, inexpensive replaceable bags, and perhaps more importantly, its ability to withstand continued use near and by rough-playing toddlers. It might not be allergy-friendly, but using air filters when you’re vacuuming will more than offset this problem.
You can find the Amazon listing here.
Bissell Powerglide Deluxe Pet w/ Lift-Off Technology
Perhaps the vacuum with the best sucking power out of all the ones listed here, the Bissell Powerglide Deluxe is an impressive, compact little fellow that can work its way through pet fur, food bits both large and small, and even the odd small pebble (although we don’t recommend you steer towards one if you do spot it on the floor). It’s not the smoothest when it comes to maneuvering around, so you might want to reconsider your furniture plan a bit if you go for this model.
Check it out on Amazon here.
Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away (NV501PR)
One of the better all-around models for many reasons, the Shark Rotator will satisfy even the most demanding of cleaners and housekeepers. Offering great results with minimal effort, this upright vacuum has a large capacity dirt holder, great vacuuming power, long-reach cord, and a super-easy to clean filter that you can just throw into the wash with your mop heads. Perhaps the best, most distinguishing feature of this model is the hard floor tool that comes packaged with the vacuum, which makes it easier than ever to pick up hair and small-bits-filled toddler messes. The downside? It’s definitely a pricier option than any other entry on the list.
Look it up on Amazon here.
Hoover Air Pro Bagless Upright
While it might not be the best at sucking up crafting messes (such as large and small paper scraps), it’s definitely on par with the rest of our list when it comes to overall performance in every other aspect, including pieces of food, pet hair, and such. A very long and flat head means that it will easily go under couches, at least the part closer to the edges, where a lot of sneaky messes are formed, so that means no longer crouching next to every piece of furniture whenever you want to clean around them.
You can find it on Amazon here.
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal + Allergy
Looking like a gizmo right out of a 50s sci-fi B-movie, this is actually an astoundingly powerful vacuum that will pick up even the largest chunks of discarded snacks and matted pet fur thanks to the strength of its hose. This literal oddball of a cleaning tool features no filters to wash or replace, promising instead that its design captures all the dust that usually clogs such things. It also has a tool that removes allergens from mattresses and upholstery, which is a nice extra. The downsides are its eye-widening price and how much heavier it is than other models.
Find it on Amazon right here.
All of these vacuums will offer you enough sucking power to get rid of most cleaning disasters caused by kids and pets alike, but you might want to consider a professional crew to pick up some of the slack if your hands are too full between work and parenting. It will lower your stress and leave your house tidy and fresh!
