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Step 1
Decide between an upright vacuum and a canister vacuum, as most fall into one of these categories. Canister models work well on homes with hardwood floors and carpets, since they clean both. Self-propelled upright vacuums include bumpers on the front to protect your furniture from damage.
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Step 2
Lift the vacuum and try carrying it around to test its weight---an especially important consideration if you have stairs in your home because you'll be carrying the vacuum up the stairs fairly often. If the vacuum feels heavy or uncomfortable, keep looking.
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Step 3
Look for a good vacuum that includes attachments for cleaning other areas of your house beyond the floors, as well as attachments for getting to the hard-to-reach areas. The vacuum should include an upholstery tool for cleaning furniture, a brush, a hose and a crevice tool with one flat side for sliding into thinner areas.
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Step 4
Buy vacuums with a cleaning path of 14 inches or more---especially if have a large home, or large rooms. The cleaning path refers to the width of the bottom and indicates the amount of horizontal space the vacuum cleans at once. It should also include edge brushes that let you take the vacuum right up to the edge of baseboards without harming the walls or missing any part of the floor.
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Step 5
Choose a good vacuum by looking for one that includes a height-adjustment capability. This feature, found on some upright vacuums, automatically forces the vacuum to adjust its head, which accommodates more types of floors. Height adjustment allows you to clean both thinner and thicker carpeted surfaces, as well as hardwood floors and tile floors, without damaging the flooring.
