The Right Way to Vacuum All of the Floors in Your Home

Vacuuming the floors in your home is one of the simplest cleaning tasks on your chore list—so easy that even a toddler can help. It's also one of the most impactful: Keeping your hardwood floors, carpets, and area rugs free of dust, dirt, and pet hair boosts the overall cleanliness of your home.

Getting a truly effective, deep clean from your vacuum—whether it's an upright, cordless, or stick vacuum—becomes even easier when you follow these expert tips for choosing the right machine, preparing your room, adjusting the vacuum settings, and correctly approaching each type of floor in your home.

Choose the Right Vacuum

Different vacuums are designed for different jobs: An upright with a bevy of attachments works best for deep cleaning; a robotic vacuum tackles daily dust with a light cleaning; a cordless vacuum is ideal for vacuuming your entryway or under the dining table multiple times a day.

"Upright vacuums are your go-to when you have a lot of carpets that need to be cleaned," says Kathy Cohoon of Two Maids. "These vacuums have strong suction and rotating brushes that make them ideal for carpet fibers and picking up dirt and other debris. Stick vacuums are great for quick cleanups—they are lightweight and are perfect for cleaning hard floors—and small cordless are the easiest to store, perfect for spot cleaning in small apartments."

When choosing a vacuum for your home, Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, recommends looking for a few key features: adjustable brush height, which allows you to effectively clean different carpet pile heights; the ability to turn off the brush to gently clean hard floors; a bagless canister; and a HEPA filter. "Having a HEPA filter in the vacuum helps reduce allergens in the home by capturing small particles," she says.

Know How Often to Vacuum

Deciding how often to vacuum each room in your home depends on how much use the space gets and what kind of flooring you have. "Carpeted areas that aren’t used by a pet should be vacuumed twice a week, while carpeted areas that are occupied by a pet should get a quick vacuum once a day," says Mock. "Hardwood and tile actually need the least amount of vacuuming but should still be vacuumed once a week—unless you have a pet, then the rule of a quick vacuum once a day applies."

Jack White of Rainbow Restoration offers these tips based on how frequently your room is used: vacuum light traffic areas weekly, moderate traffic areas two or three times per week, and high-traffic areas every other day. "Regular vacuuming helps remove dirt, dust, allergens, and pet hair from the carpet fibers, maintaining a cleaner and healthier environment," he says. "If there are occupants with allergies in the home, vacuum daily."

Before You Start Vacuuming

Set yourself up for success by preparing your space with a few simple pre-vacuuming tasks, says Cohoon.

Remove the Clutter

"Take some time before vacuuming to pick up any items on the floor such as shoes, pet toys, and anything that could hinder the vacuum’s ability to clean thoroughly," she says. "Also examine the floor for any items like paperclips or coins that can potentially clog the vacuum."

Dust Surfaces

Dust your room from the top down, starting with ceiling corners and curtain rods and moving down to tables and baseboards. "Dust settles daily on surfaces like mirrors, counters, dressers," says Cohoon. "Tackle all these areas first, because if you don’t, it’ll end up on the floor after you vacuum—defeating the purpose."

Move the Furniture

You don't need to strain your back pushing antique desks or heavy sofas, but shifting lighter pieces lets you reach otherwise hard-to-vacuum spots. "This allows you to vacuum more effectively and reach all areas of the floor," says Cohoon.

Prepare your Vacuum

If you didn't empty your vacuum canister after your last cleaning spree, do so before starting a new room. Remove tangles of hair or string from the brushes and rollers and gather the attachments you'll need for your space, says Cohoon.

Use the Right Attachments

All those small attachments that come with your vacuum aren't just for professionals; each is designed to make your life easier (and keep your home cleaner).

Crevice Tool

This narrow, pointed tube allows you to vacuum in tight spaces—like baseboards and car interiors, says Cohoon.

Dusting Brush

The soft bristles on this brush are designed to remove dirt and dust from surfaces that call for a gentler approach, like lampshades or blinds, says Cohoon.

Upholstery Brush

"This attachment has a wider and flat surface with soft bristles, and is ideal for cleaning upholstery, mattresses, and fabric-covered furniture," says Cohoon. It's especially effective for removing pet hair from furniture, she adds.

Hard Floor Brush

"This attachment is made for hard floors," says Cohoon. "It has soft bristles and felt padding to prevent scratches on surfaces like hardwood floors or tiles."

Choose the Right Setting

Vacuum settings are designed to provide the most effective cleaning approach for a variety of surfaces. "Many vacuums have brush rollers—or beater bars—that can be turned on or off," says White. "It is recommended that the brush is at a level so that the vacuum can easily move back and forth on the carpet."

For deep pile carpets, adjust the height settings as needed and opt for a higher suction, says Cohoon. "Use lower suction and brush-roll settings for bare floors to prevent scratches, and medium settings for medium-pile carpets," she says. "Always check manufacturer recommendations for optimal settings."

How to Vacuum Wall-to-Wall Carpet

Start vacuuming in the corner of the room that's farthest from the door, says Cohoon. "Go over high-traffic areas and heavily soiled spots multiple times, using slow, overlapping strokes," she says. "Move at a moderate pace to allow the vacuum to lift dirt effectively."

How to Vacuum Hard Floors

Cohoon also recommends starting at the opposite side of the room from the door when vacuuming hardwood, tile, or other hard surfaces. "Go over each section at least twice in different directions to catch debris from all angles," she says. "Move slowly to allow the vacuum to pick up dirt effectively. Use attachments for edges and corners, ensuring a thorough clean without damaging the wood."

How to Vacuum Area Rugs

For the deepest clean, vacuum area rugs as well as the area underneath them. "When vacuuming area rugs, start at one corner and work your way across the rug, then move to the adjacent section until the entire rug is cleaned," says Cohoon. "Go over each section at least twice, using slow, deliberate strokes to capture embedded dirt. Use attachments for fringe and edges, ensuring a thorough clean without damaging the rug fibers."

How to Clean and Maintain Your Vacuum

Keeping your vacuum clean and the rollers moving freely is essential to getting the deepest possible clean. After each use, empty the canister or bag free tangled hair and dust bunnies from the brushes, says Cohoon. On a monthly basis, you should clean the hoses and attachments, and clean and replace the filters.