Vacuum Cleaner Tools
- Portable hand-held vacuum tools generally apply to small, household cleaning projects. Portable vacuum tools are lightweight, and most individuals can easily lift and maneuver these tools around both horizontal and vertical surfaces. The distinguishing characteristic of a portable vacuum tool is its cordless power supply. Batteries supply power to the motor of portable vacuum tools, allowing the vacuum's operator unrestricted movement. Although portable vacuum tools offer a quick, convenient method of vacuuming, they offer substantially less power and storage capacity than larger vacuuming tools.
- Primarily used to clean floor surfaces, the household vacuum cleaner picks up and stores waste as it rolls across a room. The household vacuum cleaner sucks from a wheel-mounted motor and storage assembly. The household vacuum's operator directs the machine via a straight, upright handle attached to the wheel-mounted assemblage. A cylindrical brush often protrudes from the underside of a household vacuum's motor assembly. The rotating brush agitates loose material on a floor, allowing the machine's suction pump to catch and suck up the waste. Most household vacuums feature small, detachable suction hoses to allow cleaning in corners and elevated areas. Because household vacuums store waste in large bags or containers, they require relatively infrequent emptying.
- Portable vacuums and household vacuums typically handle only dry material, but a wet-dry vacuum's pump and storage container handle both wet and dry materials. Often called a shop vacuum, this tool's versatility makes it well-suited for construction and workshop applications. Although wet-dry vacuums vary in size and shape, the most common model of this vacuum cleaner tool looks like a large, wheel-mounted waste can. A suction hose protrudes from the side of the wet-dry vacuum's canister, and the tool's motor mounts either directly atop the canister or on its side. The wet-dry vacuum's suction hose accepts several uniquely shaped attachments that spread or direct its suction.
- Industrial vacuum cleaner tools include dust-collection units and riding vacuum cleaners. The term dust-collection unit typically refers to stationary equipment that cleans rooms or entire structures. To use dust-collection units, cleaning professionals seal the room or structure and allow the dust-collection unit's suction hose to access the sealed space. The collection unit removes and filters all of the air from the space. Similar in appearance to riding lawn mowers, riding vacuum cleaners pass their brushes and suction pumps across large, interior areas. A riding vacuum cleaner's operator controls the machine from a cockpit located atop the machine.