What Are All Your Vacuum Attachments Really Used For?
Your vacuum cleaner is a versatile cleaning tool : with the many attachments included, you can use it to remove dirt, dust, and debris from everything from your floors to your mattress to your ceiling fan blades. But you need to choose the right tool for the job (and know how to adjust your vacuum’s settings for different surfaces).
Extension
The extension nozzle is a plastic or metal tube that is fixed between the vacuum cleaner and the selected nozzle tool. It extends the length (typically 18 inches) to vacuum hard-to-reach areas such as fan blades, light fixtures, ceiling corners, door frames, and cracks and crevices behind furniture.
Hose
Some upright vacuums also come with a plastic hose attachment—standard on a canister vacuum—that performs the same function as an extension attachment. This allows you to get into places where an upright rack might not otherwise fit, such as under a bed or other furniture.
Air Brush
An air brush is just a miniature version of your vacuum’s main brush attachment—it’s ideal for working in small spaces, as well as for cleaning upholstery (especially if your vacuum doesn’t come with an upholstery brush attachment).
Upholstery tool
The upholstery brush is similar to the Airflow brush, but with stiffer bristles. It sucks up lint, dirt, and hair from upholstery fibers and can also be effective for vacuuming mattresses and carpets.
Crevice cleaner
This is a thin, right-angle nozzle that sucks up debris from tight or tight spaces: around the edges of baseboards, under appliances, in window tracks, or between couch cushions. You can also use it to vacuum dusty shelves, car seat corners, and door frames.
Dust brush
The round dusting brush has soft bristles to gently clean sensitive areas such as lampshades, window curtains, decorative items, table and chair legs, and easily scratched furniture. You can also use this tool on baseboards, window screens, and refrigerator coils.
Floor brush
Some canister vacuums come with an extra attachment specifically designed for cleaning hardwood floors. This lighter brush looks like a basic power brush head. Otherwise, you should be careful when cleaning hardwood as the attachment may leave scratches. If your machine has a rotating agitator, consider sweeping.