When Using a Vacuum on Delicate Items

Written by Amy Gordon (last updated January 10, 2022)

Vacuuming is a really important part of your cleaning routine. Almost anything that is made of fabric needs to be cleaned at some time, and the easiest way to do it is to vacuum the item. This is fine for most items. There are, however, some items that just cannot be vacuumed. Doing so can be very bad for the item, and at the same time could plug up the vacuum.

If you have something like a delicate area rug, tapestries, wall hangings, and upholstery, you will want to be very careful when you are vacuuming the area. You could try using the suction wall directly on the item, but the suction will probably grab more of the fabric than you want it to. A clever little idea how to clean the item is to use a window screen. Make sure the window screen is completely clean, if it is not it could end up damaging the item.

Once you have obtained a clean window screen, place the screen over the top of whatever it is that you want to clean. Attach the brush attachment to the wand of your vacuum. Use the brush attachment to vacuum through the screen. You should still be careful with this, especially if the valuable item has long fibers. These long fibers could come through the screen and be damaged by the vacuum.

If you do not have extra window screen materials lying around the house, try going to your local hardware store or window shop. You should be able to find a wide variety of window screen materials. It should be fairly inexpensive. The best part is that this fairly inexpensive window screen will save you a significant amount of money, since you will not have to repair valuable items that you would otherwise have damaged.

Author Bio

Amy Gordon

Amy Gordon loves keeping things simple, natural, and safe so she can spend more time having fun. Every day she learns new things about making life at home easier and she loves to share it with you! ...

MORE FROM AMY

Cleaning Crayon from Walls

It's nearly impossible to raise even one child without finding crayon marks on the wall. Crayon marks may be impossible ...

Discover More

Start at the Top when Cleaning a Room

Having an order and method to everything may seem excessive, but it really can help in your cleaning. If you clean a room ...

Discover More

Clean Your Lawn and Yard Furniture

Outdoor furniture can take just as much wear and tear from people as your indoor furniture does, plus it usually ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Vacuum Accessories

The vacuum cleaner is a tool that makes carpet cleaning a snap. Be sure to keep this machine working at its best by using ...

Discover More

Properly Using a Vacuum Cleaner

These ten steps outline the way to properly vacuum-clean a room. You'll learn how to prepare the room and machine for ...

Discover More

Upright Vacuums

If you have carpet in your home, a vacuum cleaner is the best method for cleaning. Choose the best one for your situation ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 4 + 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.