Wet cleaning of a house or apartment is a monotonous and time-consuming task. Modern high-tech washing vacuum cleaners make this process much easier. Maintaining the cleanliness of the floor, as well as caring for carpets and upholstered furniture using such a device does not require much time. But the result of the work done will satisfy even the most biased lover of cleanliness. And modern compact models take up no more storage space than the usual archaic rags, mops, buckets and gloves.
The device and principle of operation of the washing vacuum cleaner
In the dry cleaning mode, such devices work in the same way as conventional vacuum counterparts with an aquafilter. For wet cleaning of premises, special sprayers are installed on the nozzles. Using hoses, they are connected to a pump that supplies liquid from an additional tank into which water and detergents are poured.
How to wash with a washing vacuum cleaner? The work algorithm is simple:
- We assemble the device into working condition (connect the hoses and install the necessary nozzle).
- Fill in the required amount of water and detergent.
- Connect the power cord to the outlet.
- Turn on the pump (depending on the specific model, the controls can be located either on the body or on the handle mounted on the bar).
- Press the water supply lever and spray liquid onto the surface to be treated.
- Turn on the compressor and remove water from the surface with dirt and dust dissolved in it.
- Turn off the device, unplug the power cord.
- We empty the container for collecting dirty water, clean it and dry it.
Main Specifications
The main specifications of wet vacuum cleaners include:
- Suction power, which is 20-30% of all consumed (this is the indicator for marketing purposes, manufacturers put in large print on the body).
- Type of installed dust box. Now mainly two types of aqua filters are used: hookah type (particles of dust and dirt are nailed to the bottom of the container with water droplets) and injection (dirt removed from the surface is completely sucked into the water tank).
- The capacity of the detergent tank (typically 1.5 to 4.5 liters).
- Degree of cleaning. For the most modern devices, this figure reaches 99.9%.
- Functionality.
Benefits, manufacturers, prices
The main advantage of a washing vacuum cleaner compared to its conventional counterpart is its versatility. According to reviews, it allows you to quickly and easily carry out wet and dry cleaning of floors of various types, cleaningcarpets and upholstered furniture, and with the help of top models you can even wash windows, mirrors and other vertical surfaces.
The most famous and popular manufacturers of household appliances in this category are German Thomas, Zelmer and Karcher, British Vax and American Bissell. The price of a washing vacuum cleaner depends on the manufacturer, specifications and functionality.
Zelmer ZVC752ST Top Rated User Reviewed Wash Vacuum Cleaner with EcoPower Mode (reduces power consumption when load is reduced), auto power off when overheated, 5 nozzles and storage compartment, costs 12,900- RUB 13,200.
Karcher SE 6.100 (Italian assembly) with 6 nozzles and a 4-liter detergent tank will cost 18,000-18,200 rubles.
The popular budget model Thomas Twin Panther (with a power consumption of 1600 W, a 2.4-liter detergent tank and 4 nozzles) costs 9500-9800 rubles.
Nozzles
Depending on the model and functionality, vacuum cleaners are equipped with various nozzles:
- for normal dry cleaning (standard and slotted);
- for wet cleaning of floor coverings that are not afraid of moisture (linoleum, ceramic tiles, artificial stone and the like);
- for washing laminate or parquet (water is suppliedon a special perforated cloth, which ensures a gentle supply of liquid to the treated surface);
for cleaning windows, mirrors and other smooth vertical surfaces
The set of the most expensive washing vacuum cleaners includes all of the above accessories. Additional brushes can be purchased separately for some models, reviews say.
Location of detergent container
Each washing device has two sealed containers: one for clean water or detergent, the other for collecting dirty water. Depending on the design features of a particular model, they can be located:
- Container under container. To change the water, you must first take out the dirty liquid container, then take out the detergent tank, fill it, put it back in place and then put the dirty water container back.
- A container within a container. The detergent container is located inside the dirty water tank.
- The container for pouring clean water is installed on the rear end of the housing. This is the most convenient location for quick and easy refilling of the detergent reservoir.
Cleaning the parts of the vacuum cleaner
The components of the vacuum cleaner (telescopic pipes, hoses, brushes) also need periodic cleaning. On the internal surfaces of these devices, various particles of dirt settle over time. It reduces powersuction and the efficiency of the unit as a whole. The easiest way to clean additional devices without disassembling the vacuum cleaner in a minimum time is the water suction function. The operation algorithm is as follows:
- Pour clean water into a container of a suitable size (you can add a special detergent).
- We lower the nozzle into it (you can clean the whole set one by one).
- Turn on the suction button.
- Water, flowing through all compartments of the vacuum cleaner, cleans the internal surfaces of dirt (this process takes no more than 5-6 seconds).
- Releasing the dirty water collector.
- The vacuum cleaner is ready for further use.
Almost all popular models of Zelmer washing vacuum cleaners (Germany) are equipped with such a convenient function. According to reviews, they can be used to quickly and easily remove accidentally spilled liquid from the floor or clean a clogged sink or bathroom drain.
Steam cleaners
One of the types of vacuum cleaners that allow wet cleaning are products with a built-in steam generator. Their main feature is that instead of water with the addition of cleaning agents, steam is used to dissolve and remove dirt from the surface. Such devices are indispensable for those who suffer from allergies.
Karcher SC3 household steam cleaner (warm-up time - only 30 seconds, water tank capacity - 1 liter, refillable during work) costs 10,000-10,500 rubles.
Robot vacuum cleaners
Robotics is becoming more and more deeply embedded in our daily lives. Robotic vacuum cleaners with the function of wet cleaning of the premises have turned from the category of exotic or unique devices into ordinary household appliances. These "smart" devices will clean the floor with little or no human intervention. Depending on the manufacturer and the functionality of the model, such devices can be controlled:
- using the remote control;
- commands from a mobile phone;
- using the built-in programmer (you can set a cleaning schedule for the days of the week).
One of the most important user technical characteristics of such robots is the time of continuous operation of the device without recharging. Built-in sensors (optical or laser) allow them to bypass any obstacles (furniture, walls, etc.).
Among the numerous ratings of washing vacuum cleaners in this category, users unconditionally give the top lines to iClebo robots from the Korean manufacturer Yujin Robot Corporation. The iClebo Pop model (continuous operation time from the built-in battery is 160 minutes, full charge time is 100 minutes) with the function of automatic return to the charging base costs about 20,000 rubles today. The top model iClebo Omega with the function of pre-estimating the area of the room and building the optimal cleaning route algorithm will cost 35,000-40,000 rubles.
Detergents
All detergents that are used when cleaning with vacuum cleaners, depending on their area of application, are divided into several categories:
- For hard floors. The popular washing concentrate ProFloor Thomas (Germany) with a capacity of 1 liter costs 570-590 rubles. It is formulated with polymer wax and solvent-free surfactants. It is suitable for wet cleaning of most hard floor coverings: PVC, ceramic tiles, artificial or natural stone, mosaic, laminate or parquet. After wet cleaning, it forms a dirt-repellent protective film on the surface. According to user reviews, the undoubted advantage of such soap for a washing vacuum cleaner is the absence of streaks on tiles or laminate after processing.
- For cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture. For example, concentrated shampoo Filtero (Belgium) with a volume of 500 ml (consumption - 30 ml per 5 liters of water) costs 290-320 rubles. The composition penetrates deep into the pile of the carpet and pushes out the dirt. Numerous users in their reviews note the following advantages of this detergent: economical consumption, low foaming, low price, well restores the brightness of carpet colors.
- For cleaning windows. Such products are intended for vacuum cleaners with a special nozzle for washing windows, mirrors, shower walls and other smooth vertical surfaces. For example, a set of 4 packs of 20 ml from Karcher costs 280-300 rubles.
- Universal. According to the manufacturer, ProTex concentrate fromThomas (1 l - 610-640 rubles) for the preparation of a cleaning solution is suitable for cleaning carpets or upholstered furniture, as well as for hard floor coverings. Universal concentrated soap for Russian-made Unicum washing vacuum cleaner can be purchased for 280-300 rubles (bottle capacity - 1 liter).
- Defoamers. Dirty foam is formed in the waste water tank during wet cleaning of the room, which significantly reduces suction power, which, in turn, impairs cleaning efficiency. To combat this negative phenomenon, special concentrated liquids have been developed - defoamers. A bottle of such FoamStop Fruity liquid from Karcher (Germany) with a volume of 125 ml costs 600-650 rubles.
What to look for when choosing
Before purchasing a multifunctional device, we recommend that you carefully read the rating of the best washing vacuum cleaners at the time of the proposed purchase. Manufacturers are constantly updating the range and expanding the functionality of these products. However, it is not worth chasing novelties. Sometimes it makes more sense to buy an outdated model at a discount if you are completely satisfied with its functional characteristics.
It is also worthwhile to clearly understand for yourself what and how you plan to wash with a washing vacuum cleaner. This influences the choice of indicators such as suction power and the capacity of the detergent tank. For example, for wet cleaning of flat floor surfaces, 250-300 watts is enough. But for deep cleaning of carpets or floorcoatings with a long pile need a sufficiently powerful device (400 W or more). The average consumption of cleaning agent, according to numerous reviews of washing vacuum cleaners, is about 1 liter for a room of 17-18 m². Therefore, models with a tank volume of 1.7-2 liters are quite suitable for a city apartment.
An important selection criterion is the availability of all necessary nozzles in the kit. This will avoid the cost of purchasing additional accessories.
In conclusion
By choosing the best washing vacuum cleaner (from your point of view) from a reliable and trusted manufacturer, you will receive an indispensable household helper that will make cleaning your home easy and fast. And although such devices are more expensive than their standard vacuum counterparts, their versatility and versatility have already been appreciated by numerous users of these high-tech devices.
