Best vacuums for deep cleaning

Nothing makes me happier than when I have time to give my home a deep cleaning. I love to dust, vacuum, clean the windows, and wipe down the walls. Everyone has a different place to start when deep cleaning the house, but if you’re like me, you start by pulling out your vacuum cleaner to clean your floors. With the right model, you can also reach up to your cobwebs, get under the couch for those dust bunnies, or schedule it so it can head out and do a bit of cleaning on its own. Here’s a look at a few of the best vacuums for spring cleaning. I’ve organized them into categories—upright, canister, robot, and stick. No matter what type of home or budget you have, you can find a vacuum cleaner to suit you.

Stick vacuums

Don’t have a lot of storage space for your vacuum? One of the best vacuums you can find is a stick vacuum. It makes spring cleaning and daily cleaning simple. If you don’t have the space for a model as large as a canister or an upright, this is one type you can hang on the wall or stash away in a small storage space. They are designed with a powerhead that attaches to a long hose, and you can remove the hose and use it as a handheld to clean your couch or car.

Most stick vacuums are cordless so they don’t have a power cord to restrict your movements. They run on rechargeable batteries and many types have a docking station that stores and charges it at the same time. Stick vacuums are very versatile and have multiple attachments. You can switch from a large powerhead to a small powerhead so you can clean your mattress or your car’s trunk. Emptying your dustbin is also easy on a stick vacuum. You just tap the release button right over your trash can and your bin will empty out.

Stick vacuums will clean your home from rafters to floors, and they are a great choice for anyone with allergies as some types have built-in HEPA filters. See our cordless stick vacuum buying guide for more details.

Robot vacuum

You may wonder why a robot vacuum would be a good choice for spring cleaning, but after using one myself I can tell you it’s like having an extra set of helping hands around the house. While dusting or cleaning windows, my robot vacuum thoroughly cleans the floors.

Robot vacuums have a round design to navigate different obstacles in your home. They use rechargeable batteries, and to charge they use a docking station that also acts as a storage spot. Robot vacuums are designed to clean on their own, and you can program your robot vacuum to clean on a schedule, head out for a thorough cleaning, or spot-clean an area with a spill. Depending on the vacuum you choose you’ll be able to schedule your cleaning via your robot vacuum’s app, use your voice assistant to ask it to clean, or just tap the top of the vacuum to send it off.

The biggest benefit of this type of vacuum is that they keep you completely hands-free. You can set your vacuum on a schedule and it will clean at the same time every day. There are some models with AI to intelligently map out your floors so it knows where it has been cleaned and where it needs to go. If the robot vacuum’s battery is empty before it’s finished cleaning your floors it will head back to the docking station, recharge, and then resume cleaning in the spot it left off at. The low profile design also means it can cruise under furniture, and most models have smart sensors so they can automatically avoid obstacles like stairs.

Just because they run on rechargeable batteries and clean your floors on their own doesn’t mean robot vacuums aren’t powerful. The latest models have strong suction to pick up dirt, debris, and pet hair from your floor. The built-in dust bin on robot vacuums is easy to empty, and some models have a docking station with dedicated space to empty the dust bin. When it’s done cleaning the vacuum will roll up to the docking station to recharge and automatically dump the dust itself.

There are also robot mop and vacuum combinations. These hybrid robot vacuums can vacuum and mop your floors. Some types of robot mop vacuums can head back to the dock and empty out their tank of dirty water too. You can learn more about robot vacuums, how they work, and the different options in our robot vacuum buying guide.

Wet/dry vacuums

Wet/dry vacuums give you a device that can mop and vacuum. This type of vacuum looks like a stick or upright, but in addition to a dust bin, it also has a canister to store water or cleaning solution. You can vacuum all the debris off your carpets and floors, and then tap a button on the handle and switch to mopping your floors. There are types of wet/dry vacuums that can also clean your carpets.

Canister vacuums

Canister vacuums are one of the most versatile types and a great choice for spring cleaning. They are designed with a long hose that attaches to the vacuum’s body. The body holds the motor and space for a dust bin, and the hose connects to a power head so you can clean carpets and floors. Most types of canister models have several attachments you can use to clean your blinds, reach up to get dust strings on the ceiling, or clean your car. With a large dust bin, you won’t have to empty your dirt and debris as often as you would with a smaller type.

Canister models are easy to maneuver because they are lightweight and very compact. You can navigate around all types of furniture, and with the long hose attachment, you can also reach into tight spaces to pick up dust bunnies or clean under your couch. Canister vacuum cleaners also have strong suction, powerful motors, and constant power because they plug into the wall via a power cord. When you’re done cleaning and you’d like to store your canister vacuum, they are easy to tuck away in a closet or other small space.

Upright vacuums

An upright vacuum cleaner is an all-in-one machine with powerful suction, and it easily cleans your home’s floors. If you don’t like the idea of pulling a canister behind you while you clean, an upright vacuum could be the best vacuum for you. They have a self-contained style with the motor, handle, and dust bin all in the same unit. You can also disconnect the hose and use it to clean the cracks of your couch or other hard-to-reach areas.

Upright vacuums are great for cleaning large rooms because they have a wide cleaning path, and the upright design makes them easy to maneuver. They plug into the wall via a power cord, have powerful motors, and intense suction to pick up all types of debris. Pet owners love upright cleaners because they can easily pull up pet hair and other dirt from your carpets, and you can also adjust the height of the powerhead to glide under furniture or over different carpet types.

Some upright models use bags while others have a dustbin you can empty out after each use. Storage is easy too—wrap the power cord around the vacuum and pop it in a closet.

Accessories for deep cleaning

Vacuum accessories help you get the most out of your vacuum cleaner, and there are a lot of different accessories to choose from. If you have a stick vacuum you can customize your deep cleaning with mini motorized tools for cleaning your car or furniture. There are mattress cleaning attachments so you can vacuum your mattress or you can choose a stand to store your stick vacuum in a convenient location. There are also vacuum accessories for other types of vacuum including automatic dirt disposal bags for robot vacuums or extra filters so you can swap out for a clean filter without having to stop to rinse it.

Find the right vacuum for deep cleaning at Best Buy

Whether you are deep cleaning every week or you love to clean up everything before a new season, there’s no denying your house will feel amazing after you’re done. Ready to choose a new vacuum to help you clean up? Take a look at all of the vacuum cleaners available at Best Buy right now.