Upright Vacuums Boost Indoor Air Quality

Like backpacks, upright vacuum cleaners have quiet capabilities for daytime cleaning. And, like backpack vacuums, they offer a range of filtration options for improved indoor air quality.

“Uprights can have as many as five levels of filtration,” says Fairchild. “They’re preferable where people worry about allergies and dust mites.”

In addition to excellent filtration, an upright offers strong suction, which — in combination with the vacuum’s beater bar — excels at picking up larger debris.

“The brush and beater bar help to knock some of the dust and debris around,” says Schneringer. “And on certain types of carpeted surfaces, it’s apparent that a vacuum has gone across it if it has the brush and beater bar combination.”

For instance, uprights are often necessary for vacuuming plush or deep pile carpets.

“Sometimes just having the weight of the upright and the brush and beater bar allows you to get across the carpet and into the pile more easily,” says Schneringer.

Upright vacuums, say distributors, are best suited for wide, open areas such as airports or facilities with banquet halls or large corridors. Fairchild recommends a 30-inch-wide vacuum cleaner to increase productivity in hallways, and the standard 12-inch upright for tighter spaces.

“You see a lot of upright vacuum cleaners in hospitality and lodging,” he says. “Not only in large, open areas but in hotel rooms too. If you think about a hotel room, a 12-inch vacuum gets in where people put their feet and offer on-board tools to get the vents and high areas.”

According to Fairchild, upright vacuum cleaners typically have three on-board tools that expand their capabilities: a crevice brush, an upholstery brush, and sometimes a smaller floor brush of approximately six inches in width.