Swifter Sweeper Vac

RonE · 08-29-2007, 01:02 PM

We have hardwood floors. Lots of hardwood floors.

We have a dog. She isn't an "aggressive shedder" like our double-coated lab who shed year 'round in two colors, but she sheds (though I've asked her politely not to.)

I bought a Swifter Sweeper Vac for about $30 and a box of 48 disposable pads for it for another $10 and, so far, I've very pleased. It has a rechargeable cordless vac that's supposed to pick up the "big chunks" but it picks up an amazing amount of dog fur. It's light-weight which is helpful if you like to drink a beer while vacuming and it's compact-enough to get under things and into tight corners.

I'll let you know how it holds up but, so far, it's a winner.

Esther's afraid of it, BTW. She's not afraid of a riding lawnmower or a ten-horse snowblower, but that little sweeper vac freaks her out.

lovemygreys · 08-29-2007, 01:05 PM

I was thinking of getting one of those for our kennel. For the house we have the all-powerful, awesome Dyson

I wonder if they have them at Costco yet....

rsculady · 08-31-2007, 04:04 PM

Our entire bottom floor is hardwood and the Swiffer Vac is awesome! With Angel(wooly sibe) we would have mounds of hair in the corners so it was a necessity and surprisingly we still use it daily even though Makita is a short haired sibe but Fuzzybutt the golden leaves hair everywhere! LOL Once a week I take out the filter and rinse it clean and let it dry. Helps keep the suction power going. We have had ours for a couple of years now and still on the same one.

magldg41 · 09-11-2007, 08:38 PM

I have 2 slight year round shedders a lab and a mastiff cross. I have done it all swiffer, mops, microfiber ect. I bought a hoover floormate that vaccums and then scrubbs the floor with these little scrubbers with a solution. With the dogs tracking in mud, the kids running around eating and spilling stuff, this thing cleans up what the dogs dont. Its wonderful and walking on bare floors in bare feet you wont feel the slightest grit or dirt. I HIGHLY reccomend this.

Inga · 09-11-2007, 08:43 PM

Alright good to know. I might have to check one out. Have any of you used the computer vacuums. You just let them cruise around during the day while you are at work or whatever. I think they are around $350.00. Do they work well?

magldg41 · 09-11-2007, 08:45 PM

The reviews at Target.com are good on it

sillylilykitty · 09-11-2007, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inga

Alright good to know. I might have to check one out. Have any of you used the computer vacuums. You just let them cruise around during the day while you are at work or whatever. I think they are around $350.00. Do they work well?

We bought the most high tech one they had (its not anymore, they've come up with new ones since then), and let me tell you, it is NOT worth it. Its entertaining to watch the cats stalk it and then run away scared of it though. It picks some stuff up but it doesnt do the best job. I would much rather use a regular vacuum. We usually just put it down in a room and let it run until it died. And that was just for 2 Siamese cats (and 5 people), and Siamese cats barely have any shedding (it builds up over a few weeks though).

When something was spilled we would have the comp. vac. pick up whatever it could and then we did the rest manually. Not worth the $350 if you ask me.

Oh and it broke down once and we would have had to pay more money to fix it if we hadnt gotten the warranty.

darlin · 09-11-2007, 09:47 PM

I had that automatic thing i think it was called robovac or something. It was 350.00. It was okay but my boxer felt it was attacking the floor so he pounced on it. broke it in pieces. bought a used on from someone and it got caught on edge of a rug and motor burned up. What's the use of having something do it automatically if you have to watch it? use the swiffer thing, love it but i mostly use this dollar store broom and my dollar standing dustpan.. old skool all the way.

IrenaFarm · 09-11-2007, 09:50 PM

I finally broke down and replaced my "real" vacuum - I had been pooting around with a lightweight since we moved here, but it just couldn't keep up.

It's a Bissell with a Mini Me which is great for the couches (microfiber). It only cost $65 but we got it on sale for $49. I've decided I have a love-hate relationship with the bagless concept. I don't know how we ever got on without it, but oh, my, when I have to empty it. Ick, bleurgh, blah. And with six hairy dogs inside I empty it once per room at least, if I've been good about vacuuming at least once a day. But we'd surely be using fifteen bags a week were it not for the bagless. $$$$!

I'd love a Dyson and planned to get one when we moved last year, but we didn't make what I'd hoped on the sale of the farm, and Patrick took a gigantic paycut, so I had to cancel a lot of spending plans in the meantime. But honestly now I'm not sure a Dyson would have been that much better considering I've only got the wood floors here.

FriendsOfZoe · 09-12-2007, 06:16 AM

I'm the loser who asked my parents for a Dyson for my 21st birthday, in preparation for the golden puppy that I now have. It's pretty awesome, but I've been lazy about vacuuming, as Zoe hasn't been shedding much yet. But now she's starting to go, and I need to get in the habit of vacuuming almost every day. It's not super lightweight, but it does work as a canister vac with a long hose off it, so I can use that with an attachment to clean carpets, tight corners, etc.

Swiffer Sweeper Vac? Never bothered to try it, since I have a Dyson. But I do like swiffer mops for the kitchen and bathroom floors. Hooray for disposable cleaning supplies!

the-tenth · 09-12-2007, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonE

It's light-weight which is helpful if you like to drink a beer while vacuming and it's compact-enough to get under things and into tight corners.

That's great. You ought to pitch this to their marketing department. I'd buy one if I saw a dude during the super-bowl, sweeping the floor and drinking a cold one. We own a Rainbow. It's the bomb. Never have to change any bags. Never loses any power. And that's pretty key considering Daisy the super shedder. We had an expensive cannister vac, and had to clean it out and wash out the filter every 10 minutes of use. It's not the greatest thing in the world for the stairs, but I love it. We also run it as an air purifier when the house is feeling really doggy.

RonE · 09-12-2007, 07:35 AM

I'm thinking of installing a cup-holder.

I noticed yesterday that there are a couple of cup holders on our new riding lawnmower. First of all, it is not a vehicle designed to accomodate passengers. Second, I'd be careful what I'm drinking while driving that beast - especially on hills.

the-tenth · 09-12-2007, 07:46 AM

I'm looking for one with a keg cooler on the back.

borzoimom · 09-12-2007, 08:31 AM

Interesting Ron and very timely.. Our basement/family room is now totally tiled and I was looking for something simple to use. Thanks!

RonE · 09-12-2007, 12:53 PM

So far, it's a winner for light clean-ups. It's no good for major messes, though.

I considered getting a second one to keep upstairs and decided, since it weighs about 1 pound, that would be excessively lazy.

magldg41 · 09-12-2007, 06:39 PM

Has anyone tried that swivel sweeper? where it goes around legs of the table and stuff it runs on a battery or something.
I am also wanting to know what good cordless handhelds there are out there? Any suggestions?

~Lindsay

Betty · 10-01-2007, 12:25 PM

I've had my Swiffer Sweeper Vac for a year. After a while it doesn't hold a charge well; I used to be able to clean the kitchen/living room several times before recharging, but now I can barely go through one. It's still good for quick touch-ups when guests are coming over. Shiny wood floors hide nothing.

I have a WetJet, too. Love it.

My Hoover canister vac is used at all other times - the long neck can squeeze under and between furniture, it's good for stairs and wood/carpet floors, and with no rotating brush in the head, I'm not having to constantly cut out my long hair strands so I don't burn out the motor (like I did with two other vacuums).

Wimble Woof · 10-01-2007, 04:00 PM

Wimble the Nay sayer must pipe up now.....

Sorry all.
I have had the swiffer sweeper vac for a while now, and at first I loved it.
but then I noticed... the air "blower outter" blows the fur you have not yet seen or attended to, into the strangest places and forms ginormous dust jack a lopes... not bunnies.

I retired my SSV and it is currently up for adoption. Or actually even free to good home...

This is my new best fur picker upper friend...
http://www.homeprodux.com/rubber_broom.html

I dont have carpets but managed to cram it in my car and low and behold it lifted stuff off the seats that the vaccumes couldnt...
I love it and its cheap!!!!

briteday · 10-01-2007, 04:25 PM

Well, I bought the Swiffer and I love it. It's not only good for getting fur up every few days in the family room, but my teenager loves it for cleaning up the stuff her pet rats kick out of the cage and onto her hardwood floor in her bedroom. I also like it for quick cleanups in the bathrooms. I find I only need to wash the floors every 3-4 weeks now as they don't sem to get as dirty if I get the light stuff up every few days. I also spritz the dusting cloth a bit to give it some "oomph" on the little drips around the sinks and stuff. Better yet!

RonE · 10-01-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

After a while it doesn't hold a charge well

That's an issue with many rechargeables. The batteries have a "memory" and, if not fulling discharged between charges, it will eventually refuse to take a full charge.

I've had many Dust Busters that bit the dust for that very reason. I recently bought a Black and Decker portable "Dust-Buster-type" hand vac that uses the 18-volt rechargeable battery that several of my power tools use.

I have high hopes for this thing. With hardwood floors and, now, a second shedder, I need all the weapons I can get.