It may shock you to learn that the average human sheds one hundred strands of hair a day. That is a lot of hair gathering around your home. Add to this any hair from pets, and it can quickly get out of control. But all you need to do us just vacuum up the hair, right? It’s a little more complicated than that.
If you are trying to vacuum up hair, you need to find the best vacuum for the job and correct attachments. Some vacuums on the market will have a hard time picking up hair, and even some expensive models will have trouble with longer strands of hair.
Removing hair from your home by vacuuming might seem like a simple solution, but it can be far more complicated than it seems. You may have problems when the strands wrap around the brush’s bristles. This can stop the vacuum from working efficiently. You’ve likely dealt with this a lot before. Your machine could also have clumps of hair in the hose, causing a blockage or less suction power. Let’s take a look at the options available for vacuuming homes with long-haired heads living there.
Upright Vacuums for Long Hair
Bissell 2252 CleanView
The 2252 CleanView is one of Bissell’s most impressive hair-suctioning uprights. With a triple-action brush roller, this heavy-duty vacuum cleaner swallows up wads of hair in just one or two passes. The narrow floorhead bezels will allow you to pick up more debris and hair around furniture legs and baseboards. Plus, the awesome specialized pet tools work great come shedding season.
- EVERY PURCHASE SAVES PETS. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission...
- SWIVEL STEERING FOR MAXIMUM MANEUVERABILITY. Makes cleaning around furniture and other...
Shark ZU561 Navigator
If you want a convertible upright and portable canister vacuum that sucks in hair like a beast, the Shark ZU561 Navigator is for you. It’s a Shark Lift-Away model that converts from upright mode to canister by detaching the handle and lifting the canister pod. It also comes with an anti-allergen seal that prevents up to 999% of dust and hair from escaping the oversized dustbin and littering your floors.
- Self-cleaning brushroll for powerful pet hair pickup with no hair wrap.
- Use as an upright vacuum for powerful floor and carpet cleaning. Or for more portability,...
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser 27909
With a name like Pet Hair Eraser, you know you’re getting a vacuum for long hair. The magic sauce behind the Pet Hair Eraser’s hair-suctioning capabilities is the tangle-free brush roll—a single-helix design with stiff bristles that take in more balls of hair without choking. The Pet TurboEraser attachment will come in handy when it comes time to vacuum hair off of upholstery.
- EVERY BISSELL PURCHASE HELPS SAVE PETS. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation...
- POWERFUL PET HAIR PICKUP with a convenient and agile design.
Shark ZU62 Navigator Zero-M
Anti-allergen seal? Check. 2.8-quart dustbin capacity? Check. A self-cleaning brush roller that prevents hair from tangling in the bristles and reducing airflow? Double-check. The Zero-M brush roller uses a series of short, stiff bristles and rubber fins to draw in hair with causing it to wrap around the brush. This, combined with extreme suction power, makes the ZU62 a reliable upright for hair shedders everywhere.
- Dust cup capacity 2. 8 quarts; The vacuum that deep cleans now cleans itself; The zero m...
- Powerful upright vacuum suction to pick up embedded debris, stubborn pet hair, and more
Canister Vacuums for Long Hair
Kenmore BC3005 Pet Friendly
Kenmore is known to produce pet-friendly canister vacuums for the budget-conscious. For instance, the BC3005 is a super-powerful yet affordable canister vac that uses HEPA-filter-lined collection bags to prevent nearly all dust and hair strands from popping out. The variable power feature is a huge plus for vacuuming hair off of bare and carpeted floors.
- LIGHTWEIGHT AND MANEUVERABLE: At less than 20 pounds, this lightweight design, with swivel...
- STORAGE & 3 ATTACHMENTS : 26' cord is retractable and all accessories attachments store...
Kenmore 81615 600 Series
The 81615 canister vacuum by Kenmore is an outstanding canister vacuum that delivers extremely powerful suction to get rid of hair and mid-sized debris in a single pass. The Pop-N-Go brush attachment will be your go-to cleaning tool to get rid of hair stuck in upholstery fibers. As for the main floorhead, stiff bristles loosen and lift long strands of hair in an instant before everything gets suctioned in the filter-lined dust collection bag.
- BAGGED CANISTER VACUUM: Multipurpose design w/swivel head cleans all areas and surfaces in...
- POWERFUL CLEANING: 2-motor system excels in suction strength and includes 2 floor nozzles...
Miele Compact C1 Turbo Team
On the other end of the price spectrum, we have the Miele Compact C1 Turbo team, a heavy-duty canister vac that suctions fine to large pieces of debris with maximum efficiency. When it comes to removing hair off of floors and furniture, you can trust the TurboBrush Floorhead and an assortment of cleaning tools, along with variable power, to get rid of long hair strands in a blink of an eye.
- POWERFUL & LIGHTWEIGHT: Bagged canister vacuum cleaner ideal for homes with hard floors...
- STRONG SUCTION POWER: Switch between 6 suction power settings specific to the surface...
Miele Complete C3 Marin
The Complete C3 Marin is one of the hardest-hitting canister vacs on the market. It comes with an amazing 1200-watt motor that delivers unparalleled suction power to loosen and remove anything from fine dust particles to annoying strands of hair. In short, it’s a high-end canister vacuum that handles all dry messes, including piles of stray hair strands, like a pro.
- Bundles Includes - Miele's AH50 GN Performance Pack - Comes With 16 Genuine Miele GN...
- Lightweight, Quiet and Powerful Thanks to Miele's Amazing 1200-Watt Vortex Motor / Made In...
How to Choose the Best Vacuum for Long Hair
If your vacuum cleaner is having trouble picking up hair, it probably wasn’t designed for that. A model with a strong suction won’t automatically be better at picking up hair. Instead, it needs to have the correct tools and functions, otherwise, it will leave hair around your home.
To successfully remove hair from your home, there are a few key features to look out for. These features are generally easy to find. Look for the following when choosing the perfect model for you and your home:
Roller Brush
Most modern vacuum cleaners use a roller to clean. This is a cylinder with bristles on the outside. This then runs across the floor to brush the floor and collect the dirt. They are particularly effective at removing strands of hair as they pull them up. However, they do have two issues.
The first is that they can scratch and mark hardwood floors. They can also unravel carpet strands if the bristles are too hard. Another issue you may have is that hair strands can get tangled around the brush.
It is a good idea to check what sort of roller comes with a vacuum before purchasing it. It is also important to pick a brush strength that is suitable for your floor type. If you can find one that is tangle-free, hair strands becoming caught will be less of a problem.
Suction Strength
Once you have found a vacuum with a suitable brush, you should then check the suction power. If you are trying to remove long hair, look for a model with powerful suction. If you choose a machine that doesn’t have enough power, it won’t be able to pick longer strands up.
Another benefit of more suction power is it means you can use less effort. The stronger a vacuum, the less you will have to run it over the same area.
Size
Make sure the debris bin is large enough. Think about how much debris and hair your vacuum will need to hold. If you consider that you can shed up to a hundred strands a day, a large capacity will be ideal. This means it will need to be emptied less and easier to maintain. It will also become blocked less and the suction level can remain high.
Vacuums are designed to clean any debris in the home, not just hair. A larger model will be able to hold more debris and dust, keeping your home cleaner.
Filter Type
You might love your hair, how it looks and feels and the style. However, this doesn’t mean you want it all around the house. Therefore, it is a good idea to have a decent vacuum filter. While you can’t be allergic to your own hair strands, they can attract and carry other allergens which may cause you to feel unwell.
In our everyday lives, we leave our hair exposed to potential allergens. Our hair can also carry dandruff and products, even when we shed it. This won’t necessarily make you sick, but it won’t make you feel great.
Therefore, it is important to find a vacuum with a good filer. The most popular are HEPA filters. These will suck up hair strands, as well as purifying the air in your home.
Pet Vacuums
A model that is designed to pick up pet hair will often do a great job on human hair, as well as dead skin and dust.
Specialized pet vacuums often have specific features to make them effective at picking up human hair. Most will have special tangle-free brushes and use HEPA filters. These models are usually suitable for all surfaces, so they make a great investment.
Why Should I Buy a Vacuum for Long Hair?
It is a bad idea to waste your money on a vacuum that isn’t designed to pick up hair around the home. Some models are great when it comes to picking up dust and debris, but struggle when it comes to strands of hair.
By choosing a vacuum, you want one that can handle it all. This will stop you from getting frustrated when cleaning your home. It will also allow you to clean your home quicker. This will stop your vacuum from wearing out as quickly. Your vacuum will also be less likely to become damaged by strands of tangled hair.
If you buy a model that isn’t designed to pick up hair, long hair strands can easily get stuck in the machine and cause blockages. If they get into the filter, the machine can be less efficient.
It seems silly to buy a vacuum that isn’t designed to pick up all dirt and debris from your home, including strands of hair. This way, you will make one investment, and not have to buy extra devices.
The Best Vacuum Cleaners for Hair
As covered above, when choosing the best vacuum model for your home, it’s important to look at the features. Some models will have special design features that force the hair to be sucked up without the strands sticking inside the hose. Others will be designed so the hair won’t become tangled and wrapped around the bristles. If you are looking to remove hair effectively, you will want a vacuum cleaner that functions without the airflow becoming blocked or the bristles becoming tangled. We have listed some of the best features to look out for to make shopping easier:
Style of Vacuum
Vacuum cleaners come in several styles, such as stick, canister, robot, and upright. Canister vacuums can be powerful without being overly noisy. However, due to their design, they can be awkward to carry around the home.
As they are made of two parts, it can be difficult to juggle two heavy parts while trying to clean hard-to-reach areas. Manufacturers have not focused on long hair when designing new models, so they are not particularly suitable. Some models will have special attachments for long hair, and these can work well.
Upright vacuum cleaners are great at cleaning all types of dirt and debris and work well on both human and pet hair. They run using a cord, so need to be plugged in. This means they can be inconvenient for larger rooms.
Although they have powerful suction, the size can make them difficult to use. As they need to be plugged in, you can only clean as far as the cord will stretch. If you wish to clean a different area, you will need to unplug it in and plug it in somewhere else. Like canister vacuums, stick models are designed to clean most general dirt rather than specialized for hair.
The third type is stick vacuums and these are the most suitable for long hair. Their design makes them lightweight and efficient to use. As they are easy to use and move around, they are perfect for tidying up after pets.
As they are gaining in popularity, manufacturers tend to spend their time developing new stick vacuums that can handle specialized cleaning tasks. Most modern stick vacuums are cordless while still offering powerful cleaning. They are easy to move around the home due to their lightweight and can clean a range of surfaces. Today, stick vacuums often offer the same level of cleaning as upright models.
Most of the models designed for long hair are stick vacuums. This is where most manufacturers are developing, and new features help improve the level of cleaning. These include features such as brushes that self-clean, anti-tangle design, and other design features. While these are often sold under the title of pet vacuums, they can be used for both pet and human hair.
You may be asking yourself if a vacuum designed for pet hair will also be suitable for human hair. While they may seem similar, they are not always interchangeable. Certain models will be designed to remove only small strands of hair, leaving longer human hair. If you are looking to clean both human and bet hair, looking for anti-tangle features.
The final type of vacuum is robot cleaners. These can pick up a small amount of short or longer strands. They are small machines without longer tubes, meaning they are great for lighter cleaning.
They usually have anti-tangle brushes. The only problem with robot cleaners is they have a small capacity and low power. This means you will need to empty them often. If you are looking to do light, daily cleaning, this is a great choice.
Vacuum Power
A general rule is the more power, the better the vacuum. But, if you have soft rugs or carpets, a high-powered machine may damage them.
There are three things to look for when considering power. These are the manufacture’s suction technology, the motor’s amp power, and if different models are designed for different surfaces.
It can be difficult to assess this without using the machine for a short time. A good way to research this is to read as many reviews as you can, then find a store where you can test it out.
Brush Roll
In recent years, there has been a lot of research to improve the design and functionality of brush rolls. Today, most pet hair vacuums will have a brush that won’t become tangled, which reduces the time you spend removing trapped hair. By choosing a model designed for this purpose, you will spend less time detangling. Specific designs will vary between brands and models. Newer models will usually have better-designed brushes than older models.
Brushes usually have a comb-like section on the top of the brush. This is to remove longer hair strands that may cause tangles inside the mechanism. Some modern designs don’t even use brushes, such as the recent releases by Shark. Instead, they use blades that stop the hair from getting stuck. This technology makes them the best models for long hair.
Waste Collection and Size
There are two main types of vacuum dustbin: bagged or bagless. A bagged model will keep the debris and hair in one place and can be emptied hygienically. The only drawback is you will need to replace the bags.
A bagless vacuum is a great option if you don’t want further expenses. You just need to be careful when emptying it as dust and hair can escape.
It is also a good idea to consider how much debris and hair you collect in one use. This will help you choose the correct size vacuum. If you have a house that becomes dusty often, you should look for a medium or big dustbin. This will stop frequent trips to empty it while cleaning.
Anti-Allergen Features
Using your vacuum may damage particles in the air, which can affect people who suffer from allergies. This can particularly affect people who have breathing problems.
Luckily, manufacturers have developed filters that help remove these irritants from the air and store them away for safe disposal.
Regardless of how susceptible you are to allergies, a filter is a good feature to look for when choosing a vacuum cleaner. It will help keep the air in your home clean and free from allergies.
The most common filter to look out for is HEPA. An example of this is the SHARK TruePet NV752 Upright Vacuum Cleaner. This model removes and blocks 99.9 of dust from your home, as well as long hair. Its HEPA filter is even washable.
Accessories
Today’s vacuum cleaners come with a wide range of attachments and tools. Some of these are designed to help you clean long hair without any tangles. The best attachment for long hair is Dyson’s self-cleaning one. However, this only works with Dyson models. Other good tools to look for are:
Pet Hair Removal: This is designed to suck up pet hair that has become embedded. It will also work well on human hair.
Upholstery Tool: This will help you remove hair from sofas and other soft furnishings where long strands often collect.
If you want to increase the lifespan of your vacuum cleaner, consider investing in pre-vacuum equipment. These are usually rubber brooms which will help remove long strands before vacuuming. Another good tool for this is a sticky roller mop. This will collect debris and long hair. This will stop the vacuum from becoming tangled and less efficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before using your new vacuum cleaner, you should always check the user’s manual. However, there are some universal questions for all models. For instance, you should never use your vacuum to clean up wet hair. This can become moldy inside the machine, and release spores into your home during use.
My dog has very long hair, which model is best for me?
Take a look at our list of the best pet vacuums. We also have a guide to help you choose the right model for you.
Do I need a HEPA filter if I have long hair?
If anyone in your household suffers from allergies, a vacuum with a HEPA filter can make a great difference. If you don’t have any allergies, a HEPA filter can keep the air in your home clean and fresh.
What accessories should I buy for long hair?
Long hair strands often get stuck on fabric surfaces, so a brush attachment is a great option. Try to avoid any tools that use only suction as they will most likely leave strands behind.
Final Words on Vacuums for Long Hair
On average, we shed 100 strands of hair a day. Dogs and cats shed even more than this, often shedding hundreds, if not thousands, a day. To keep your home clean and hair-free, you are going to need an efficient vacuum designed for long hair. Keep our guide in mind while researching for the best choice for you.
Last Update: 2024-04-23 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
