Though a vacuum cleaner is an essential tool for cleaning carpets, the use of various vacuum cleaner attachments makes a standard vacuum cleaner a very versatile cleaning tool for the entire home. Attachments connect directly to a vacuum cleaner hose and there are a variety for nearly every possible cleaning need.
The most common vacuum cleaner attachments are those that come standard with most models. In addition to the extension wand, the crevice tool, the upholstery brush, and the stair cleaner are the three attachments included with most models. The crevice tool is considerably narrowed at the end to clean along baseboards, in corners, and other small areas that are missed by the normal path of an upright vacuum.
The upholstery brush is an attachment that has bristles extending from the head to loosen hair, crumbs, and other forms of dirt that are lodged in between the fibers of upholstered furniture. The stair-cleaning tool is an attachment that makes cleaning the rise and treads of carpeted staircases easier. The extension wand simply creates an extended reach for the other tools, such as cleaning high up places.
Other vacuum cleaner attachments that are extremely useful, but often not included with basic upright models, include mini-blind, vertical blind, and ceiling fan attachments. Each of these is a specially designed tool to clean each specific item. The attachments made for vacuuming blinds are slotted, allowing for both sides of each slat or vein to be vacuumed at once. Ceiling fan attachments are bent, allowing for easy access to the tops of fan blades. Some manufacturers of also have tools especially designed for removal of pet hair.
Most upright vacuum cleaners have standard sized hoses and most attachments are made to fit the standard hose. In addition to the tools that come with a vacuum, other more specific tools can often be purchased separately. There may be a few vacuum cleaner models that do not have a standard sized hose and thus, attachments for these models must be ordered only through the manufacturer. Various attachments can be found through online retailers and from many of the major brand vacuum manufacturers.
