Which floor care is right for you? However big or small your home there is a range of different floorcare options to suit you.
Suitable for:
Upright vacuum cleansers usually have a larger capacity than other cleaners (between 1.5 to 5.5 litres), so you don't need to empty them as often. They're especially suitable for large areas, wall-to-wall carpeting and heavy traffic areas as a brush combs the carpet pile to lift ground-in in dirt. Long handles mean you don't need to stoop (unlike cylinders) so they can help prevent back pain.
Operation
Upright cleaners use a rotating brush bar or electro-brush to pull up dirt, dust and pet hairs from your carpets. As the dirt has less distance to travel up the cleaner, wattage isn't as important as with a cylinder cleaner.
Manoeuvrability
Look out for models with easy steering as this makes them very manoeuvrable.
Storage
Do think about where you'll be storing your vacuum cleaner, as their relatively rigid structure means you don't have much flexibility if you're tight on storage space.
Features
If you'll be using your vacuum cleaner both upstairs and downstairs, you should look for a light upright vacuum that won't be too heavy to carry up the stairs. Plus a model with a stair cleaning hose will make top to bottom stair cleaning easier.
Suitable for:
Cylinder vacuum cleaners are usually smaller and lighter than uprights, so they're more manoeuvrable and easier to get up and down stairs. They're perfect for hard floors, stairs, carpets, getting into corners and right up to skirting boards and great for smaller homes. Some models are specially designed to allow you to vacuum stubborn pet hair from surfaces around your home.
Operation
You pull a cylinder vacuum cleaner behind you as you clean. Most cylinder cleaners have on-board tool storage and a dust capacity of between 1.5 to 4.5 litres.
Manoeuvrability
Look out for models with easy steering as this makes them very manoeuvrable.
Storage
Do think about where you'll be storing your cylinder cleaner. Even though most are smaller than uprights, they do have hose sections which means they need a bit more storage than at first thought. A cylinder vacuum that comes with a side clip to attach the nozzle to the body will keep the hose upright.
Suitable for:
Small, compact and easy to store, cordless and stick vacuum cleaners are ideal for small quick cleaning jobs anywhere around the house as they're battery operated. Handhelds are even smaller and great for getting into awkward spaces, especially in your car.
The amount of time you can use a cordless vacuum cleaner can vary from less than 10 minutes to a maximum of an hour, depending on battery type and the setting you choose. Handhelds can operate between 5 to 30 minutes on a full battery.
Cordless vacuums need to be charged at a docking station and normally have a handy light to show you battery capacity remaining. They're all bagless so no need to replace bags, ever. Handhelds are also cordless but lighter with a dust capacity of between 0.3 to 0.5 litres.
Steam Cleaners
Steam cleaners work by rapidly heating up water to produce 'dry' steam to shift dirt and grease and kill bacteria and dust mites, without the use of chemicals or detergents. Some steam cleaners can double up as vacuum cleaners with water-based filters, others have attachments for cleaning.
Steam mops are brilliant for floor cleaning. They're upright with a water tank attached to the handle and normally have a swivel-type head with washable, replaceable cleaning pads.
2-in-1 cleaners
2-in-1 cleaners have a removable handheld steam cleaner built into the handle of the mop so you can use it separately around your home. 2-in-1s generally come with a range of multi-surface attachments which mean you can tackle most cleaning jobs around your home.
Handheld steam cleaners
Handheld steam cleaners are compact, easy to store and ideal for cleaning smaller areas such as bathroom tiles, curtains or carpet edges. They deliver a burst of steam through a nozzle and usually are supplied with attachments to help you clean tiles, windows and upholstery.
Cylinder steam cleaners
Cylinder steam cleaners have a higher steam output and bigger water tanks than steam mops and handhelds and take between 8-20 minutes to heat up. Steam ready times vary depending on water tank capacity (litres) and rated power (watts). Steam time can vary between 20-30 minutes for each tank of water.
Domestic steam cleaners
Domestic steam cleaners are pressurised with a bar rating of between 1.5-4.5 bar. They come with a wide range of attachments for mopping floors, cleaning tiles and bathrooms, plus angled heads for getting into tricky areas around your home.
Carpet washers and multi-function cleaners
Carpet washers give your carpets a new lease of life by releasing a mixture of cleaning solution and water into carpet fibres to reduce the appearance of stains and break down ground-in and embedded dirt that builds up in the carpet pile.
Most carpet cleaners have brushes or a brush bar beneath the floor head and these help the cleaner push the water and detergent deep into the carpet pile for a deep clean. Look out for models with a motor-powered brush to further loosen any ground-in dirt.
Multi Function / Wet & Dry (Tub) Cleaners are great for washing carpets, sucking up spills, dry vacuuming carpets or hard floors and ideal for cleaning the car. They're robust with a large dust capacity and normally have a detachable hose and floor head for easier cleaning.
Filling both types of cleaner with lukewarm water will result in a better clean. Look out for models with a heater as not only will this keep the water warm as you wash, it'll help dry your carpets, too.
Help Lines| Supplier | Helpline |
| Bissell | 0844 8886 644 |
| Bosch | 0844 892 8979 |
| Dyson | 0800 298 0298 |
| lectrolux | 08445 614 614 |
| Hoover | 08444 995 599 |
| Miele | 0845 365 6600 |
| Morphy Richards | 0844 871 0960 |
| Numatic | 0146 026 9268 |
| Samsung | 0845 726 7864 |
| Swan / JMB | 01733 404 709 |
| Vax | 0844 412 8455 |
Bag or Bagless
Choosing a bagless cleaner means you never have to replace a dustbag. You just release the dust canister and drop the dirt neatly into you bin.
Bagged cleaners usually cost less than bagless ones but you do need to replace the bags. Look out for self-sealing bags which will make emptying much less messy as the dirt will be contained within the bag.
We offer a wide range of attachments, such as turbo brushes, pet tools that can help enhance the performance of your chosen vacuum cleaner.
Filtration
Filters in vacuum cleaners are designed to trap dust
particles and prevent them being released back into the
air. Standard filters are mostly found on less expensive models and are great for general use.
S-class and hospital standard HEPA filters are a great
choice for allergy and asthma sufferers as they trap and capture 99.9% of small pollutants and pollen particles.
You won't need to buy lifetime filters as they're
guaranteed to work for the lifetime of the vacuum cleaner, without compromising on suction power.
Charcoal filters help reduce odours from pet hair.
Have you seen the new vacuum energy labels?
You may have noticed that vacuum wattage ratings have changed and that some new vacuums are now displaying an energy label. This is due to the new vacuum energy laws that came into effect on the 1st September 2014.
Directive 2009/125/EC.
EU Legislation
So what do these changes mean?
Manufacturers and suppliers of vacuums can only bring into the EU vacuums that have:
- A power rating of 1600W or lower.
- Electricity consumption must be less than 62kWh/year.
- Vacuums will be graded A - G based on their efficiency and dust pick up performance.
The new directive does not affect the following types of cleaning machines: Wet (carpet washers), Wet and Dry (vacuums that are dual purpose including carpet washing), Steam cleaners, Battery operated, Robot & Central vacuum cleaners including industrial vacuums.
The new directive does not prevent customers from using their older vacuums.
Please note: In 2017 the second stage of the Energy legislation begins. This means, motor ratings will reduce further to a maximum 900W and we will see the introduction of controls over noise levels and dust re-emissions.
Delay Payments for 12 months with Buy Now Pay Later when you spend £50 or more
Interest is calculated and compounded daily at a typical rate of 44.9% per annum for the delayed payment period and repayment period and is charged to your account at date of order as a lump sum.
Remember, avoid paying all interest by paying the cash price before the end of the delayed payment period. This can be done in one full payment or multiple partial payments.
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What is Buy Now Pay Later?
Buy Now Pay Later is an interest bearing option that allows you to delay payments on your purchases for up to 12 months. The delayed payment period starts from the date of order (including pre-ordered items and those not ready for immediate dispatch).
You can choose:
A delayed payment period of 12 months and then a repayment period of 104 weeks when you spend £50 or more.
A delayed payment period of 12 months and then a repayment period of 156 weeks when you spend £99 or more.
How interest is calculated?
Interest will be charged for the delayed payment period and the chosen repayment period.
Interest is calculated and compounded daily at a typical rate of 44.9% per annum for the delayed payment period and repayment period and is charged to your account at date of order as a lump sum. This calculation factors in the planned payments that are requested during the repayment period. Your interest rate is personal to you and will be detailed in checkout.
How to avoid paying interest?
You can avoid paying all interest for both periods by paying the cash price before the end of the delayed payment period. This can be done in one full payment or multiple partial payments.
Making partial payments may result in a portion of the lump sum of compound interest being refunded at the end of the delayed payment period.
Remember if you choose not to pay the full cash price before the end of the delayed payment period any outstanding balance plus the lump sum of compound interest applied at the date of order will become payable.
How do I make a Buy Now Pay Later payment?
To make a full or partial payment simply log into My Account, choose "Make a payment", select "Pay Buy Now Pay Later" and allocate your payment to the specific item(s) you wish to pay off. Alternatively, you can call us.
What happens after the delayed payment period?
If you have not made any payments towards your Buy Now Pay Later, the outstanding balance plus the lump sum of compound interest will be payable across your chosen repayment period. This will now be included in your account minimum payment request each month.
If you have made partial payments, but not cleared the full cash price before the end of the delayed payment period, the outstanding balance plus a reduced lump sum of compound interest will become payable. The repayment amount agreed for the repayment period will remain the same, meaning the repayment period may be shorter than originally agreed.
If you have paid the cash price in full before the end of the delayed payment period, you will not pay any interest.
What is excluded from Buy Now Pay Later?
The costs for delivery, installation services and any warranty and insurance products cannot be placed on Buy Now Pay Later. Buy Now Pay Later availability is subject to your credit and account status.
Do I still have to pay my minimum payment?
Yes, allocating payments to Buy Now Pay Later will not cover the minimum payment for your Littlewoods account. If you have a non-Buy Now Pay Later balance on your Littlewoods account, you will still need to make at least your minimum payment as shown on your statement.
