Backpack VS Upright Vacuums? - Cleaning Talk - Professional Cleaning and Restoration Forum

kurt M. · 10-08-2009, 11:49 AM

I'm investigating vacuum's right now for our business. Which do most of you prefer? I'm interested in people who have experience with both? Do the backpack cleaners clean ALL of the carpet. It looks like they just have hose attachments and would be good for corners, baseboards, kitchen and hardwood.

annasue · 10-08-2009, 04:06 PM

As a housewife I wouldn't even consider a backpack style. Their to hard a persons back. You say you have a cleaning business, then you have to think about how much work it would be on the person using it too. If it causes back pains etc. I would think you wouldn't want that to happen. Good luck in your decision.

imadam · 12-27-2009, 01:28 PM

i have never used them but will never use them only. i think their use would be in a huge office which say is on a small budget and wants vacuum one day, wipe the other, you can offer a backpack vac on the wipe day as a quick going over for worst areas. i see them often advertised on cleaning companies website in the usa, but have never heard of them to be used in the uk

clean&shine · 01-06-2010, 08:09 AM

I have been using a back pack for 3 years and never had a problem with my back.
I used to have lots of back problems years ago when I worked as a checkout operator, but now with my cleaning no probs whatsoever. I really recommend it. Just make sure it is a fairly light weight.
This should help the health of your back, because you find yourself dragging less, and therefore your back will be at ease.
Good luck.

J4K · 01-07-2010, 06:53 AM

As Clean&shine stated they make back vacs that are smaller now and not hard on your back. We use them in commercial accounts and they are great for buildings that have a combination of carpet, stairs, and hard floors as you can go right from one to the next.
I am not sure if they would be the best pick for home cleaning. It is easy to forget you have it on and turn and knock something off a shelf with them on your back. They are best for open areas.

Spicnspan · 04-20-2010, 09:31 PM

I second the vote for uprights.

We use little canisters with a shoulder strap for hard floors, but they don't come close to an upright for effectiveness and ease on the bod. I'll use an upright vacuum for everything but hardwood and delicate fakewood floors. Hose vacs seem particularly useless on carpeted stairs.

My previous boss fantasized about going to backpacks for as long as I worked for him. I don't see the appeal at all.

Spicnspan · 04-20-2010, 09:40 PM

As to choosing vacs in general, I've been using old commercial uprights in the $200 - $300 range with no complaints. Just bought a $150 Hoover with a sturdy protected belt and good filtration that's great for all my sidework needs so far.

Can't think of a residential job that would req. anything more. I just cleaned a little 2 bed/2 bath cat-lady home with a kibble room, two kitty litter rooms and three inches of pet hair throughout with a basic Eureka Sanitaire. No problem once I realized I had to keep dumping the bag and cleaning the brushes to keep the belt from burning up.

My vac store guy said basic commercial uprights are good for just about everything, and my experience -- small commercial and residential -- so far bears that out. I can't see any point to spending hundreds on a vacuum for even a busy or intensive cleaning operation.

Side note: He warned against Dyson specialty vacuums. He said he won't even sell them to commercial customers and tells them to buy retail if they must have one.

Cinderella Smith · 05-02-2010, 12:37 AM

I find uprights clunky depending on the job. I like a small, wheel canister vac myself.

I've seen people use backpacks on stairs- and I think they're rather brilliant. I'd love to hear more from someone who had one to know what the power is like. No matter how handy it is, if it doesn't work it's pointless.

davywhite · 05-25-2010, 09:51 PM

For commercial cleaning I have found Pro_team HalfVac sublime! Smaller profile, four level filtration producing almost no post vacuum dust. Fewer moving parts and easy maintenance don't hurt.

alphacleaning2009 · 05-28-2010, 11:01 AM

My vote for uprights too!
We buy Sanitaires that are under 200 $, they are very strong and last long.
However we also use backpacks on occasion. Especially when we do monthly vacuuming of the corners, you need backpack or at least you need attachment to the upright. We recently used backpack a lot when we did deep cleaning of the country club. There were a lot of mess on top of lockers and using ladders and backpacks was the best solution. Also we constantly use backpack when cleaning expensive hair salon. The hair gets everywhere and we vacuum floor, chairs, mats and backpacks here are much better choice than uprights. On general you don't need a backpack a lot, however it can provide a lot of help to you if you are performing some special tasks.

Mighti · 05-30-2010, 05:05 AM

I prefer backpacs as they are easier and quicker to get around the office and if you have steps to vacuum.

Carpet Repair Guy · 07-14-2010, 04:15 PM

you'll be happy if you do.

Spicnspan · 07-16-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphacleaning2009

My vote for uprights too!
We buy Sanitaires that are under 200 $, they are very strong and last long.
However we also use backpacks on occasion. Especially when we do monthly vacuuming of the corners, you need backpack or at least you need attachment to the upright. We recently used backpack a lot when we did deep cleaning of the country club. There were a lot of mess on top of lockers and using ladders and backpacks was the best solution. Also we constantly use backpack when cleaning expensive hair salon. The hair gets everywhere and we vacuum floor, chairs, mats and backpacks here are much better choice than uprights. On general you don't need a backpack a lot, however it can provide a lot of help to you if you are performing some special tasks.

Now there's a good argument for backpacks. They'd be awesome when you have crazy dust or hair that would be easier to suck up than knock down and sweep.

As a lazy person, upright seems easier for every general purpose that doesn't require fine detail or an off the floor reach. I never found a canister with enough power to make toting the thign around worthwhile. Backpack would eliminate that concern, but, dang I'd rather push a vacuum than carry it in any circumstance.

BostonCleaning · 07-17-2010, 04:43 PM

We use both, but mostly uprights. They just offer so much more power.

april1979 · 03-10-2011, 11:57 AM

Backpack vacuums are NOT hard on a persons back. In fact, motion analysis studies have proven that they cause LESS back strain since the user can stand upright and not have to bend forward to push and pull. Backpacks also cause less shoulder strain than uprights. They have the advantage of being more efficient in terms of time and they are great for hard surfaces such as wood vinyl and tile floors.

However, they are not as good for thicker residential carpet because they do not have a BRUSH ROLL to agitate the fibers. They work fine on thin commercial carpet, but, I would not recommend them for plush carpet - especially for people with pets. You need a agitation brushroll to adequately remove pet hair.

Silverdale Window Cleaning

qwanlee · 11-22-2011, 06:03 PM

Backpack vacuums ARE harder on a persons back. There are independent related studies done with backpacks(for carrying books) that show that. The biggest factor that isnt included in the studies(conducted by the back pack companies) is THE AMOUNT OF TIME worn. Granted 10-15 minutes of vacuuming with a back pack isnt going to hurt anyone but when you do this for 6-8 hours per day the damage will accumulate in the back.Dont believe me contact a chiropractor and ask them.

In case there are any doubters to the above statement,I will pose a related question. What is the number one reason that women with large
breasts get breast reductions? Yes, because of (drum roll)... sore backs.

Any "time savings" as the back pack brochures state are directly due to the employee doing a faster(and sloppier) job just to get the damn extra weight off their back. Plus you are essentially diverting an employees energy expenditures into vacuuming with a back pack and this will show up in other areas.

Let's keep one thing in mind....Walmart sells about 20 upright vacs and NOT ONE back pack. How popular are they??? Figure it out. Your supervisor DOESNT own one at home and wouldnt dare buy one for his wife.

Back packs do have a very narrow niche though.Stairs are impossible to
do with an upright.

katty · 11-25-2011, 06:14 AM

Backpack vacuum cleaners are more efficient and easy to useas compare to uprights vacuum, backpack vacuum cleaners results is less body stress than with uprights.. So I suggest for backpack vacuum cleaner is yhe best way as compared to upright.