Click here to see our updated list for 2017 Two things make a great robotic floor cleaner: 1. The ability to clean hard floors or carpet and 2. The amount of dirt the vacuum can pull in. Read or watch the video to learn just how good each vacuum in our list performs. Good For PetsGood For AllergiesHard FloorCarpetUnder $50Under $100 3SEE IT NOW 1SEE IT NOW 4SEE IT NOW Price, Info, & Pics Price, Info, & PicsFleas are the bane of many a pet owner. Even people without animals in their homes can become infested with these agile, fast-multiplying parasites. The minute any warm-blooded creature -- including you -- leaves your house, he or she becomes fair game for fleas or flea eggs, which can be carried in on shoes or via a breeze through an open window. A single female may lay up to 500 eggs during her lifetime, with egg production stimulated by blood meals. That means each time a flea bites you or your cat, many more fleas are in your future. Scientists, however, recently discovered that the deadliest flea weapon is probably tucked away right now in your closet.

It’s your vacuum cleaner. But not just any vacuum cleaner is effective against fleas. There are certain vacuum size and weight requirements and particular places you need to target when cleaning. If you are concerned about fleas, as well as the potential health effects of pesticides, the following information may forever change the way you deal with pet parasites. How Your Vacuum Kills FleasAccording to entomologist Glen Needham, PhD, of Ohio State University, not much research had been done on how vacuuming kills fleas. best steam cleaner car upholsteryHe and colleague W. Fred Hink, PhD, were curious what happens to fleas after they’ve been vacuumed up. best vacuum cleaner 2014 consumer reportsDr. Hink decided to raise fleas at various life stages before placing them on a carpet. best leather wipes for car seats

He then cleaned the area with a vacuum that had a permanent cloth bag fitted with a disposable paper inner bag. Both scientists were surprised by what they saw when they placed the bag’s contents under a microscope. “There were all of these crispy little dead things that used to be live fleas,” Dr. Needham says. “Ninety-six percent of all the adult fleas had died, while one hundred percent of the flea pupae and larvae had died.”dryer vent cleaning standards Puzzled by the flea carnage, Dr. Hink conducted further experiments to determine what exactly killed these fleas. vacuum cleaner deals black friday 2014He ruled out the possibility that the paper bag wasn’t somehow toxic or that the power of the moving air did in the fleas. top rated vacuum cleaners target

“We instead believe that the vacuum machinery itself, particularly the brushes, bangs up the fleas to such a violent degree that they perish,” Dr. Needham says. He explains that all ticks, fleas, mites and many other parasites need water to survive. To preserve body moisture, fleas secrete a waxy substance that coats the outside of their bodies. Fleas often repair minor damage to the wax layer, but “the vacuum machinery must penetrate this protective layer to such a degree that wax coating is irreparable.” Not Just Any Vacuum De-fleasWhile the scientists didn’t test multiple vacuum brands, they theorize that older vacuums, with inner brushes and bags, work better at killing fleas than most of the “sexy” newer vacuums with less inner moving parts. Many of the newer vortex suction vacuums, for example, probably lack the punishing parts that cause fleas to kick the bucket. If you have an older vacuum that still works, you may consider pulling it out for your flea-targeted cleanups.

For the study, the scientists used a Royal Deluxe upright all-metal vacuum, Model M1010. Any vacuum that’s a similar size and shape will do the trick. If you don’t already have one, you can find them at your local appliance store or used models at, yes, your local flea market. Best Ways to Foil FleasThe scientists suggest these measures for keeping your home flea free: The Future of Home Flea ControlAt present, Dr. Needham is investigating a new technology that will allow people to have their high tech, sexy vacuums and still be able to kill fleas, as well as destroy fungi, bacteria and germs. Such systems use ultraviolet radiation to zap the pests dead. “It may revolutionize cleaning,” he says, “and the federal government is also interested, since similar devices may be used in the event of a bioterrorist attack.” He adds that both upright and hand-held UV-based vacuums should be on the market in the not-too-distant future. Jennifer Viegas is the managing editor of The Daily Cat.

She is a journalist for Discovery News, the news service for the Discovery Channel, and has written more than 20 books on animals, health and other science-related topics. Click a star to rate this article << Previous Feature Next Feature >> Posted on June 14, 2008todd says: my vet said to vacuum whole house ,furniture and all then throw out the bag from the vaccuum,that can get expensive but at least less fleas.old or new vacuum throw out the bag, use vaccuum with the rotating brushes.if not still throw out the bag.thanksPosted on May 31, 2008Angel Weber says: While I have known for quite a while that the vacuum is invaluable for preventing flea infestation, I did not realize that my OLD vaccum was doing alot of the work! My new one does not, apparently, "punish" the outsides of the fleas like the old ones do. I just wish I had known this before I bought the new one. The old one was working alright; I just wanted something lighter. Now I wish I had my old Hoover back.