Is a vacuum cleaner necessary?

[Pengwins]

With a dog, I would think it is necessary. Stick vacs don't have enough suction IMO to pick up dog hair and you don't have attachments for a stick vac to vacuum the couch. My slip covered couch still gets vacuumed once a week. Unless you have a dog that doesn't shed that is.

[mrspopo]

Originally Posted by Pengwins With a dog, I would think it is necessary. Stick vacs don't have enough suction IMO to pick up dog hair and you don't have attachments for a stick vac to vacuum the couch. My slip covered couch still gets vacuumed once a week. Unless you have a dog that doesn't shed that is.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../chrisficti-20

I'm looking at this one because it gets good reviews for pet hair. We could always try it out and see if it works. I'm not worried about the couch since it's a futon with a cover over it. Every once in a while I take the cover off and stick it in the washer. Easy peasy. I do worry about not having a vacuum since it seems so necessary, but maybe a stick vac will be simple and less complicated to lug out. I sweep most of the house anyways because the vacuum is too much of a hassle.

[vibrantnotions]

When we had all hard floors we didn't have a vacuum and I didn't miss it at all. I would just sweep and occasionally damp mop.

We did have a shop vac which would have worked just fine for vacuuming furniture, the car, or even the floor if it for some reason needed it.

[FernHollow]

Originally Posted by raymark We have mostly tile & wood flooring & I would never dream of not using a vacuum with hospital grade filtration. Maintaining & improving the air quality within our home is a high priority of mine.

I agree. I very rarely sweep because it just throws stuff in the air. We vacuum with a good quality vacuum regularly and have only hardwood flooring in our house.