Keep your floors fresh and clean with our vacuum picks. (Photo by Danielle Occhiogrosso)

Which vacuum should I buy? It’s the question our Cleaning Lab experts get asked the most. Here are our latest top-tested picks, trusted go-tos and insider tips for getting ultra-clean floors

THE RIGHT WAY TO VACUUM

Yes, there’s a correct way. Master these must-know secrets from our Lab to clean like a pro:

Perfect the Pass: To get more deeply cleaned carpets, do at least two slow forward strokes and two slow backward strokes with the vacuum on each pass. As you move from side to side, be sure to overlap your strokes so you won’t miss spots.

Be Delicate: When cleaning lightweight items like curtains, small rugs and lampshades, dial down the suction (look for a special button or check for an air opening on the wand). This keeps things from being sucked into the nozzle and damaged.

Brush Up: Switch off the rotating brush or raise the nozzle as high as it goes when you move from carpeting to bare floors to prevent scattering and scratching. Do the same when moving to low-loop carpet: The spinning brush could abrade the fibers.

OUR TOP-TESTED VACUUM PICKS

Canister
Miele Complete C3 Soft Carpet Powerline SGF30 ($800, mieleusa.com): Two specified suction settings and 360-degree wheels make this posh Miele pick easy to use on ultra-plush carpet. Top-of-the-line investments, Miele vacs are well-made and always ace our tests.

Lab lowdown: It was easy to adjust the head height during use by tapping the foot pedal.

Robotic
iRobot Roomba 980 ($900, irobot.com): Sit back and let iRobot do the housework for you. Packed with new tech that ups the wow factor, this model has a built-in camera and sensors to map rooms, and when its battery runs low, it heads to the charger!

Lab lowdown: In tests, it easily picked up sugar, oatmeal and more from carpet and bare floors.

Upright
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off Upright Pet Vacuum 2087 ($300, bissell.com): Great for cleaning up after four-legged friends, this Bissell comes with a tangle-free brush roll, a lighted tool to find hidden messes and a detachable canister for hard-to-reach spots.

Lab lowdown: We liked how pet hair came out as a spool so it wouldn’t get stuck in the dust container.

ON ANOTHER MATTER …

Seal Spotlight: Top Grime Fighters

Tackle any spot, smudge or smell with these proven grime fighters.

Wood Wonder: Give your furniture some TLC with Weiman’s easy-to-use aerosol polish ($7, amazon.com). The refreshing formula also contains UV protectants to help keep the sun’s rays from damaging the finish.

Lab lowdown: In Lab tests, the polish went on smoothly and could be buffed away easily. It left surfaces shiny and protected, with no residue that attracts dust.

Tough Scrubber: There’s virtually no spot Brillo’s Estracell Scrub Sponge ($3 for set of three; brillo.com) can’t clean. Made of quick-drying but absorbent Estracell, it doesn’t retain the things that make other sponges stink, and the no-scratch scrubber side is safe even for nonstick cookware.

Lab lowdown: The angled wedge design is comfortable to hold, and it easily cleaned crevices on our Lab stovetops, corners and around faucets and fixtures.

Recalls Alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE PROBLEM

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptops (5th generation), sold at Lenovo.com, CDW, Insight, Connection, Zones and to other PC resellers from December 2016 through November 2017 for between $1,100 and $2,600.

An unfastened screw can damage the battery, causing ovearheating and posing a fire hazard. Consumers should immediately visit https://support.lenovo.com/

X1C_5GEN_RECALL to see if their laptop is included in the recall and for assistance in locating the nearest authorized repair center for inspection and repair. If the laptop is included in the recall, stop using it immediately. Consumers can contact Lenovo Services at (800) 426-7378, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit an authorized Warranty Services Provider. Consumers can also contact Lenovo online at www.lenovo.com. Click on “Products and Services” to access the “Recall” section.

Ford 2018 Expedition
The second row outboard seats may have excessive forward adjustment capability and/or may have an improperly installed bolt that secures the seat back to the seat base. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 202a, “Head Restraints,” No. 207, “Seating Systems,” and No. 210, “Seat Belt Anchorage System.” If the seat back is not adequately secured, and/or the seat occupant is improperly positioned, there can be an increased risk of injury in a crash. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row outboard seats for proper seat adjustment travel, replacing the seat frame assembly if necessary. Dealers also will inspect the bolts attaching the seat back to the seat base for the proper installation, correcting it as necessary. These repairs will be made for free. Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 17C20.

© Hearst Communications Inc.; Distributed by King Features Syndicate

—GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS: Ultimate floor cleaning guide: Vacuums–