Oriental rugs demand special care because they are heavy woven textiles and are generally handmade. You can only use canister vacuums on them, followed by stick vacuums with beater bars.
Using any ordinary vacuum can damage your beautiful rug!
So, we went down the rabbit hole to test and rate the best vacuum for oriental rugs in 2024, focusing on key features like attachments and rug settings.
Let’s go!
🏆Best Vacuum Cleaner For Delicate Oriental Rugs (Preview)
Best Stick Vac: Inse N6
- Suction Power: 12000 Pa
- Carpet Cleaning Mode: Yes; low suction mode for rugs
- Maneuverability: Great
- Pet Hair Removal: Effective
- Warranty: 1-year
Best Canister Vac: Sanitaire Compact
- Suction Power: 135 cfm; 10 Amp motor
- Carpet Cleaning Mode: Yes
- Maneuverability: Good
- Pet Hair Removal: Effective
- Warranty: 1-year
Good Canister Vac: Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200
- Suction Power: 22000 Pa
- Carpet Cleaning Mode: Yes
- Maneuverability: Not good
- Pet Hair Removal: Very Effective
- Warranty: 3 years (+1 extended year from Henry’s website)
How We Test Vacuums At Clean Homies
👌Best Vacuum For Oriental Rugs and Hardwood Floors: Detailed Review
| Basis | INSE N6 | Sanitaire Compact | Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200 |
| Suction Power | 12000 Pa | 135 cfm; 10A | 22000 Pa |
| Carpet Cleaning Mode | Yes; low suction mode for rugs | Yes | Yes |
| Maneuverability | Great | Good | Not good |
| Pet Hair Removal | Effective | Effective | Very effective |
| Warranty | 1-year | 1-year | 3 years (+1 year from Henry’s website) |
1. Best Stick Vac: Inse N6 Cordless
Pros
- Lightweight and cordless
- Great oriental rug cleaning
- Adjustable length
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Bigger debris may clog it
- Slight errors in product finishing
The vacuum cleaner easily picks up pet hair. In our testing, it can pick up lots of pet hair in a single go. The brush roll does not get hair tangled easily.
Why Pick #1 For Delicate Oriental Rugs?
Inse N6 Suction Power
The vacuum cleaner offers great suction power of 12000 Pa for a stick vacuum cleaner. It has two power modes for different cleaning needs.
The low-power mode was suitable for light carpet cleaning in our testing. It also operated at just around 65 dB, which was quite good! (pun intended)
More Battery Life!
The low-power mode will also give you more battery life, while the high-power mode offers stronger suction for deep cleaning but higher battery consumption.
It has a maximum runtime of 45 mins.
Inse N6 Carpet Cleaning Mode
No particular “carpet cleaning” mode is labelled for Inse N6, but the brushes do the job.
For the oriental rugs, you can stick to the soft bristle brush, while you can use the stronger bristles for tough carpets.
The cord is also extendable and removable, so you can reach any wall carpet, or rug.
Inse N6 Maneuverability
The maneuverability of a stick vacuum is already excellent.
Moreover, the N6 vacuum is cordless, and the stick length is adjustable and can clean hard-to-reach areas.
Carrying it around is easy as it is lightweight. The motor unit is less than 2 Kg in weight.
Inse N6 Pet Hair Removal
The vacuum cleaner easily picks up pet hair. In our testing, it can pick up lots of pet hair in a single go. The brush roll does not get hair tangled easily.
Inse N6 Warranty And Customer Support
The N6 vacuum cleaner comes with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. Customer support is a big plus; many customers have received satisfactory responses.
- The floor head could damage delicate rugs
- Loud operation
So, the Inse customer service is reliable.
2. Best Canister Vac: Sanitaire Compact
Pros
- Powerful suction
- Useful attachments available
- Adjustable length
- Attachments can be stored on the plastic wand
Cons
- The floor head could damage delicate rugs
- Loud operation
Nullam et nibh ac nulla commodo ultricies ac in dui. Mauris mollis leo vel nulla scelerisque lobortis. Nam ultrices dui eget suscipit euismod. Duis id metus condimentum, interdum mauris a, venenatis sapien. Mauris felis libero, ultricies vitae dolor sit amet,
Why Pick #2 For Delicate Oriental Rugs?
Sanitaire Compact Suction Power
The Sanitaire professional compact canister vac operates with a 10 Amp motor with an airflow of 135 cfm.
The suction was powerful in our testing as it cleans high-pile carpets easily.
Vacuum works well in reaching and cleaning small spaces.
It can lift away deeply embedded dirt from the carpet’s pile just as smoothly as an expensive vacuum, which is a good deal for its budget price.
Sanitaire Compact Carpet Cleaning Mode
The vacuum has a carpet power setting, which cleans heavy rugs and carpets well. Light rugs also get cleaned pretty well, but if the fabric is too delicate, you should just use the dusting brush.
Sanitaire Compact Maneuverability
You get a shoulder strap in the box. This allows convenient portability, and the vacuum is not that heavy itself. However, children or older people may struggle to carry it as it weighs around 10 pounds.
Still, it’s light and compact, and its wheels are smooth. However, the material used on the wheels is not that great.
Sanitaire Compact Pet Hair Removal
We were impressed with its hair pickup. We tried it when lots of hair was shed in the room, and it didn’t get tangled.
No clogging!
No clogging was observed over a long usage period, so we highly recommend it if you are a pet owner.
Sanitaire Compact Warranty And Customer Support
The vacuum comes with a 1-year warranty against parts and labor. The customer support is decent. You can generally get a solid response.
3. Good Canister Vac: Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200
Pros
- Huge bin capacity
- Airo-brush
- Powerful suction
- 33 ft long cord
Cons
- Less maneuverability
- Heavy when full
Its suction power can clean various floors like a champ. Even cleaning crevices, medium-pile carpets, or wool rugs are super easy.
Why Pick #3 For Delicate Oriental Rugs?
Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200 Suction Power
The vacuum offers a tremendous 22000 Pa suction power. This is easily top of the line, and with the airo-brush as an attachment referred to by “Xtra”, it won’t damage your soft rugs.
Its suction power can clean various floors like a champ. Even cleaning crevices, medium-pile carpets, or wool rugs are super easy.
Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200 Carpet Cleaning Mode
The vacuum can be switched to carpet mode. Using the airo-brush is more effective in cleaning carpet and wool area rugs.
Carpet cleaning mode!
The carpet cleaning mode can even clean high-pile carpets thoroughly. We tested it on oriental rugs, and the results were good.
Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200 Maneuverability
The vacuum’s maneuverability is undoubtedly low, considering its large bin capacity of 9 Liters and tough build. It’s great for commercial usage with its 33-foot-long cord.
But for houses, it’s not a pleasant experience using it in small rooms. Carrying it with a full bin is a task in itself.
Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200 Pet Hair Removal
Henry Xtra can handle cleaning lots of pet hair, and that too quickly. Buying this vacuum cleaner is a no-brainer for pet owners.
Numatic Henry Xtra Vacuum HVX200 Warranty And Customer Support
The vacuum comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty, which gets extended by a year for free only from Henry’s website.
The customer support is good. One can expect a satisfactory response to their concerns with the product.
🤔What To Look For In A Vacuum For Oriental Rugs?
Here are the factors we considered while shortlisting the best oriental rug vacuum cleaners above:
👉Right Vacuum Type
The oriental rugs are generally handmade and can be damaged if the right vacuum is not used.
The right vacuum cleaner needs good suction power, an easy-on-rugs floor head, and a soft brush (to not damage hand-knotted rugs’ delicate fibers).
A canister vacuum is the best for this job. An upright vacuum cleaner with its rotating brush can be harsh on rugs, while a canister vacuum isn’t harsh.
A stick vacuum will also do the trick if it has good suction power and a soft floor head. A cordless stick vacuum is more convenient but offers less battery life to clean several large rooms.
Also Read: Shop Vac vs Regular Vacuum
🔌Useful attachments
Attachments play a major role as they widen the range of use of a vacuum cleaner. A soft dusting brush or a carpet head for the vacuum allows you to clean even delicate rugs.
Adjustable cord length allows you to clean wall carpets and tight spots. A beater bar is good for carpet cleaning. A HEPA filter offers better filtration, which in turn reduces cleaning time.
➡️Easy to use
The most important of all factors to consider while buying a vacuum is convenience. The vacuum should be easy to operate, with the controls quickly at your disposal.
Also Read: Top 3 Vacuums For Couches
🎯Expert Tips To Clean Oriental Rugs At Home
Also Read: Can I Vacuum Cowhide Rug?
💡Best Vacuum For Oriental Rugs: FAQs
Can Oriental rugs be vacuumed?
It depends on the type of rug you need to clean.
If the pile is very low, avoid vacuuming and gently use a soft dusting brush or upholstery attachment.
If the pile is medium or high, you can clean it with the right vacuum.
Some vacuums also allow you to adjust the floor head so that only suction takes place and the rotating brush does not come in contact.
They generally work fine for low-pile carpets on low suction.
How do professionals clean Oriental rugs?
Professionals use a dusting machine to vibrate out the dirt from the oriental rugs.
Then, they soak the rugs in a cold cleaning solution of water and the right cleaning shampoo.
Afterward, the dirty water is removed from the rugs using a spinning or extraction machine.
Then, they are left to dry with dehumidifiers at warm temperatures.
Can I use a Dyson on Oriental rugs?
Yes, you can use the Dyson vacuums with the Flat out tool for oriental rugs, as it causes minimal abrasion to the fabric.
How often should you clean oriental rugs?
If the usage is normal, you must clean the oriental rugs once a year. But, if the rug is often used or the foot traffic is high, clean it once every six months.
Is it safe to steam-clean Oriental rugs?
Steam-cleaning oriental rugs is not at all recommended.
The reason is that high suction power is used in steam cleaning to the vacuum’s maneuverability is undoubtedly low, considering its large bin capacity of 9 Liters and tough build.
Hot water that seeps into the pile, which can damage your delicate rug.
Adarsh is a Health Science graduate with expertise in environmental health and wellness. He is a Neat Freak who constantly looks for ways to keep his surroundings clean. At Clean Homies, Adarsh is focused on researching and sharing information on how you can maintain hygiene at home for a happy life.
