Berber carpet has become more popular in recent years. But, what is this type of carpet, and how do you clean it effectively? These are the questions this article aims to answer. In it, we will tell you everything you need to know about Berber carpet. Plus, we will give you a list of the top five best vacuums for Berber carpet available in 2019.
So, read on. If you’re considering putting Berber carpet in your home, you need to read this article.
What is Berber carpet?
Contents
First of all, let’s answer the question: what is Berber carpet? Berber carpet gets its name from the Berber people of North Africa. The Berbers traditionally hand-woven their carpet, which creates a series of distinctive loops. This style of carpet has continued to today and is distinguished by the series of loops on the carpet’s surface.
Carpets are made by looping fabric (called pile) through a backing material. Then the loops are typically cut off, which creates the soft, velvety texture we think about when you hear the word “carpet.” But, Berber carpet does not have cut loops. Instead, its loops remain intact, which creates a less expensive and durable carpet type.
However, Berber carpet comes with its own cleaning concerns. Not the least of these is the need for a specific type of vacuum.
Features of vacuums for Berber carpet
If you have Berber carpet in your home—or are thinking about purchasing Berber carpet—keep the following features in mind. They are essential components of vacuums for Berber carpet.
Type
There are a number of different types of vacuums in 2019. The most common of these are upright, stick, canister, and robot. You will also find handheld vacuums, but these products are better for spot cleaning and will typically not allow you to clean your entire home. The different types of vacuums each come with their own pros and cons, and type of flooring they work the best on.
Upright vacuums are the most traditional type of vacuum. They are a classic for a reason. These types of vacuums still make the most power and are the easiest to use for large clean-up jobs. However, because they are heavy, you want to make sure that they have variable power and/or brush roll height if you use them on Berber carpets.
Stick vacuums look very similar to upright vacuums, but they are much smaller and lighter in general. You do not typically use stick vacuums to clean an entire home. Instead, these vacuums are typically used for spot cleaning or other small jobs.
Canister vacuums have a canister that houses the motor and dirt collection bin and a hose with a cleaning head. They are useful for cleaning stairs because you do not need to carry the entire vacuum up and down the stairs. Often, canister vacuums will work for all floors and other surfaces. Yet, you want to be careful because it can be hard to move around on carpet.
Finally, the robot vacuum is less helpful for Berber carpet. This type of vacuum is really only good for low carpet and hard floors. However, it is the most convenient type of vacuum because all you have to do is set a time for it to start, and then you can go about your business.
Suction
Suction power is also very important when picking a vacuum for Berber carpet. Because the carpet loops stay intact with Berber carpet, many vacuums struggle to remove all of the dirt. You want to choose a vacuum that has enough suction power to get all of the dirt out.
When looking at the suction power of a vacuum, you will want to consider all of the types of surfaces you have in your home. Very powerful vacuums can hurt certain types of high pile carpets. Therefore, if you have plush carpeting in addition to Berber carpets, then you should look for a product that has variable power.
Brushroll
Finally, when cleaning Berber carpet, the brush roll of the vacuum you choose is very important. You definitely do not want a beater bar on vacuums for Berber carpet. Although the beater bar is important for carpet with cut loops, it can catch and snag Berber carpet.
In order to keep your Berber carpet looking nice, make sure to either purchase a vacuum without a beater bar or one whose beater bar can be turned off. If the vacuum does not come with a beater bar, it will likely have a soft brush roll, which is just fine for Berber carpet.
Still have a couple of questions about Berber carpet and vacuums for it? Here are some FAQs to keep in mind.
Can’t I just use my regular vacuum?
Technically, you could use your regular vacuum to clean Berber carpet if it has the features mentioned above. However, especially if your current vacuum lacks an adjustable beater bar or has too little suction, you should consider looking for a new product.
The top reason to choose a Berber specific vacuum is that it ensures you will not damage your carpet. Berber is an affordable carpet type, but any carpet costs money to purchase and install. You don’t want a raggedy looking carpet because you use the incorrect vacuum on it. So, try one of the five vacuums for Berber carpet described below, in order to get the most out of your Berber carpet.
How to clean Berber carpet?
The best first step for cleaning Berber carpet is to vacuum it properly. You vacuum Berber much like you would any other type of carpet. This involves making sure that the power setting is on high, and that the beater bar is turned off. Then vacuum in straight, slightly overlapping rows. You may even want to vacuum in one direction first and then a second direction second, in order to ensure that you pick up every speck of dirt.
Vacuuming should get your Berber carpet quite clean. However, you may want to go on to the second step, which is to remove any stains. For this, you may need to use a stain removing or bleach. Remember not to scrub the fibers too hard.
Finally, you could end the cleaning session by steam (or carpet) cleaning the room. You may have your own carpet cleaner, or you may have to rent a machine to complete this step. But, once you are done, you will be amazed at how clean your Berber carpet has become.
Best Vacuum for Berber Carpet Reviews
1. Bissell Featherweight Vacuum
Bissell is a huge name in the vacuum cleaner industry, so it makes sense that one of their products would rate the highest on our list. The Featherweight Stick Vacuum comes in three bright colors. This is actually a stick/handheld conversion model, which means you can use the vacuum as a stick or a handheld vacuum. Stick/handheld vacuums are super convenient and versatile.
Not only can you use the Featherweight on any floor surface, but it also has accessories to clean your furniture and upholstery. And, the lightweight nature of the vacuum means that it is ideal for cleaning stairs. As a corded stick vacuum, you never have to worry about the Featherweight running out of battery. Therefore, you can easily use this product to vacuum your entire home, including your Berber carpet.
One drawback is that it has a small fifteen-foot long power cord. Yet, for the price, convenience, and versatility, you should definitely check out the Bissell Featherweight Vacuum.
2. Bissell Cleanview Vacuum Cleaner 1831
Bissell is such a great brand that we had to include their Cleanview Vacuum Cleaner 1831 on our list as well. This bagless, upright vacuum cleaner is ideal for Berber carpet, and really all floor types. Between the cyclonic suction system and the powerful motor, it doesn’t get easier than the Cleanview 1831 to remove all of the dirt embedded in your Berber carpet.
Another major advantage of the Bissell Cleanview 1831 is that it has a 13.5-foot cleaning path. Its power cord is a long, twenty-five feet long. Plus, it comes with a number of accessories and is relatively lightweight for an upright vacuum. Anyone can use the Cleanview 1831, and it will even clean your stairs.
3. Soniclean Soft Carpet Vacuum Cleaner
Soniclean’s Soft Carpet Vacuum Clean is the first bagged upright we’ve included on our list. It uses a unique cleaning technology, sound. That’s right, the vacuum creates two hundred vibrations of sonic power per second. This technique loosens all embedded dirt and debris from your carpet. And, it is ideal for cleaning Berber carpeting.
For being an upright vacuum, the Soniclean Soft Carpet Vacuum Cleaner is quite light, only 10.5 lbs. Its weight, plus the large front wheels, allows it to glide easily over even the softest carpet. Plus, it has the longest power cord of all of the products on our list—35-feet. And, it has a multi-speed motor and patented soft roll cleaning brush. So, for Berber carpet, it really doesn’t get any better.
4. Severin Germany Vacuum Cleaner
Germany is known for its high-quality products, and the Severin Vacuum Cleaner is no difference. It is a canister vacuum, which means that it’s easy to use on any type of flooring. Plus, it comes with a number of tools and even an accessory bag. You never have to worry about cleaning any surface, including Berber carpet, when you use the Severin Germany Vacuum Cleaner.
Another big plus of the Severin vacuum is that it comes with an innovative filtration system. If you have people with allergies or asthma in your home, you should try the hygienic fleece and two microfiber dust bags in the Severin filtration system. What this system does is clean the air that goes through the vacuum, leaving it much cleaner than when you started.
Finally, we have the Shark NV70 Navigator Professional Vacuum. This is another bagless upright product. It has a large dirt collection bin and even comes with a dedicated pet hair tool. Homes with pets need the NV70.
The Shark NV70 is not just good for homes with pets, it also works great on bare floors and Berber carpet. It actually has a floor selector, which lets you choose the flooring type you will be cleaning. This feature, plus the swivel steering that easily moves around furniture, ensure that every room in your home can be cleaned by the Shark NV70.
Conclusion
Berber carpet has just recently begun to be more popular in the United States. But, this versatile, durable, and affordable carpet can present some cleaning problems for people that don’t have the correct equipment. That is where the best vacuums for Berber carpet come into play.
These amazing pieces of equipment will keep your Berber carpet, and the rest of your home, sparkling clean. If you need a new vacuum that will work on a variety of floor surfaces, then you need a vacuum for Berber carpet. Try one of the five products listed above today, and you will be amazed at the difference they make.