The different components of our homes require specific cleaning agents and appliances, which include the vacuum cleaner. Different vacuum cleaners are designed to remove different types of waste, under different circumstances. The differences in your cleaning requirements are the differences between the indoor and outdoor vacuum cleaners. An indoor vacuum cleaner is designed to handle the removal of smaller dirt and debris, with less weather resistance, while outdoor vacuum cleaners are designed to be bigger for the removal of more waste under awful weather conditions.
While indoor and outdoor vacuum cleaners do the job of dirt removal, both differ in size, functions, features, and resistance to weather elements. Most indoor vacuum cleaners are dry vacuums while those designed for the outdoors are wet vacuums manufactured for cleaning wet debris without electrical fault or water damage.
However, an indoor vacuum cleaner can still be used for cleaning outdoor areas like your dry patio, depending on the level of humidity.
5 Major Differences Between Indoor And Outdoor Vacuum Cleaners
Accessories
Vacuum cleaners come with accessories to help homeowners clean more effectively. These accessories all vary in size and functionality, with each attachment differentiating indoor vacuums from their outdoor counterparts.
An indoor vacuum is usually fitted with a variable suction to help you clean around smaller objects in your home. Outdoor vacuums are fitted with bigger attachments to help suck in more and bigger dirt.
Once an attachment isn’t fitting either of your vacuum cleaners, don’t try to force it. Instead, search for the appropriate size and use it for the corresponding area.
Waste Storage
Except your home is infested with dirt and debris, your indoor vacuum would only require a rather sizable bag for collecting dirt and debris from within the house. The waste bag attached to the vacuum should be small to make it portable and preferable for indoor use.
On the other hand, an outdoor vacuum is fitted with bigger bags for taking in more debris. Using an indoor vacuum cleaner for outdoor purposes only increases your workload and increases the time you spend.
By simply looking at the area to be vacuumed, you can tell which vacuum is more appropriate.
Weather-Resistance
Outdoor vacuums work under harsh weather conditions and are always in contact with your wet curb. To avoid electrical shocks and water damage, outdoor vacuums are manufactured to be water-resistant. Unlike indoor vacuums, outdoor vacuums can handle huge contact with water without suffering any damage.
Using an indoor vacuum cleaner outside will not only damage your vacuum but is also a health danger to the user. Electrocution stands as the number one danger.
Use outdoor vacuums for the outer part of your space and avoid using indoor vacuum for any wet area to avoid electrical dangers.
Type of waste
Most indoor vacuums are fitted with bags that are not designed to hold water. Your regular indoor vacuum is for removing dirt and debris, waste that can hold in a paper bag. The introduction of water or any form of liquid into these paper bags will only destroy the waste storage, thereby, increasing your maintenance expenditure on your vacuum.
Outdoor vacuums, on the other hand, have bigger water-proof bags to hold dirt, debris, and water without experiencing unprecedented damage.
Air Filters
Your indoor vacuum cleaner is fitted with a filter to keep your indoor air clean and safe to breathe. Advanced vacuums also have filters that directly clean the air in your home. However, outdoor vacuums are only considered with cleaning your surroundings as cleaning the air would be a futile waste of effort and time.
So it’s considered a terrible idea to clean your indoors with outdoor vacuum cleaning as it doesn’t only fail to filter the air, it also spreads dirt and debris in your home.
What Are The Differences Between Wet And Dry Vacuum Cleaners?
While indoors and outdoors vacuum cleaners are specifically designed to clean different areas, wet and dry vacuums are focused on material and level of moisture. The main difference between wet and dry vacuum cleaners is that one was designed to suck up and retain water, while the other is restricted to only dirt and debris.
Indoors vacuums are usually dry vacuums as they suck up only dirt and dust. On the other hand, wet vacuums are capable of sucking up dirt, debris, and water.
Dry vacuum cleaners are more suitable for indoor cleaning because they do extra work to take out dirt from your floor. A good dry vacuum is fitted with a bristle brush which is significant for pulling those tough dirt from your floor.
It is also more comfortable to use and it supports a good standing posture. They also improve your health by filtering the air in your home.
Wet vacuums have tremendous usefulness for your backyard and other large areas. It cleans effectively by taking out all forms of waste.
You’ll also be saving more time with wet vacuums because they suck up waste fast. Wet vacuums are effective for cleaning almost everywhere especially the outer part of your
Can You Use Your Indoor Vacuum Outside (Safety Tips)
By now, you should have an idea of the major differences between an indoor vacuum and an outdoor vacuum and the appropriate areas in which they should be used. But is it possible to use the indoor vacuum outside and vice-versa?
Indoor vacuum can be used in outdoor areas like your patio as it works for only dry surfaces. While it is not advisable to use your indoor vacuum outside because of damage, you are allowed to clean dry outdoor surfaces with it.
But wet vacuums can clean both inside and outside effectively. A wet vacuum is recommended for cleaning a wet indoor surface as it is can take water without suffering any damage. But constant indoor usage of an outdoor vacuum will cause discomfort and could lead to terrible respiratory health.
How to Decide between an Indoor and Outdoor Vacuum cleaner.
Buying both the indoor and outside vacuum cleaners at once could present itself as a financial burden. Hence, the importance of prioritizing.
While it is advisable to acquire both as they serve different purposes, you should also consider your cleaning needs before hand. Why do you need a vacuum? Why isn’t a broom sufficient? Also, what’s the size of the area that needs cleaning.
A small dry area needs an indoor vacuum cleaner. If your backyard and curb are small and dry, then use a different cleaning appliance, like a broom. While an indoor vacuum cleaner is capable of cleaning such space, it can contaminate your indoor air.
But in this general situation, owning an indoor vacuum cleaner would be the better choice.
Most backyards and curbs are usually wet from morning dew and are littered with bigger waste that requires a bigger hose. Outdoor vacuum cleaners are fitted with bigger hoses and storage for water, dirt, and debris.
Things That Shouldn’t Be Vacuumed
I’m sure you realize that indoor vacuums are not suitable for cleaning larger debris and water-infested dirt. However, the tone of this article might have bent towards indicating that outdoor vacuum cleaners are capable of cleaning all types of dirt and debris. Vacuum, notwithstanding its features, is limited and shouldn’t be used to vacuum the following content.
Metals
Rocks
Glass
Electrical Appliances
Hair
Vacuuming any of the above-mentioned objects can damage your vacuum, although industrial vacuums are designed to take up tougher materials. But since you’ll be using a regular vacuum cleaner, you are advised to keep your vacuum cleaner away from sharp objects, metal, hair, and electrical appliances. Vacuuming over an active electrical appliance could cause electrocution or electrical damage in your home.
Conclusively, an indoor vacuum is designed to handle small dry areas and smaller dirt and debris while outdoor vacuums can handle larger dirt and debris,