3 Things You Should Never Vacuum

One common vacuuming mistake people make is trying to vacuum up liquids such as water or essential oils, says Theo Jones, a design engineer at Dyson. By doing so, he warns, you run the risk of damaging the vacuum’s motor.

Speaking of essential oils, that and other flammable or combustible liquids, including gasoline, cleaning fluid, and perfumes, are a no-go because fumes from these substances can create a fire hazard or explosion, says Chris Kobrick, director of product management at Kenmore.

You should also avoid vacuuming wet messes such as soggy cereal with a dry vacuum because you could clog up the hose and other parts of your vacuum, says CR’s senior test technician Tyler Ivester, who evaluates our vacuums.

What to do instead: For wet debris, such as spilled cereal, you can use wet floor cleaners, Jones says. For flammable liquids, follow the instructions on the container label, which instructs users on what to do in case such liquids are spilled, Kobrick says.

If you’re looking for a wet-floor cleaner, consult our ratings for combo vacuum-mops, which can both vacuum and mop your floors. Or, if you value convenience, check out our ratings for robotic mops. See below for recommended models from both categories.