
Even with a robust cleaning routine in place with a high-end vacuum cleaner model if you don’t know what is the first thing to do before vacuuming you are compromising your cleaning routine. Before you put your vacuum cleaner into action, it is essential to know what is the first thing to do before vacuuming to ensure the maximum efficiency of the cleaning routine.
There are a lot of tasks to cover before you start your vacuum cleaning session to gain a safe and successful vacuuming experience that you can’t miss at any cost. Explore this article till the end to know what is the first thing to do before vacuuming so that all your hard work behind cleaning doesn’t go to waste even after using an expensive vacuum cleaner.
Table of Contents
What steps should you take before vacuuming?

Just abide by the steps listed below to know what is the first thing to do before vacuuming to gain a wholesome cleaning experience and avoid all hazards,
- Before you put your vacuum cleaner into action, you should be mindful of clearing all obstacles from the area the vacuum clever is supposed to cover like toys, shoes, or other large objects or any garments so that your vacuum cleaner can perform its task smoothly and you get a clean and fresh living room. In this way, you can also ensure a long life for your vacuum cleaner.
- Consider removing all the stains and spills to ensure the long life of the vacuum cleaner as certain vacuum cleaners get damaged when they come in contact with sticky or wet substances. So before starting the vacuuming process, remove all the wet debris and stains to use the vacuum cleaner for the maximum number of years.
- It is recommended to do dusting before starting the vacuuming process as dust and dirt particles in larger volumes float all over your living room running all your hard cleaning work. So you should wait at least one hour after dusting and then fire your vacuum cleaner to make the cleaning process effective to the best extent.
- Removing all the debris before starting the vacuuming session to make the cleaning process effective and ensuring the long life of the vacuum cleaner is also recommended so that your vacuum cleaner does not collide with hair pins or clips or small torn soft toys and these things get entangled in its rotating brushes.
- Checking the vacuum cleaner whether it is fully functional before starting the cleaning process is essential. You should check whether the dustbin is empty or if the filters are dirty and need cleaning or replacement to enjoy a successful vacuum cleaning session.
- You should not forget to adjust the settings of the vacuum cleaner model like the suction power settings or the height adjustment settings based on the flooring you have in your living room or commercial space. Like to say for example, if you have a carpeted floor you need to raise the height and if you have a floor made of wood or tiles you will need to lower the height.
- You should be mindful of untangling the power cord of the vacuum cleaner to the full length to prevent all types of safety hazards during the vacuum cleaning process and a safer vacuum cleaning experience.
- You should focus on preparing the areas with high volume of foot traffic in your living room or commercial space and can sprinkle some amount of carpet freshener or baking soda to eliminate all foul smells and easily remove the dirt from the surfaces.
- Also, you should remove the chairs, tables, and other furniture to access the hard-to-reach areas of your living room where there is a higher accumulation of dirt and dust and are a favorable breeding place for allergens.
- Locking up the windows and doors where you don’t want the vacuum cleaner to go will also be a good option so that additional dust and allergens don’t come from outside and if you are using a robovac, it doesn’t migrate to unwanted areas of our house.
What is the first thing to do before vacuuming? Is it better to sweep or dust first?

Professional cleaners abide by the rule of top to bottom when arranging a vacuum cleaning session which implies you should focus your cleaning from the high and gradually come down to the bottom which is the floors. So if you are wondering what is the first thing to do before vacuuming, it is dusting because if you use vacuum first and then employ dusting large volumes of dust and dirt will settle down on your newly vacuumed floors making the vacuuming session worthless.
So, it is recommended to do dusting before starting the vacuuming process as dust and dirt particles in larger volumes float all over your living room running all your hard cleaning work. So you should wait at least one hour after dusting and then fire your vacuum cleaner to make the cleaning process effective to the best extent.
What should you do to prepare the vacuum before starting?
Before starting the vacuum cleaning session, you need to prepare your vacuum cleaner in three easy steps to prevent any hassle or safety hazard and get a wholesome cleaning experience. Checking the vacuum cleaner whether it is fully functional before starting the cleaning process is essential and you can’t simply forget this. You should check whether the dustbin is empty or if the filters are dirty and need cleaning or replacement to enjoy a successful vacuum cleaning session otherwise all dirt, dust, and allergens will be released back into the air ruining all your efforts.
You should not forget to adjust the settings of the vacuum cleaner model like the suction power settings or the height adjustment settings based on the flooring you have in your living room or commercial space to avoid a collision or prevent the vacuum cleaner from falling and damaging itself. Like to say for example, if you have a carpeted floor you need to raise the height and if you have a floor made of wood or tiles you will need to lower the height.
You should be mindful of untangling the power cord of the vacuum cleaner to the full length to prevent all types of safety hazards during the vacuum cleaning process and a safer vacuum cleaning experience. Otherwise, your entire cleaning session will be hampered and there will be chances of electric shock also.
What do you put on the floor before vacuuming?

To boost the vacuum cleaning process, before starting the process you can sprinkle a pinch of baking soda on the surface you have decided to clean to remove all odors and loosen up dirt. You can also apply carpet fresheners if you are having carpeted flooring to effectively clean and leave a fresh aroma after cleaning. You can also use pre-vacuuming powders or essential oils to lift debris from your surfaces easily leaving a pleasant smell.
If you are having furry companions in your home, you can also use pet hair remover sprays. Also if you are having stains and spills on your floor you can try stain pretreatment products to maintain the shine of your floor.
Is mopping required after vacuuming?

Mopping is not always required just after vacuuming and it depends on the material by which your floor is built or if you have any specific cleaning preferences. If you have lots of liquid spills, stains, or sticky grime on the floor then you might need to do mopping after vacuuming as vacuuming alone will not be enough to make the floor grime and stain-free.
If your floor is made up of wood or tiles and has sticky residues and stains it’s better to go for mopping after vacuuming else if your floor is made up of carpet then vacuuming is enough in most cases.
Why put baking soda before vacuuming?
If you sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on surfaces before vacuuming, the baking soda will sit on your carpets, and floors and lift all dirt, dust, and oil to offer you a thoroughly clean vacuuming experience. It is best if you can keep the baking soda overnight on your floors, various surfaces, and carpets and start the vacuum cleaning process the next morning.
How many times should you vacuum your floor?
If you have pets in your house, you should consider cleaning your living room thrice or four times a week at least to eliminate all dust particles, allergens, and pet hairs from indoor hair and if you do not have pets you can clean with a vacuum cleaner twice a week.
Conclusion-What is the first thing to do before vacuuming
To conclude, it is recommended to do dusting before starting the vacuuming process as dust and dirt particles in larger volumes float all over your living room running all your hard cleaning work. So you should wait at least one hour after dusting and then fire your vacuum cleaner to make the cleaning process effective to the best extent.
Also, before starting the vacuum cleaning session, you need to prepare your vacuum cleaner in a few easy steps like replacing or cleaning filters, emptying the dustbin, untangling the cord, and adjusting the height of the vacuum cleaner to prevent any hassle or safety hazard and get a wholesome cleaning experience.

For the past five years, I’ve been engaged as an SEO content writer, specializing in crafting engaging blog posts. My focus lies in meticulously exploring and evaluating household cleaning appliances, particularly those integrated with cutting-edge and emerging technologies.