Should I Get a Wet/Dry Vacuum? A Mom & Design Editor Weighs in

There are some things you buy for your home that are total game changers. You don’t know how you managed prior to getting it. For me, my wet/dry vacuum is one of them. It helps me to clean up spilled food, drinks, and (unfortunately) baby biohazards from my solid flooring in a single step—and every minute is precious in our busy household. But it’s not a perfect tool for everyone. For instance, if you’re squeamish, cleaning out the tank can be a bit dodgy. And if you forget, well, don’t because you’ll quickly regret it. Plus, you’ll probably still need a mop for deep cleans.

So, is it worth it? Ahead, I’ve broken down the pros and cons below. Here’s what to know as you shop around.

Pro: Wet/dry vacuums can clean up solid food and liquids all at once.

When I first got my wet/dry vacuum (Tineco’s iFloor 3 Breeze), I couldn’t believe how much easier cleaning up after my toddler’s mealtime became. Where I used to spend at least 10 minutes on my hands and knees picking up food, then spraying and wiping (or mopping) the floors, now I just do a few passes with the wet/dry vac, and boom, it’s done. The ability to clean up both a spilled cup of milk and an entire dropped bowl of spaghetti in one fell swoop is definitely a pro.

Con: You’ll probably still need a mop.

I find that old splotches you didn’t get to right away don’t always come up. I also find that the brush doesn’t get in corners or right up along the baseboards, and it’s hard to reach under furniture. Of course, this is model dependent. For instance, the Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 can fold down nearly parallel to the floor to clean under dressers, media cabinets, etc., and a wet/dry vacuum with a steam feature may do the trick with stuck-on messes. But, you’ll probably still want to keep a mop on hand.

Pro: Wet/dry vacuums can be used on multiple surfaces.

If you have a mix of flooring materials in your home—like tile in the kitchen or bathroom and wood in your living areas—there’s no need to switch between cleaning tools. Since the wet/dry vacuum uses only a small amount of water at a time, it’s perfectly safe to use on any laminate or hardwood floors. Unfortunately, with the exception of a top-of-the-line Dyson, these vacuums are designed for hard surfaces only (no carpets).

man using a wet/dry vacuum on hardwood floor — Most wet/dry vacuums are safe to use on both carpeted and hardwood floors.

(Getty Images)

Con: The tank capacity can be low if you use it as your everyday mop.

This applies to both the dirty water tank and the clean water tank with the cleaning solution. Most wet/dry vacuums will have enough room in both to clean up a few spills, but if you plan on using it to mop all your floors for regular maintenance, prepare to empty the tank and replenish your clean water and cleaner supply as well.

Pro: Wet/dry vacuums have a self-cleaning cycle.

Most wet/dry vacuums have a self-cleaning cycle. With my Tineco, I simply place it back on its base dock when I’m done, press the self-cleaning button, and come back when it stops making noise.

Con: You’ll still need to clean out the dirty water canister every time you use it.

I’m going to skip the harrowing tale of the time we forgot to clean out the dirty water tank of our wet/dry vac, but let me just say this: You absolutely must clean it out every time. It seems simple enough, but there have been plenty of times when I press the self-clean cycle button, walk away, and then wake up in a panic later that night, realizing I forgot to empty it. It can get pretty gross in there, with hair, food particles, and whatever else it picks up from the floor. You’ll also need to let the brush dry out regularly, or else it develops a musty, moldy smell that you’ll just spread all over your floors.

Pro: Wet/dry vacuums tend to be easy (and quiet) to use.

At the lower end of the wet/dry vacuum market, you’ll come across corded options, but most models are cordless these days, which makes it easy to move around the room without worrying about a power source. My vacuum has great battery life, too; in fact, I can’t remember a time when it ran out of juice while I was cleaning. Bonus points for being quiet enough to use while my kid is sleeping!

Con: You’ll need to find room for the charging station and stand.

If you have a proper utility room or storage space for your mops and vacuum, this may not be a concern for you. But if you have a smaller home or an older home lacking closets, finding a spot for the vacuum’s base/dock and plugging it in might be a challenge. (Mine is currently in a corner of my dining room, which isn’t ideal aesthetically, but it works for us.)

Pro: Wet/dry vacuums are abundant on second-hand marketplaces.

If you already have a vacuum (or two), you may be reluctant to spend a few hundred dollars on another one. But, if you’re open to it and looking for a deal, don’t forget to check out Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, Craigslist, or your preferred second-hand marketplace. I found my like-new Tineco, which had retailed for nearly $300 at the time, for about $90 on Facebook Marketplace. And while you may face some issues with warranties since you’re not the original purchaser, you might be able to buy an extended warranty directly from the manufacturer.

The bottom line:

A wet/dry vacuum can be a super handy cleaning tool for your home (especially if it includes kids, pets, or both), but it probably won’t replace the manual cleaning power of a mop, and it can also be tedious to keep clean. On the other hand, if you have the budget and the room for a mop, vacuum, and wet/dry vac, you’ll have the trifecta of mess management.