Watching your cat have fun is always a joy, but you must deal with the mess it leaves behind, like litter everywhere and fur on the couch. The dilemma arises as you opt for vacuum cleaners that will be able to manage the mess without creating any further chaos. If you want to clean pet messes with super convenience, then look at the lightweight BLACK+DECKER dustbuster, which is a handheld vacuum. For full-sized vacuum lovers, we recommend our overall best performer, the BISSELL 2252 CleanView Swivel. In our top picks of the best cat litter vacuum, you have various collections ranging from affordable to high-quality premium. Choose any of the listed vacs and keep your living environment clean and healthy.
How to Choose the Best Vacuum for Cat Litter: Buying Guide
Table of Contents
- 1 How to Choose the Best Vacuum for Cat Litter: Buying Guide
- 2 Top 5 Best Vacuums for Cat Litter
- 2.1 1. BISSELL 2252 CleanView Swivel – Overall Best Vacuum for Pet Mess
- 2.2 2. Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright – Best Premium Upright Vacuum for Cat Litter
- 2.3 3. BLACK+DECKER dustbuster: Best Cordless Stick Vacuum For Cat Litter
- 2.4 4. Shark ZU102 Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum- Best Cat Litter Cleaner with Odor Neutralizer
- 2.5 5. Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Upright Vacuum: Best Vacuum For Houses with Multiple Pets
- 3 Final Words
Before jumping into the products, let’s figure out the key factors that you should be on your checklist while buying a vacuum cleaner for cleaning cat litter:
Suction Power
Vacuum cleaners vanquish different types of dirt, but cleaning cat litter requires special design and suction power. Your vacuum should have adequate suction power to be cat-litter-friendly. If the vacuum has adjustable suction, utilize the power settings efficiently so that it cleans pet dirt and other dust properly.
What is cat litter made of, and can you use a regular vacuum for cat litter?
Cat litter is mostly made of materials such as clay, silica gel, recycled paper, or natural substances like wood chips or corn. These things are usually like grains or pellets, but they can get smaller as you use them.
If your regular vacuum is not dedicated to cleaning cat litter, we recommend using a pet-special vacuum for optimal cleaning.
Filtration System
When it comes to vacuuming cat litter, you should not overlook the filtration system. Vacuum filters ensure trapping maximum smallest particles of 0.3 microns (up to 99.97%) and don’t let the collected dust get back into the air. If the vacuum has a HEPA filter, it will provide maximum cleanliness and help keep your living environment odor-free.
Which filtration system is best for cleaning cat litter?
HEPA filter is highly recommended for any type of cat litter, especially if the cat litter is made of woodchips. HEPA filter prevents dust particles from returning into the air and ensures a holistic living space.
Portability
If you have a pet or your furry friends are more than one, then your cleaning schedule can be daunting. That’s why our experts recommend a light and handy vacuum that is good for pets. It will let you remove the hair, litter, and other dirt fast and without trouble. Instead of a corded vacuum, choose a cordless one for utmost convenience.
What type of vacuum is best for cleaning cat litter?
Mostly, handheld and upright vacuums are best for cleaning cat litter. However, there are some compatible stick vacuums, like the FABULETTA 24 Kpa Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, whichcan clean pet messes. If you have multiple pets in the house, then we recommend using the Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Upright Vacuum.
Necessary Accessories
Vacuum cleaners often come with additional attachments to clean multiple surfaces and remove different types of debris, including cat litter. Before you purchase a vacuum cleaner, check out if its included attachments are compatible with pet dust cleaning or not.
Which accessories are used to clean pet messes?
Specialized brushes and pet tools are used for pet dust removal. Apart from that, a vacuum cleaner also includes crevice tools, extension wands, extra filters, and more.
Top 5 Best Vacuums for Cat Litter
Specs:
- Vacuum Type: Upright
- Dust Cup: Bagless
- Filter Type: Multi-layered (non-HEPA)
- Item Weight: 12.5 lbs.
- Power Source: Corded
- Accessories: Pet TurboEraser tool
Pros
- Powerful suction with extended durability
- Multiple surfaces compatible
- Easy to operate swivel steering
- Specialized pet tools
- Larger dust cup capacity
- 27 ft cord and 6 ft hose
Cons
- Louder noise (80 dB)
- Doesn’t clean wet cat litter
BISSELL 2252 CleanView is a reliable and easy-to-use vacuum cleaner you might want to check out. This model has a swivel steering feature that lets you navigate around furniture and corners with ease. It also has a strong suction power that can handle pet hair and dirt on any surface. The Cleanview comes with a 27 ft cord and a 6 ft hose, which allows the vacuum to clean up a larger area as well as accessing under-furniture spaces conveniently. If you tap into its bagless dust cup, its 1L of capacity and ease of cleaning will leave you satisfied. The filter of this vacuum is washable, so you don’t need to worry about frequent filter replacement. However, we recommend replacing the filter and dust cup every six months to get the best possible cleanliness.
This corded vacuum is 12.5 lbs., which is lighter than other upright models, such as the Dyson Ball Animal 3. The cleaner lets you adjust its height to fit different floors. We tried it on hard floors and carpets with cat litter and the experience was so smooth. Along with other necessary attachments, Cleanview comes with pet-specialized tools to cut down the hassle for every pet owner. Apart from BISSELL’s impressive cleaning capacity, the brand maintains an interesting activity. When you purchase a BISSELL vacuum cleaner, you unknowingly contribute to their Pet Foundation, which aims to help homeless pets!
Buy this if
You’re looking for a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner. Upright vacuums are usually heavier than 15 lbs. But the Cleanview is lighter and easier to operate with its swivel steering.
Don’t Buy this if
You’re looking for a convertible handheld vacuum. The BISSELL Cleanview doesn’t convert to a handheld mode. Instead, you can check out the Black+Decker Dustbuster handheld vacuums.
2. Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright – Best Premium Upright Vacuum for Cat Litter
Specs:
- Vacuum Type: Upright
- Dust Cup: Bagless
- Filter Type: HEPA
- Item Weight: 17.33 lbs.
- Power Source: Corded (35 ft)
- Accessories: 10 accessories included
Pros
- Robust built
- Adjustable suction
- Multiple surfaces compatible
- Efficient filtration
- Extra-large cord length
- Necessary attachment included
Cons
- Slightly heavier
- Expensive
Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright vacuum cleaner boasts a premium construction with dry cat litter cleaning capacity from multiple surfaces. This vacuum comes with an extra-large power cord so that you can clean a larger area. We tested its adjustable suction on hard floors, carpets, stairs, and upper furniture spaces where the vacuum left no residuals. To ensure your optimal cleaning, Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra comes with almost ten attachments, including two pet attachments, for various cleaning purposes.
This corded vacuum weighs 17.3 lbs., which is slightly heavier than other vacuums. However, its ball technology makes maneuvering more effortless, so the heavyweight doesn’t create any inconvenience while cleaning for a long time. Like the previous models mentioned, this Dyson is also a bagless cleaner with a reusable dust cup and a super-efficient HEPA filtration system. If you buy this robust and premium vacuum from Amazon, you’ll get a 5-year limited warranty. With proper maintenance, you can extend its lifespan for a longer period.
Buy this if
You’re Looking for a long-lasting, pet-friendly vacuum. The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright vacuum cleaner is premium built, has effective functionalities, and is easy to maintain.
Don’t Buy this if
You’re looking for a budget-friendly option. The Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright vacuum cleaner costs nearly $500, which might be expensive for many. If you’re looking for an affordable pet vacuum cleaner, check out our overall best product, the BISSELL Cleanview.
3. BLACK+DECKER dustbuster: Best Cordless Stick Vacuum For Cat Litter
Specs:
- Vacuum Type: Handheld
- Dust Cup: Bagless
- Filter Type: Non-HEPA
- Item Weight: 2.6 lbs.
- Power Source: Cordless
- Accessories: 4 attachments included
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Decent suction power
- Cleans multiple surfaces
- Easy to maneuver
- Convenient maintenance
Cons
- Not suitable for larger areas cleaning
BLACK+DECKER dustbuster AdvancedClean is a compact handheld vacuum that cleans cat litter effectively. If your pet accompanies you in the car more often, then the Dustbuster will come in handy to keep the car interior neat and tidy. This cordless vacuum cleaner’s flip-up brush and integrated crevice tool are excellent cleaning combos for instant cleaning. This BLACK+DECKER has adequate suction power and a larger dust cup to pick dry cat litter and other larger or microparticles from floors and carpets.
However, we found that this handheld cleaner is not as impressive as other vacuums at collecting flour and similar types of elements. The vacuum comes with 0.6 L of dust cup capacity. Its dust cup is washable and reusable, and its disposal system is not complex at all. We washed the dustbin and tapped in the filter cleaning without any trouble. Despite its excellent cleaning capacities, this vacuum might fall short of battery life compared to other cordless vacuum cleaners.
Buy this if
You want a secondary cleaner to remove cat litter instantly. BLACK+DECKER dustbuster AdvancedClean is good at instant cleaning, whether it’s cat litter or any other fine particles.
Don’t Buy this if
You need a full-sized vacuum cleaner. This handheld vacuum is best as a secondary cleaner, but it won’t support your cleaning schedule like other full-sized vacuum cleaners in this list.
4. Shark ZU102 Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum- Best Cat Litter Cleaner with Odor Neutralizer
Specs:
- Vacuum Type: Upright
- Dust Cup: Bagless
- Filter Type: HEPA
- Item Weight: 15.2
- Power Source: Corded (25.7 ft)
- Accessories: Pet-specialized tool included
Pros
- Multiple surfaces compatible
- Easy to maneuver with swivel steering
- Extra-large dust cup capacity
- Effective HEPA filtration
- Odor removal technology
Cons
- Little bit heavy
- Louder noise
Shark ZU102 Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum is electric and comes with a 25.7 ft longer cord and 12 ft extendable hose so you can manage larger areas conveniently. With its specialized cleaning tool, this Shark Rotator can easily tackle dry pet messes. Apart from cleaning pet dust, the vacuum cleaner is designed with powerful suction to clean fine residuals from carpets and hard floors. Its self-cleaning brush roll ensures zero hair wrap while vacuuming. The vacuum cleaner has a unique ODOR Neutralizing technology, which keeps the vacuum interior free of bad smells. Although the vacuum features an odor removal patent, we recommend regular washing after each cleaning session so that the vacuum can provide its peak cleaning performance. If you’re prone to allergies or asthma, this vacuum will be suitable for you as it includes an effective HEPA filtration system. While measuring its weight and capacity, we found this bagless vacuum is almost 15.2 lbs. and picked up dust up to 2.9 liters. If you don’t have any back pain issues, then operating this upright vacuum won’t be a hassle at all.
Buy this if
You want a vacuum cleaner with an odor-neutralizer. Pets are messy, and it is hard to breathe when they scatter the litter box. To save you from this problem, the Shark ZU102 Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum is manufactured with ODOR Neutralizing technology.
Don’t Buy this if
You have multiple pets in the house. As this vacuum seems slightly heavy, we recommend using a lightweight vacuum like the Miele Complete C3 for owners with multiple pets.
5. Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Upright Vacuum: Best Vacuum For Houses with Multiple Pets
Specs:
- Vacuum Type: Upright
- Dust Cup: Bagged
- Filter Type: HEPA
- Item Weight: 12 lbs.
- Power Source: Corded (25 ft)
- Accessories: 3 additional accessories
Pros
- Premium bagged vacuum
- Extra-large dust bag capacity
- Swivel maneuvering
- Lightweight and powerful suction
- Larger cord and hose
Cons
- Very expensive
- Added bag replacement cost
Miele Complete C3 is the only bagged vacuum in this list that is known for its powerful suction capacity. This canister vacuum is very easy to operate and move from one place to another. It weighs only 12 lbs. Besides, this canister vacuum is designed with a HEPA filtration system that traps micro particles up to 0.3 microns and keeps the living air fresh and healthy. If you have multiple pets, this on-the-go bagged vacuum with 4.5 liters of capacity will suit you the best. For those who cannot tolerate the pet dust odor, its dust bag is a lifesaver for them- no need to clean, just replace the bag. This corded vacuum comes with a retractable 25 ft power cord and a long hose to clean multiple surfaces, including floors, carpets, stairs, and more. Unlike other vacuums in this list, the Miele Complete C3 is quieter but the most expensive one.
Buy this if
You’re looking for a premium canister vacuum. The Miele Complete C3 costs around $1370 in exchange for some highly admired perks to keep the house spic and span.
Don’t Buy this if
You need an instant cleaner to clean the cat litter immediately. For you, we have the BLACK+DECKER dustbuster AdvancedClean.
Final Words
Cat litter, paw marks, and pet sheds are regular headaches for pet owners. That’s why pet owners need a compatible vacuum cleaner that can ease up their lives. Yes, you can clean it yourself, but this can be hard work, especially for seniors. You also need to put up with some nasty smells. Conversely, a compatible pet-special vacuum cleaner is faster, more reliable, and more efficient. You can choose any of our listed vacuums that offer pet dust cleaning and other fine particle removal from multiple surfaces.