Sweeping is an excellent way to clean up large debris, but if your hardwood floors are particularly dusty or covered in small debris, you should opt for a vacuum instead. Thanks to its suction power, a vacuum can pick up the fine dirt and dust particles that a broom might not be able to. Nicholas Burks, CEO of Atlanta-based cleaning company Neet Home, says that you should look for a vacuum with high suction power so that it picks up more dust and allergens around your house. "Plainly put, the more suction power a vacuum cleaner has, the better its performance," he says.