"A Rose By Any Other Name"

[electrolux137]

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Do y'all tend to call them "vacuum cleaners" or "sweepers" or "vacuum sweepers" ? (Or any other name?)


 


When I was growing up many people called them "sweepers" (including my parents) or "vacuum sweepers." I always assumed this was a Southern thing until I visited a friend in Indiana and saw several vac-shops called "Bob's Sweeper Service," "A-1 Sweepers" etc. etc.


 


When the Aunt who lived close to us had an old 500-series Kirby, she called it "the sweeper." When she got a new Electrolux, she called it "the vacuum cleaner."


 

 

[justjunque]

In our family, it's always been the vacuum cleaner.
Actually, I'd say we refer to it as just "the vacuum" most of the time.

Barry

 

[countryguy]

We always just referred to the 'vacuum'.....very seldom called it 'vacuum cleaner'. My grandmother called it the 'wacuum' because she couldn't pronounce her 'v's.

Gary

 

[gottahaveahoove]

One aunt said, "Sweeper"

It was either the "cleaner" or the "vacuum cleaner". My Irish relatives (from Ireland), always said, The Hoover.... used it as a verb, too. I tended to pick that up, too. I said it in school one day. The children found it amusing.

 

[suckolux]

Friends/ family Vacuum most of the time, sometimes vacuum cleaner, not often. Sweeper never that I recall, unless it was a carpet sweeper, mostly Bissell back then

 

[s31463221]

To this day

My parents STILL refer to it as a sweeper! I worked with a lady who called them vacuum sweepers, which I always found amusing. I call them by their brand names, or just refer to them as a vacuum....

 

[dartman]

Usually we called them the vacuum or vacuum cleaner. I've got a few now so they get called whatever they are. The Royal 4650, the upright Royal, the new Compact, and others. I think I have enough vacuums and glad I haven't collected washing machines like on our sister site. We only have so much room and I like cars and computers too.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Here in FL mostly I hear vacuum or vacuum cleaner. Sounds a bit stereotypical but when I hear sweeper, I almost know it's an older person, or more likely an older person from up north. You see ads in the newspaper all the time during the winter, saying they have a sweeper for sale.

I usually just say vacuum. My mom always calls them vacuum cleaners. She always says "you and all your vacuum cleaners!" or "I used the vacuum cleaner today". She never just says vacuum and I don't personally know anyone that calls them sweepers or vacuum sweepers. Other than those Bissell sweepers mentioned already. We used to have one of them.

 

[midcenturyfan]

In England, any type of vacuum cleaner is referred to as a hoover. Operating a vacuum cleaner is known as hoovering.

Robin.

 

[human]

I've lived my whole life in the Carolinas and have only heard them called vacuum cleaners or vacuums or more recently vacs. That said, I began using "Kirby" as a verb once the first one came into my hands. And I never "Kirby" with an Electrolux.

 

[electrolux137]

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I've never liked the term "vac." It sounds like the noise a cat makes when it's hocking up a hairball.