4 Makita Tools That Help Make Spring Cleaning A Breeze
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If you're one of the many people who use the tradition of spring cleaning as an excuse to only deep clean your home once a year, you might be dreading the day as it approaches. Spring cleaning doesn't have to be a chore, though. As the weather warms and the dreary days of winter come to an end, spring cleaning can also mean a fresh start, and it's a great opportunity to declutter your home and get rid of stuff you never really use or need anyway.
You can also take advantage of power tools to reduce how much manual effort spring cleaning requires of you. Makita is a popular brand of tools that has several products that can aid with your annual cleaning ritual, with many tools that won't break the bank that are also widely available from major retailers like Home Depot and Amazon. Some tools can be used to clean the interior of your home, while others can freshen up your yard and outdoor property. (Check out SlashGear's helpful tips for organizing the tools in your garage).
Based on positive reviews from tool experts who have hands-on experience using them (more information on this selection process can be found at the end of the article), here are four Makita tools that help make spring cleaning a breeze.
18V LXT Compact Cordless Vacuum
A cordless vacuum is much more versatile than a traditional one, which is why it's also a great car cleaning tool you should keep in your garage. Whether you're spring cleaning your home, car, or garage, the Makita 18V LXT Compact Cordless Vacuum offers a convenient way to vacuum without getting tangled up in cords, or having to unplug and replug the appliance as you move from room to room. Its motor can generate 46 cfm of suction and with a Makita 18-volt 5 Ah LXT battery, it can run for up to 33 minutes before needing a recharge or battery swap. With the battery, it weighs just 2.7 pounds, so you won't have to worry about arm fatigue as you make your way through your home. It's also a great tool for cleaning out your car or furniture, as its floor nozzle can be removed — effectively making it a heavy duty dustbuster.
The floor nozzle is also designed for maneuverability and efficient debris collection, and the tool uses a bagless, two-stage cloth filtration system, which makes debris disposal a breeze. Tool Box Buzz rates the product four out of five stars, with the reviewer who tested it calling it "one of my favorite and most used tools in the shop and around the house."
If there's a downside to the compact vacuum, it's that it's not ideal for more heavy-duty work. If you haven't tidied up much since your last spring cleaning, you might need a bigger vacuum for the job. If your mess is more moderate, however, Makita's 18V LXT Compact Cordless Vacuum is a great solution and can be purchased from Amazon for $156.
40V XGT High Speed Dust Blower
The 40V XGT High Speed Dust Blower is one of the Makita tools that are so strange we can't help but want them, but just because it's a little offbeat doesn't mean it isn't very useful — especially when spring cleaning. While it's great for clearing up sawdust in your workshop, it can also be used to quickly blast away debris in hard-to-reach corners, under furniture, and even in inaccessible nooks and crannies, like under the keys of your computer keyboard. It's more powerful and easier to use than a canister of compressed air, and it's more efficient since you can use it repeatedly.
Called "unbelievably useful" and "an indispensable part of our cleanup" by Pro Tool Reviews, the dust blower can run up to 50 minutes with Makita's 40-volt 2.5 Ah XGT battery. It can generate an airflow of up to 447 mph and 39 cfm. It's a versatile tool with four digitally controlled speeds to choose from, as well as five different included nozzles that can be used for a wide range of applications. It's relatively lightweight and only 7-⅛ inches long, and a rubberized soft grip and ergonomic design make it comfortable to use. It's also easy to operate, thanks to a trigger mechanism and lock-on mode for continuous use.
One drawback to the tool is that its LED light could be brighter and has blind spots at certain angles, so you'll want to be careful you don't miss any debris you're clearing. If you can live with that, you can find the Makita 40V XGT High Speed Dust Blower at Home Depot for $194.
18V LXT Cordless/Corded 13-inch Fan
One tool you'll want to have while spring cleaning is a fan, which can be used in several different ways as you work. For instance, if you're mopping the floors of your home and need them to dry quickly before pets or relatives can undo all your hard work, a floor fan will be invaluable. Also, cleaning can be arduous and make you work up quite a sweat, so a fan is vital for cooling and ventilation purposes — especially for clearing out the noxious fumes of cleaning chemicals you may be using.
The Makita 18V LXT Cordless/Corded 13-inch Fan is a great option since it works either cordless, making it very versatile, or corded, allowing you to use it continuously without recharge. It has three-speed settings and can generate an airflow of up to 740 cfm — on battery power; it can last 3.5 hours on high and 14 hours on low. Features include a simple user interface, a three-stage automatic timer, a 90-degree tilt, and a horizontal 45-degree oscillation capability. Weighing 8.4 pounds and measuring 10-7/8 x 17-¼ x 23-¾ inches, it's also a good size that isn't too large or too small, and it's durably built from ABS plastic.
After testing the product, Tools in Action gave the tool a positive review and a rating of 4.6 out of five, highlighting its timer and oscillating features, among others. Unfortunately, Makita's fan is a little more expensive than many similar products in its class. But, if you've got the budget for it, it would be a great way to make spring cleaning quite literally a breeze. Makita's 18V LXT Cordless/Corded 13-inch Fan is available for $169 from Home Depot and Amazon.
18V LXT Cordless Blower
Found to be the strongest 18-volt blower of all the ones tested by Pro Tool Reviews, Makita's 18V LXT Cordless Blower is a great tool when it comes time for spring cleaning your outdoor property. A lot of leaves and dead twigs can build up over the winter, and rather than spend hours of backbreaking labor manually raking them into piles, the power blower can get the job done quickly and easily — especially given how lightweight it is. Plus, the blower can also be used to cleanse your garage or tool shed of dust and wood shavings.
Its powerful brushless motor can generate up to 459 cfm and 116 mph of airflow, which is pretty impressive for a smaller, cordless blower. It sports an in-line fan design that provides better balance and ergonomics for the compact, handheld tool, and its rubberized soft grip makes it easier to hold and operate for extended periods. One useful feature is the blower's cruise control lever, and a variable speed trigger makes it simple to apply the appropriate amount of force depending on how you're using it.
Despite giving it an overall positive review, Pro Tool Reviews did find that the product has a lower runtime than other 18-volt blowers tested by the publication. If that's not a big issue for you, you can purchase the 18V LXT Cordless Blower for $169 from Home Depot.
How these tools were selected for this list
The best way to ensure that a tool is reliable and works as advertised is to test it yourself, and if that's not possible, by researching reviews by tool experts who have. The four items on this list of Makita tools that help make spring cleaning a breeze have all been vetted and given overall positive reviews by publications that specialize in reviews of hand tools, power tools, and motorized equipment.
The publications sourced for this list include Tools in Action, Tool Box Buzz, and Pro Tool Reviews. An effort was also made to select tools that could be useful in a wide range of applications during a spring cleaning session, from small jobs to heavier-duty cleanups, and includes items that may not immediately come to mind when picturing cleaning supplies, like a cordless fan for ventilation/drying purposes.