Let’s be honest: allergies are awful. If you don’t suffer from allergies, you’re lucky, because we do, and millions of Americans do too. Fortunately, while you can’t completely get rid of allergens even with the best vacuums and air purifiers, they can make a world of difference if you have the right ones. This goes for cat and dog allergies, tree, grass, and other pollen allergies, or even your regular dust mite-type indoor allergies. Today we’re going to check out the Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog and see if it lives up to its reputation as an allergy crusher. We’ve previously reviewed it here and here and love it overall. On the negative side, it’s not the cheapest canister on the market. On the plus side, it can do more for your allergies than most vacuums on the market. Here are our experiences as well as those of other Cat and Dog owners with allergies.

Is the Cat and Dog really effective in managing pet allergies?

In a word? Yes. The vacuum relies on a sealed system, with a charcoal filter, a pre-motor filter, and a sealed dust bag that can be removed and thrown in the trash without letting dust out of it along the way. What this means is that you aren’t simply going to suck up allergens from your carpets (the largest air filter in any home) and blow them back throughout your house as the vacuum runs or each time you empty the canister. Whatever you vacuum stays in the vacuum–whether in the filters or in the bag–until you’re ready to throw either out. Essentially, the Cat and Dog acts as an air filter, and does a darn good job of pulling dander and all kinds of bits of fur, odor, and whatever else pets create out of your carpets and into your garbage.

Do you recommend the charcoal or HEPA filter for allergen reduction?

Between the charcoal and HEPA filter, we’d actually recommend the HEPA filter to make the most of the Cat and Dog’s suction. The charcoal filter is a good filter, but it’s primarily aimed at reducing odors in carpeting and upholstery left by spraying, urinating, vomiting, and mud-rolling cats and dogs. The HEPA filter, on the other hand, has micron-level filtration to trap the vast majority of allergens the vacuum picks up from said carpeting and upholstery. The Cat and Dog accepts both kinds of filters, and if you’re happy with the charcoal filter’s effectiveness, there’s no need to switch. However, for a boost in cleaning efficiency, pick up the Miele HEPA AirClean SF-HA 50; it will last for around 50 hours of vacuuming before needing replacement.

Can the Cat and Dog also handle tree and grass pollen as well as mold?

Yes. The degree to which it handles plant-based allergies will vary with the types of allergens present in the air, how many of them make it past your doors and windows, and of course, your sensitivity to them, but if you’re like most allergy sufferers, you will likely notice a significant drop in symptoms once you start vacuuming regularly with the Cat and Dog, especially once you set up the HEPA filter. One of the clearest signs of the cleaning efficiency of a vacuum is the exhaust test. Essentially, you stand over the exhaust and take a deep breath. If you can do so without sneezing, you’re using a vacuum with excellent filtration. If you inhale dust or smell smoke or pretty much anything else, you probably could use better filtration.

What can the Cat and Dog do for people with dust mite allergies?

Dust mite allergies are probably the most common type of allergen among people who don’t suffer from a specific, identifiable allergy. Remember that dust mites feed on dead skin cells and dead skin is the primary ingredient in dust; we’re messy humans. As a result, the more you vacuum, the more you’ll take away the dust mite food source, which will likely lead to a reduction in dust allergies. Keep in mind that the more you change your filter, whether you use the charcoal or HEPA filter, the more you’ll clear out allergens from your home. While you technically only need to change the filter with every four dust bag changes, that’s on the low end of effectiveness compared to switching it out with every two bags, or, ideally, with every dust bag. Your nose, eyes, and lungs will thank you.

Is an air purifier necessary if you have the Cat and Dog?

Finally, even though the Cat and Dog is going to be one of the most effective vacuum cleaners out there for managing allergies in a family of allergy sufferers, it’s not a magic wand, and it won’t completely rid your home of allergens; no vacuum can. However, when combined with a good air purifier, you can make your home a place worth living in again. A HEPA air purifier will pull a lot of what the Cat and Dog can’t directly from the air before such allergens settle back into your carpet (which, again, is the largest air filter in your home). We recommend the Oreck AirInstinct 200 HEPA Large Room Air Purifier if you can afford it; we reviewed it and were highly impressed by its ability to clear dust and smells while working unobtrusively.

You can buy the Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog here on Amazon. We would suggest buying replacement HEPA filters here. For a quality air purifier, we’d buy the Oreck AirInstinct here.

Canadians can buy the Cat & Dog here or the Oreck AirInstinct here.

If you find our research on PMC helpful, you can follow our efforts to keep maniacally reviewing home cleaning tools by shopping through our links above. We promise to keep fighting the good fight against every horror children, animals, and grown, yet messy humans can inflict upon a clean home.