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Q: Do Chinese people use vacuum cleaners?
I don't think I have seen a vacuum cleaner anywhere since Ive been here, apart from in a shopping mall, on display.
People seem to just sweep dust from one corner of the room to the other!
I haven't met any asthmatic Chinese people yet - probably because there all dead!
Actually, this is a good question.
So far, the Chinese people I know always used a broom instead of a vacuum cleaner, and a lot of our ayis would insist on using the broom unless we told them not to.
I'm not exactly sure as to why they do it, but I guess... habits?
Also, a fellow "Mr_"? haha
No, I haven't seen any. Thanks for reminding me. I need to buy a vacuum.
They may do but I doubt it is for the purpose of cleaning the house. 
My company has one. They whip it out once a year, right before the Chinese New Year holiday, to facilitate spring cleaning activities. It reminds me of the one my grandma had back in early 80's; separate horizontal canister that gets rolled around on 4 casters.
There's the story of my CEO buying for the company driver a vacuum cleaner as a present.
When we were invited to his house a year later, he showed us a special room he had put the vacuum cleaner in for display - still packed and unused.
I bought a small vacuum cleaner myself a year ago. Senseless sweeping - the dust just moves around the apartment.
Scandinavian:
our Ayi dips the broom in water to avoid dust flying everywhere, seems to work, and it also glues the light doghair to the dark wooden fllors
Mr_Sausage:
Thats something that annoys me - mopping up dust! It just seems so pointless!
then again, I saw a guy using a floor polisher on the pavement outside his shop last night...!
Well there are many chinese people in the states that have vaccuum cleaners so I would say yes......
They believe that doing it themselves would result in a better job than using a machine. Also, many Chinese I've met still want to wash clothes by hand because "it is cleaner" than using a washing machine. Even those who are well off think like that. Probably a habit or superstition, but definitely a waste of time and energy
Scandinavian:
using a broom instead of a vacuum cleaner can hardly be considered a waste of energy
JustinF:
I have a Roomba, so I don-t have to use my energy to clean the floor. Or you probably mean electrical energy?
DaqingDevil:
Hey funny thing about hand washing. When in the Philippines I have my clothes hand washed and I have to tell you - the results speak for themselves. Particularly whites. So much brighter and cleaner. Who would have thought.........I kind of sneered at such old methods but............
I bought a vacuum cleaner for 350 rmb but my American mate said that it sucks. 
of course they do, but its less common than in the west. that might also have something to do with the fact that a broom here goes for a few kuai, while the vacuum cleaners are quite expensive and less popular. im sure the middle class is catching on in using it. additionally i would say the fact that not many homes use carpets make it less necessary to use it
My Chinese wife had never used a vacuum cleaner until we moved in together. Now she uses it all the time.
She had no idea how efficient it is compared to a broom.
You know, I walk into a Carrefour or a Suning or whatever and I see vacuum cleaners for sale. And I think to myself... hmmm...these vacuum cleaners must be for sale. Or... are they here on display just to make the store look pretty? But then I think to myself...they gotta be for sale because Chinese people must buy them and use them for housekeeping and not just for home decoration. But then again...I get a flash of reason and I think to myself...nahhh...these vacuum cleaners are here just for people like Mr. Sausage to ask if Chinese people use vacuum cleaners. Interesting question... 
Generally the superstition in this society means that people will always pick the non-electrical solution if they can. If it is electrical it has radiation.
Nothing scares a Chinese person more than a microwave oven.
Red_Fox:
You haven't met Butch, my rottweiller. He's scarier and meaner than any microwave oven in this country. But he's dang scared shitless of vacuum cleaners. So, I got a broom.
Scandinavian:
To many Chinese people our Chihuahua is scarier than a microwave. The microwave i sof course not the scariest thing, but in the home it is pretty scary. (note: I love my microwave and will hug it while it is running)
I just bought a dishwasher and a vacuum cleaner and nobody here in Suining have used one before, but they love the efficiency. I am trying to clean, but everybody just walks everywhere with the shoes on. The neighbors came over to see the dishwasher in action because the rumor had spread that the foreigner had a magic machine that could clean dishes.
No carpets here, so no need for a vacuum cleaner. Now I just need to buy some carpets :)
Red_Fox:
Seriously? A dishwasher? You must live in a rather remote community somewhere.
Regardless, what I would really love is a large oven with a 4-hob stovetop. That and a stackable washer-dryer. Yeah. And a dishwasher, too...
With absolutely no exception every apartment I've been to in Nanning has tiled / stone / wooden floors (they're much cooler in summer), in such cases vacuum cleaners are of little use, a moist mop is much more efficient.
In fact the only place I've seen carpets in Nanning are some offices (and no they don't use vacuum cleaners) and hotels (which do).
My wife do not want to use it,m as she said, it is difficult operate vac.cleanear, and instead of she rather spend 30 minutes with dry and wet mop way cleaning the floor. I tried zilion times push her make the life easier ... 
