The invention relates to a brush vacuum cleaner (1) for the care of carpets or hard flooring, with a rotating brush (4) drivable by an electric motor, and with brushing bristles (3), in which the brushing bristles (13) can be moved vertically by the actuation of a switch between a lowered position bearing on the floor and a raised position and a motor and the brushing bristles can be operated by means of a foot switch. The invention deals with the technical problem of improving the design of a prior art type of brush vacuum cleaner (1). To this end, it is proposed that a motor switch (7) be arranged in the base plan region of a brushing bristle switch (6) and the motor switch (7) pass through the brushing bristle switch (6).