Vacuum Cleaner Tips is information and opinions from Claude Whitacre. Buy online from www.sweeperstore.com or visit our retail store website at www.sweeperstoreonline.com
Allergy sufferers have a special problem with vacuum cleaners. Some vacuum cleaners spew out dust. Here is how to pick the right one for you.
It isn’t just dust. Eighty percent of household dust is actually dead skin cells from us and our pets, and the feces from dust mites that eat that skin dander. Most of us are not greatly affected by this "dust", some of us suffer from sneezing, runny nose, and headaches from just a minute amount of this stuff floating in the air. What has this to do with vacuum cleaners? Plenty, it turns out.
Filtration is the most important consideration here. HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters on the exhaust of any vacuum will help trap the microscopic particles that carry everything that sets off your allergies. You need to make sure that the filter is sealed. Sealed means that the air is forced through the filter, and cannot go around the filter. HEPA filters that are not sealed are as bad as not having one at all, because all the air will go around the filter, as it is the easiest path. All HEPA filters are made out of the same material. They come in different sizes and shapes, but they do the same job, as long as they are really sealed filters.
Almost no HEPA filters are washable. Some manufacturers say they are, but it is like trying to wash a paper plate. They crumble and disintegrate. Most HEPA filters can be cleaned, at least partially, by using an air compressor to plow out the filter. Just make sure the dirty side of the filter is pointed away from you. Otherwise you will actually force the dirt further into the filter.
Most HEPA filters need to be changed once a year. This can vary widely depending on how often you vacuum, if you have pets that shed, and how much carpet you have. Carpet traps and stores dirt, and also stores the dander and microscopic mites that feed on that dander.
What is the vacuum cleaner casing made from? There are different grades of plastic. The cheaper vacuum cleaners are made from ABS which will warp if it gets hot enough. This warping will allow dust to bypass the filters and spew out into the air we breath. This is one of the main reasons vacuums lose their power after several years. The motor is still in good shape, but the air is leaking out into the room, bypassing the filters. The air is also being sucked in from places on the vacuum bedsides the nozzle on the floor. This warping is also why you will find dust collecting on the outside of you vacuum cleaner after a few years.
Amazingly, the motor material helps with the allergies. A metal motor in the vacuum cleaner will dissipate the heat from inside the motor. A cooler motor will not heat up the plastic enough to warp it. Your filtration will be kept sealed and functioning.
A charcoal filter in your vacuum will also help with the filtration as well as keep pet odors to a minimum.
Cleaning your carpet regularly, perhaps once a year, will freshen the carpet. We suggest using hot water extraction carpet cleaners. They do a more thorough job than the dry foam method, although they can make a mess if you don’t use the cleaner properly.
Bagless vacuum also can cause an airborne allergen attack when you dump out the container. We suggest using HEPA filter liners, or Micron Filtration liners to hold the dirt. They make less of a dirty mess when you dispose of them.
I hope this helped.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Vacuum Cleaners: Is An Upright Or Canister Best For You?
Vacuum Cleaner Tips is information and opinions from Claude Whitacre. Buy online from http://www.sweeperstore.com/ or visit our retail store website at http://www.sweeperstoreonline.com/
In shopping for a vacuum cleaner, there are two basic designs. An upright model vacuum cleaner is one you push in front of you, and a canister model vacuum cleaner is one you pull behind you by its hose. They both have advantages.
Upright vacuum cleaners are made specifically to clean carpets. They have a revolving brush that separates the dirt and pet hair from the carpet fibers. The dirt is then thrown into a paper bag or compartment. The airflow is very fast, compared to a canister vacuum cleaner, and so the vacuum picks up better in most instances on carpet.
When customers come into our retail store, The Sweeper Store, the first thing we ask them is "Do you prefer upright or canister vacuum cleaners?" because that is the most basic fundamental starting point when looking for a good vacuum cleaner. We are talking about the basic design.
When we talk about canister vacuum cleaners, I mean the ones that have a separate power nozzle that has a second motor. This power nozzle has a revolving brush that separates the dirt from the carpet, in the same way an upright vacuum cleaner does. Canister vacuum cleaners have motors that are made differently than the upright vacuum cleaner motors. Canister vacuums have a motor that creates far more suction than the upright vacuum motor does. But the canister motor pulls the air at a slower speed than the upright motor.
At first, it would seem that the canister vacuum cleaner has more suction, so it must clean better. But the uprights have faster airflow. And faster airflow is actually what picks up the dirt out of the carpet better. The advantage of the canister vacuum cleaner is that it has much more suction on the attachments, than an upright. So the canister is made more for above the floor cleaning, and the upright is made more for carpet cleaning.
A few of the very best canister vacuums have very well made power nozzles with a high speed motor revolving the brush roll. Some canister vacuum cleaners with a power nozzle also are very easy to push because the nozzle automatically adjusts to any height of carpet. This feature is found on many higher end models.
Canister vacuum cleaners with a power nozzle also cost more than their upright counterparts. The reason is that they simply cost more to make. You have two motors instead of one, and the electrified hoe that they have is quite expensive to make.
The better quality canister vacuums as well as better upright vacuum cleaners can be found at your local independent vacuum cleaner dealer. Make sure they have a wide selection, to give you the best choices. We are in Wooster Ohio, but there are thousands of good dealers across the country.
I hope this helps.
In shopping for a vacuum cleaner, there are two basic designs. An upright model vacuum cleaner is one you push in front of you, and a canister model vacuum cleaner is one you pull behind you by its hose. They both have advantages.
Upright vacuum cleaners are made specifically to clean carpets. They have a revolving brush that separates the dirt and pet hair from the carpet fibers. The dirt is then thrown into a paper bag or compartment. The airflow is very fast, compared to a canister vacuum cleaner, and so the vacuum picks up better in most instances on carpet.
When customers come into our retail store, The Sweeper Store, the first thing we ask them is "Do you prefer upright or canister vacuum cleaners?" because that is the most basic fundamental starting point when looking for a good vacuum cleaner. We are talking about the basic design.
When we talk about canister vacuum cleaners, I mean the ones that have a separate power nozzle that has a second motor. This power nozzle has a revolving brush that separates the dirt from the carpet, in the same way an upright vacuum cleaner does. Canister vacuum cleaners have motors that are made differently than the upright vacuum cleaner motors. Canister vacuums have a motor that creates far more suction than the upright vacuum motor does. But the canister motor pulls the air at a slower speed than the upright motor.
At first, it would seem that the canister vacuum cleaner has more suction, so it must clean better. But the uprights have faster airflow. And faster airflow is actually what picks up the dirt out of the carpet better. The advantage of the canister vacuum cleaner is that it has much more suction on the attachments, than an upright. So the canister is made more for above the floor cleaning, and the upright is made more for carpet cleaning.
A few of the very best canister vacuums have very well made power nozzles with a high speed motor revolving the brush roll. Some canister vacuum cleaners with a power nozzle also are very easy to push because the nozzle automatically adjusts to any height of carpet. This feature is found on many higher end models.
Canister vacuum cleaners with a power nozzle also cost more than their upright counterparts. The reason is that they simply cost more to make. You have two motors instead of one, and the electrified hoe that they have is quite expensive to make.
The better quality canister vacuums as well as better upright vacuum cleaners can be found at your local independent vacuum cleaner dealer. Make sure they have a wide selection, to give you the best choices. We are in Wooster Ohio, but there are thousands of good dealers across the country.
I hope this helps.
Vacuum Cleaners; What Makes Them Easy To Push?
Vacuum Cleaner Tips is information and opinions from Claude Whitacre. Buy online from www.sweeperstore.com or visit our retail store website at www.sweeperstoreonline.com
When shopping for a vacuum cleaner, one of the most important things to consider is how much it weighs and is the vacuum easy to push? Here are some tips when comparing models.
When people say the want a vacuum cleaner that is lightweight, does that mean they want one that is easy to push, or a vacuum cleaner that is easy to carry up steps?
The average full sized upright vacuum cleaner weighs about fifteen or sixteen pounds. There are models that are full sized uprights that are as lightweight as eight pounds. If you need to carry the vacuum cleaner up and down steps, and weight is an issue, the lightweight vacuums may be the best choice for you.
At our retail store, The Sweeper Store, in Wooster Ohio, we have customers ask us about lightweight, easy to push vacuum cleaners. This is usually the most important consideration, besides price, when buying a new vacuum cleaner.
What makes a vacuum cleaner hard to push is usually that the nozzle is adjusted too low against the carpet. This creates a seal that cuts off the air to the vacuum cleaner and makes the vacuum vary hard to push. That is why vacuums have height adjustments. These height adjustments are to push the nozzle away from the floor far enough to allow air flow, but not too far that the roller brush isn’t touching the top of the carpet fibers.
The best way to adjust your vacuum cleaner to the right height for your carpet is to adjust it as high as it will go. You then turn on the vacuum cleaner and, while it is running, adjust the vacuum cleaner nozzle height lower, one adjustment at a time. When you hear the pitch of the motor change, you are at the right height adjustment. Now your vacuum cleaner will be easy to push and the motor will be getting plenty of airflow to keep it cool.
The alternative is to buy an upright vacuum cleaner that has a free floating adjustable nozzle. This will allow the carpet nozzle to automatically float to the correct height for your carpet.
The way this works is that when you pull the handle back, as though you wee vacuuming, the wheels move under the body of the vacuum cleaner, holding most of the weight of the vacuum on these wheels. The only weight setting on your carper at the roller brush is the weight of the nozzle itself. Usually this is only a pound or two. The free floating head design allows for plenty of airflow, plenty of brushing action in the carpet, and more airflow to the motor.
Most of these models with the free floating nozzle are available at your local independent vacuum cleaner dealer. Usually they are not sold in the discount stores.
I hope this helps.
When shopping for a vacuum cleaner, one of the most important things to consider is how much it weighs and is the vacuum easy to push? Here are some tips when comparing models.
When people say the want a vacuum cleaner that is lightweight, does that mean they want one that is easy to push, or a vacuum cleaner that is easy to carry up steps?
The average full sized upright vacuum cleaner weighs about fifteen or sixteen pounds. There are models that are full sized uprights that are as lightweight as eight pounds. If you need to carry the vacuum cleaner up and down steps, and weight is an issue, the lightweight vacuums may be the best choice for you.
At our retail store, The Sweeper Store, in Wooster Ohio, we have customers ask us about lightweight, easy to push vacuum cleaners. This is usually the most important consideration, besides price, when buying a new vacuum cleaner.
What makes a vacuum cleaner hard to push is usually that the nozzle is adjusted too low against the carpet. This creates a seal that cuts off the air to the vacuum cleaner and makes the vacuum vary hard to push. That is why vacuums have height adjustments. These height adjustments are to push the nozzle away from the floor far enough to allow air flow, but not too far that the roller brush isn’t touching the top of the carpet fibers.
The best way to adjust your vacuum cleaner to the right height for your carpet is to adjust it as high as it will go. You then turn on the vacuum cleaner and, while it is running, adjust the vacuum cleaner nozzle height lower, one adjustment at a time. When you hear the pitch of the motor change, you are at the right height adjustment. Now your vacuum cleaner will be easy to push and the motor will be getting plenty of airflow to keep it cool.
The alternative is to buy an upright vacuum cleaner that has a free floating adjustable nozzle. This will allow the carpet nozzle to automatically float to the correct height for your carpet.
The way this works is that when you pull the handle back, as though you wee vacuuming, the wheels move under the body of the vacuum cleaner, holding most of the weight of the vacuum on these wheels. The only weight setting on your carper at the roller brush is the weight of the nozzle itself. Usually this is only a pound or two. The free floating head design allows for plenty of airflow, plenty of brushing action in the carpet, and more airflow to the motor.
Most of these models with the free floating nozzle are available at your local independent vacuum cleaner dealer. Usually they are not sold in the discount stores.
I hope this helps.
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