Vacuum Cleaners – How would we manage without them?
Vacuum cleaners are an absolute essential home appliance these days. We rely on our vacuum cleaner to help keep our homes free of dust and dirt; but how often do we go about our cleaning, without giving much thought to how efficient these machines really are?
Before electric vacuum cleaners were invented, home cleaning was a major task. Floors had to be cleaned with brushes, brooms and mops. Rugs and carpets had to be removed from the floor, hung up outdoors, and beaten to remove the dust. These methods involved a lot of time and effort, and also caused health complaints.
The early invention of non-electric floor cleaning devices made home cleaning easier. People started looking for ways to improve the efficiency of these machines, and all kinds of contraptions were invented. Throughout the 100-year history of electric vacuum cleaners, there have been many improvements. The first electric vacuums were produced in the early 1900’s. In 1908, the Hoover Company built the first electric vacuum cleaner that used both a cloth filter bag and cleaning attachments. During the years that followed, many different models and designs were created, each varying in size, weight, suction power, and other features. Of all the designs however, the upright vacuum cleaner remained the most popular.
The latest upright vacuums available today make cleaning a lot easier. They are much lighter and versatile, and come in both bagged and bagless designs with handy tools to help remove dust from drapes, upholstery, and tricky, hard to reach places.
Owning a bagless vacuum means you don’t ever have to buy vacuum bags. When it comes to emptying the dirt container, it can be emptied straight into your garbage bin. You’d want to do this outside in the yard or on the street to prevent dust going back into your house. If you’re an allergy sufferer, you’re best to stay with a bagged unit. The dust remains in a sealed bag, and when full, it can easily be removed and disposed of.
There are many other types of vacuum cleaners available including the canister, the wet and dry vacuum, portable hand-held units, and robotic vacuum cleaners.
When buying a vacuum cleaner, it’s important to choose the best vacuum to suit your home cleaning needs. You’ll also want to think about what you have in your home. Do you have carpets and rugs, wooden floors, or perhaps a flight of stairs? Are you an allergy sufferer? Do you have pets indoors?
If you spend a bit extra on a vacuum cleaner with stronger suction, consider it a good investment. Vacuuming regularly with a powerful vacuum will remove grit from deep within your carpets, and prevent them from wearing out.
Various Models Of Vacuum Cleaners
Gone are the days when vacuum cleaners were big, bulky and it was a chore in itself just to lug them from one room to the next. In fact, these days it is just the opposite. Vacuum cleaners have come such a long way that manufacturers have even invented models that do all of the work themselves with no manual labor required. How is that for convenient?
The most popular of the vacuum cleaners, which is the upright, features a pump located directly above the suction. Lightweight models are available in a variety of designs that allow vacuum cleaners to glide across the floor with ease. The handles are coated with non-slip material that allows the owner to easily hold onto the device while in use.
Canister vacuum cleaners feature a bag and the motor in a separate canister, which is usually connected to the vacuum cleaners with a hose that is attached just above the wheels. Again, these vacuum cleaners are available in lightweight designs that are more convenient than the heavier models of yesteryear.
Wet and/or dry vacuum cleaners are commonly used to clean up wet spills, but they can also handle dry dirt just as easily.
Robotic vacuum cleaners which, as the name implies, are operated by an internal robotic chip that guides the unit blindly until it bumps a chair, wall or table and is redirected another way. A robotic model is usually very small, which makes them lightweight, and are usually round in design.
Small handheld vacuum cleaners are commonly used to clean out automobiles or small areas of the home that a regular unit could not reach. These models are very lightweight and compact in their design, which makes them ideal for travel and automobile cleaning or for college students who are living in a dorm and have little space for their belongings.
Vacuum cleaners are commonly found in almost every retail store, both online and local, and are priced at $20.00 and up depending on the selected model. All new vacuum cleaners will be accompanied by a manufacturer’s warranty, which will generally cover defects related to material or workmanship. Most warranties will not cover misuse or the negligent operation of the unit, but will be very valuable should the cleaner fail to operate or develop a problem related to it’s configuration. Owners should retain all paperwork involved with the purchase of any new vacuum cleaners, including the original purchase receipt, the owner’s manual and other warranty papers.