|
|
 7
Types of vacuum cleaners
The different
types of vacuum cleaners available on today's market.
When I was a kid, the only kind of vacuum
cleaner available was the noisy upright with a bag. Most kids didn’t
like them, especially when they had to help pick up their toys so Mom
could vacuum or had to miss hearing the best lines on their favorite TV
show. Today’s vacuum cleaners aren’t much quieter, but you do have a lot
of variety to choose from. The following describes the most common
types.
The traditional upright with the bag is still the most popular style.
They may be bulky and hard to move around, and it’s a pain to change the
bag, but it appears they’ll never go out of style. Of course, today some
uprights are bagless. They have a compartment for collecting the dust
that you empty out afterwards. The disadvantage is that the dust flies
everywhere when you empty the compartment. It’s best to do it outside.
Another type of upright has a filter to trap the dust. You have
less to empty out of these “clean air” designs. They’re good to use if
you have allergies. You can get one that uses HEPA filters, which are
supposed to suck the allergens right out of the air. They may work, as I
have allergies and I feel better since we started using one. Supposedly
you get better suction with the upright clean-air design, too, but it’s
hard to tell just by putting your hand against the nozzle.
Yet another type of upright boasts two motors. The manufacturers
say that the second motor is actually in the nozzle and provides the
unit with more power and, consequently, better suction. I don’t
understand why, if one motor is not enough, why make any vacuums with
one motor? And if one motor will do the job, why make vacuums with two
motors? The manufacturers say that the main benefit of two motors is for
cleaning carpets. With
one motor, the brush slows down on a carpet, but with two, the brush
keeps rolling at its normal speed. That might make cleaning the carpet
faster, but will it be more thorough?
Then there are the canister-style vacuum cleaners. These are the
boxy ones that roll along the floor while you drag the hose around the
house. These come in bag, bagless, and filter styles. You can buy the
HEPA filters for these, too.
Next are the portable, handheld models. They’re small, usually
only eight to twelve inches long, and don’t have much power. They may be
good for cleaning small or odd places, like chairs and sofas, but they
don’t suck up much. Don’t expect too much of them.
Wet/dry utility vacuums are designed mainly for wet spills. If
you have a lot of wet spills, this is a must-have. If you don’t, you can
probably live without one. Now steam cleaners are different. They can
really clean your carpets in between vacuumings and make them look new
again.
Then you've got your steam cleaners which are basically used for
making your dull carpets look like new again.
Helpful carpet cleaning information:
|
