According to recent studies, vacuum cleaners will be the number one item purchased by in-house cleaning professionals this year. Because of this, it might be a good idea to know a bit more about vacuum cleaners to make the most educated purchase.
Answers are listed below. Post your comments and let Park-Ellis ServiceMaster know how you did.
1. Of the three most common types of vacuum cleaners—uprights, backpacks, and canisters—uprights still command about 60 percent of the vacuum cleaner market. (True or False)
2. The terms “true HEPA” and “HEPA” when referencing HEPA vacuum cleaner filters are interchangeable. (True or False)
3. The higher the amperage of the vacuum cleaner motor, the more powerful the machine. (True or False)
4. The first vacuum cleaners actually “blew” on rugs and upholstery to clean them. (True or False)
5. A problem with some older, tubular backpack vacuum cleaners is that as the bag fills, airflow and suction are reduced. (True or False)
6. In order to be CRI certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute, a vacuum cleaner must be evaluated on its long-term durability. (True or False)
7. Removing carpeting from schools has helped considerably in reducing allergies and occurrences of asthma. (True or False)
8. Twenty-four pounds of dirt can be tracked into a building by as few as 1,000 people in a month’s time. To remove it can cost as much as $500 a pound or $12,000 in this example. (True or False)
9. Wheels on most upright vacuum cleaners are essentially the same because they have little impact on vacuuming or the user. (True or False)
10. One of the main reasons canister vacuum cleaners are used in a commercial setting is because they are often quieter than other types of vacuum cleaners. (True or False)
1. False. Uprights command 85 percent or more of the vacuum cleaner market. Canister vacuum cleaners tend to be more popular in Europe than they are in the United States.
2. False. A true HEPA filter vacuum cleaner is designed (among other things) so that the casing of the machine is thoroughly sealed, allowing no dust or dirt to be emitted directly from the machine.
3. False. This is a very common misconception. Designed properly, a 5-amp machine can clean as well as a 12-amp machine without the risk of overheating, a problem with a high-amperage machine.
4. True. Until the 1900s, compressed air was used to blow away dust. In 1901, a civil engineer by the name of Herbert Cecil Bothe came up with the idea that it would be better to suck up the dirt through a filter.
5. True. Tests of older, tubular backpack designs found that as the bag fills, it bulges and stretches against the sidewalls and top of the motor. This can severely reduce airflow and suction.
6. False. To be CRI approved, the vacuum cleaner must effectively remove soil, have adequate air filtration to keep dust in the machine and not in the air, and satisfactorily maintain the appearance of the carpet, according to Hlavin.
7. False. Some countries like Sweden have actually banned carpets from schools but found it did not reduce allergy problems. In fact, follow-up studies by the Swedish Central Statistics Bureau indicated an increase in reported allergies following carpet removal.
8. True. This is based on studies provided by the International Sanitary Supply Association, Inc. (ISSA), according to David Frank, president of the American Institute for Cleaning Sciences.
9. False. Some newer upright vacuum cleaners have larger, two-ply wheels that are much more shock absorbing. This allows better mobility and quieter movement on most floors,
10. True. Canisters are popular for day cleaning because they are quiet, often lower than 60 decibels.
By Daniel Frimml
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