I’ve always recommended against the use of carpet cleaning with hot water extractors (also known as steam cleaners or carpet shampooers) because most of them leave the carpet damp, setting the stage for mold growth. They can also leave a sticky film on the carpet that just attracts more dirt.
Then I saw the Bissell ProHeat CleanShot deep cleaner. This system works much better than any steam cleaner that you can buy or rent. And, for about the same price as renting one, you can have your own to use whenever you want. (If you have light-colored carpets like I do, a deep cleaner will come in handy quite often!) Read more about Bissell deep carpet cleaners
If Austin Powers materialized from the movie screen and asked for a vacuum cleaner that wouldn’t destroy his shag carpet, I’d recommend the Bissell Healthy Home vacuum. This bagless vacuum lets you to turn off the brush roll while maintaining the powerful cyclonic suction, thus allowing you to vacuum shag carpet and other delicate materials that might otherwise get scratched or tangled in the brush. The brush also stops rolling when the vacuum is not moving forward, making the vacuuming experience remarkably quiet.
My first question about a vacuum cleaner, however, is always this: Does it effectively eliminate household allergens? The Bissell Healthy Home vac not only features eight cyclonic chambers to suck up allergens, but it also contains a HEPA filter within a sealed system. The HEPA filter eliminates 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size, and the sealed system ensures that no dirt or allergens get back into the air. Plus, it has built-in Microban antimicrobial protection to keep mold, mildew, and bacteria from growing inside the vacuum. Read more about Bissell Healthy Home vacuums
I recently attended my grandmother’s 90th birthday party (Happy Birthday, Grandma!) at my aunt and uncle’s house. I noticed that they had an iRobot Roomba vacuum, and being in the business of indoor health products, I just had to inspect the little robot.
I remember the first time that I saw the Roomba in a magazine. An intelligent, robotic vacuum that does the work for you! What could be better? “The future has arrived,” I thought. “Before long, we’ll all be living like The Jetsons.”
I’ll admit it: As an allergy sufferer, I don’t vacuum as well as I should. When it comes to vacuuming, I like to get it over with as soon as possible. That’s what I enjoyed most about testing out the Sebo X4 vacuum: I was able to get my floors extremely clean with minimal effort. This upright vac is a powerhouse with an S-class filtration system (the British equivalent of HEPA). I knew that the carpet was clean without having to go over the same spot twice.
I prefer upright vacuums, and I can tell you that few upright vacuums match the cleaning power of the Sebo upright. The Sebo X4 contains two fans for twice the suction power. (Be warned: don’t get this vacuum near a frayed rug because it’ll suck the edges right up!) Read more about Sebo X4 vacuums
When you have to clean a dusty 48-acre plant full of machinery, even the best household vacuum won’t get the job done. In this case, you need a specialized industrial vacuum.
Jim Ford, CEO of Harris Woolf Almonds, is in charge of a 48-acre almond processing plant in California. The plant packages 45 million pounds of almonds per year. But before the almonds can be packaged, they must be shelled and cleaned – and this creates a lot of dust.
“It’s a very fine dust,” explains Ford, “and it’s very difficult to sweep.”
Almond dust is problematic because it attracts insects, creates a fire hazard, and can interfere with the functioning of machinery. In the past, a team of sweepers had to work around the clock to keep the plant dust-free.
To combat the dust problem, Ford sought help from Nilfisk, the world’s leading manufacturer of professional cleaning equipment. Read more about Nilfisk industrial vacuums
I tried the new Electrolux Pronto stick vacuum a few weeks ago. Although I loved the entire design concept of the 2 in 1 vacuum and its actual performance, I must admit that it’s not the right vacuum for my home – but it may be the perfect vacuum for you!
The Pronto vacuum is ideal for apartments, lofts, and small houses with mostly hard floors. While it works well on low-pile carpets, it is not made for use on high-pile carpets. (I have high-pile carpet and two pet cats, which is why I need a larger vacuum made for carpet cleaning.) Read more about Electrolux Pronto 2 in 1 vacuums
I recently had the opportunity to “test-drive” a Halo UV vacuum cleaner, and I was very impressed by its design, handling, and germ-killing ability. Halo UV vacuums feature a UV-C light bulb that kills viruses, bacteria, dust mite eggs, flea eggs, mold spores, and other germs. UV-C light bulbs have been used to kill germs in water treatment plants and hospitals for many years, and more recently, some supermarkets have started using them to sterilize shopping carts. Read more about Halo Vacuums
I’ve always recommended against the use of carpet cleaning with hot water extractors (also known as steam cleaners or carpet shampooers) because most of them leave the carpet damp, setting the stage for mold growth. They can also leave a sticky film on the carpet that just attracts more dirt.
