Vacuum cleaners

Vacuum cleaning

The indoor air we breathe can be damaging to our health if we don’t keep the dust, dirt and microscopic organisms such as dust mites under control. Regular cleaning is important for family health, and a good vacuum cleaner can save energy, while still doing a good job.

There are, of course, many cleaning jobs that don’t require the vacuum cleaner at all. A broom, a dustpan and brush or a carpet sweeper require no electricity and can effectively take care of specific cleaning jobs.

Getting the most out of your vacuum cleaner

A common misconception is that higher wattage equals a more powerful vacuum cleaner. This is not true. It just means it uses more electricity. Modern vacuum cleaners use around 1.6 KWh when in use and it has been calculated that the average household vacuums for around one hour per week.

• If you’re choosing a new vacuum cleaner then consider an upright model. They have the best suction for the energy used, so they should use less power to do the job, have larger dust bags or buckets, and are ergonomically better for most people.

• Cyclone-type cleaners that don’t have a bag can be effective and energy-efficient, but only if the filter is cleaned regularly and thoroughly. Emptying the container, however, almost inevitably releases dust back into the atmosphere.

• Barrel types are easier to store but can require more frequent emptying. They are often sold on their power rating, stated in watts of electricity. The higher the number, the more electricity it’s using.

So how do you know which one to buy?

Choose the model that has the lowest power rating yet still does a good job. Talk to the vendor about how well the design’s airflow converts the electricity into suction. Just buying the “most powerful” won’t necessarily deliver the best cleaning.

While paper bags are disposable, they are often made from recycled paper fibre and can be added to the compost heap; if torn up before adding to the compost bin, bag and contents will break down into rich soil. Reuseable bags can be emptied into the compost bin.

Vacuum cleaners with exit filters, often described as HEPA filters, prevent dust particles being returned to the air.

How to use your vacuum cleaner most efficiently

The first thing you can do to save energy, money and reduce greenhouse emissions at the power station is to clean the filter or empty the bag. The more clogged the cleaner is with dust, the harder its electric motor has to work to draw air through the filter.

If your vacuum cleaner has different power setting for different types of flooring then select the one most appropriate to the job at hand to save power.

Likewise, set the cleaning head, if it is adjustable, to the ideal height for the style of flooring you have. If the cleaning brush in the head is having to work too hard to rotate then you are wasting electricity (and heating up the drive system).