5 Myths of Vacuuming
So be honest- there isn’t anything too exciting about vacuums. Vacuums cleans, and that’s about all they do….well unless you get creative. But we aren’t going to do that.
It’s human nature to make up myths and stories about pretty much ANYTHING, and this is especially true of housewives and salesman. The downside is that for many consumers, this had led the vacuum industry down the path of becoming one of the most “storied” markets in the modern world. The aim of this article is to bust a few vacuum myths.
Power and performance are not the same.
There’s only two ways that the power of a vacuum can and will be measured. Those are: the watts used and the amps of the electric current that power the vacuum. Due to the design advantages, high powered filters, innovative technologies and many other things where quality plays a role, there’s a number of vacuums on the market that perform surprisingly well at a lower wattage. In other words, you’re getting better results while using less power.
You may want to actually look at the number of statistics to determine how well the vacuum ACTUALLY performs. Don’t listen to any demonstrations or advertisements, since they say very little about how efficiently the vacuum actually cleans. All they do is show you that it can pick up a bowling ball in hopes that you’ll buy it. Make sure that you look at the numbers of the “particle absorption rate”, because this is actually the best indicator for how effectively your vacuum keeps the dust and dirt out of the carpet and the air around it.
The only thing that matters about my vacuum is how hard it sucks.
Boy if people could count the times that they’ve heard this myth… juuuuuuuuuust kidding! This myth goes along the same lines as the first one on our list. It’s based on the idea that vacuums work by sucking the ground really…really… REALLY hard. That’s not the most important factor in a vacuum’s performance. Its ability to take particles of dust and dirt from the ground and remove them permanently remains the primary task IS. Because of that, technologies like high quality HEPA filters, static airflow assistors, and general vacuum design make or break the effectiveness of your vacuum.
If I want better performance, I will have to buy a new vacuum and abandon my old vacuum-buddy.
If you’re reading this and thinking that your vacuum just won’t do, you may also be thinking that you will have to run out and get an entirely new vacuum to take care of the job. The reality is that most vacuums can have individual parts replaced or upgraded to increase efficiency. Static filters, filters designed for HEPA vacuums, more powerful belts, and even vacuum bags with better performance can all be installed to make your current vacuum complete the job in a more effective way.
If I get a bag-less vacuum, I won’t have to worry about replacing anything inside it.
While it would be great to believe that bagless vacuums are some form of immortal Greek hero, they require just as much maintenance as a standard vacuum. While you won’t have to replace any bags, the filter will need semi-frequent replacement, the belt will require routine maintenance, and you will need to look after other minor details, depending on the model you have. If you treat your bagless like a super hero, it will die on you.
A Vacuum can actually suck up and hold on to a bowling ball and lots of other things.
Umm yeah. I don’t even think I have to explain this- but those infomercials can be preeeeeeetty tantalizing. Pretty much, the vacuum hose can initially “suck up” a bowling ball (I’m surprised they can even get it to do that on TV) by forming a suction around the bowling ball. Potentially, if it’s the right shape and you move slowly, you can suck it up initially, just in time to catch it on camera. But kids- this can’t actually happen.
So there you have it! I just made a really boring list about vacuum myths fun! Now go play with your vacuums and try to disprove them all. Send videos if you manage to suck up a bowling ball or anything of equal size/weight. Thanks!
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