Dyson Cleaners - Aids You To Overcome Your Allergies

Can Vacuuming Actually Make Things Worse?

Can you really be allergic to vacuuming? This can appear to be a bizarre question, but were you aware that vacuuming using a standard vacuum cleaner will exacerbate a lot of allergy sufferers? It is clear when you look carefully at how a conventional vacuum cleaner works.

A conventional vacuum cleaner functions like this: 1) an electric-powered motor draws air inside the vacuum 2) this air is forced through a bag with small openings so that dirt and dust particles are trapped within the bag, but air is expelled out. Among the specific major failures of the conventional vacuum cleaner is that as you use the vacuum cleaner it fills up with dirt; and as it fills up with dirt, the dirt clogs up many of the pores of the vacuum bag and restricts air flow. The result is a huge reduction in the vacuum's "suction" as you use it.The issue with many allergens is that the contaminants are small (often between 0-40 microns).

So if you want to capture the allergens in your vacuum cleaner, this requires a vacuum bag or filter that has pores smaller than the size of the allergens. However tiny holes quickly get blocked and also make it harder for air to be forced through the bag. The result is that severe allergy sufferers will purchase these fine pore vacuum bags (to catch most allergens) and switch them around 10 times per month (to maintain sufficient suction). They will also obtain special HEPA filters and have a someone else clean out the vacuum. But even using the right bag and following careful precautions may not be enough.

Pumping Allergens to Air

Looking mainly at the physical mechanisms, you can view a vacuum cleaner like a device that actually pumps allergens into the surrounding and further aggravating allergies. Different particles are drawn into the vacuum bag by the motor and slowly "clog up" the bag and lowers its ability to draw a vacuum. Sadly, it's the smallest particles (the ones which also result in the biggest problems) that exit the majority of vacuum bags. The size ranges for some well-known household allergens vary from 0-40 microns.
Plant pollen: 10 - 24 microns
Dust Mite: 10 - 40 microns
Mold spore: 4 - 5 microns
kitty allergen: 0 - 2.5 microns

The Dyson, however, uses a different system for separating dirt.First, the air is sent spinning in a primary "cyclone" where centrifugal force (~500 G) causes the heavier dirt particles to spin to the outside, and drop to the bottom. Some conventional bagless systems use a similar design to remove the heavier dirt particles, but a pleated filter is then used when it time to filter out the fine particles (see the diagram below showing (a) a conventional bag vacuum and (b) a conventional bagless vacuum).

The Dyson is totally different because the second stage is a set of 7 parallel tiny cyclones, each spinning at very high speeds (centrifugal forces ~100,000 G). These 7 tiny cyclones force the tiny dust particles to drop out. After the cyclones, the air does go into a washable mechanical pre-motor filter made of foam and electrostatic filter paper, and then into a post-motor HEPA filter that never needs to be changed under normal usage. The result is great suction over the life of the vacuum and containment of particles within the vacuum.

Cleaning out the dirt and dust

Most allergy patients recognize that they should not be the person changing the vacuum bag or filter on a traditional bagless vacuum. There isn't an easy way to handle a vacuum bag or a filter without getting dirt, dust and allergens all over you with a conventional vacuum. The Dyson does somewhat better here by having a door that frees when you pull a lever, but it is tough to avoid some contact. When cleaning the Dyson, my best advice is to:

Unload dirt when the allergy sufferer is not at home, or empty the vacuum cleaner outside the home. If you must empty the vacuum cleaner within the home, empty it within the garbage can directly, or have your family and friends help empty the vacuum cleaner. You should also wash your HEPA filter regularly (for the Dyson only).

One Last Note to Allergy Sufferers

Every little detail of the design has been fastidiously screened and engineered, and the end result is just a great product that really makes people say "wow" and "ahhh". If you suffer from serious allergies, I am confident that you'll enjoy the Dyson. If I worked for Dyson (and I don't), I would go so far as giving you a 100% rebate if you haven't fallen in love with your Dyson in 90 days. I fell in love with my Dyson after cleaning up the mess from my first home construction project.