Sunday, August 3, 2008

What my bagless vacuum is leaving my house dirty and unhealthy?

By Kristina Brown


Have you ever encountered this situation? You are in the middle of vacuuming the floor pressured for time because company is coming over soon when you encounter the problem of a full bag and additionally a filter that needs changing. Searching frantically through your closet to find the necessary materials to rectify the problem you see that you are depleted of both filters and bags. You suddenly wish you had a bag-less vacuum cleaner, with a filter system that does not require consistent changing. Although a bagless vacuum cleaner would solve this problem from occurring, it is deficient in other areas where a bagged system excels. For this reason it is important to consider both the positives and negatives of each item and how it specifically relates to your situation.

Many people wonder why they would want a bagless vacuum cleaner and if there are many advantages to owning one. The biggest advantage of a bagless unit is that it does not require bag changes. The vacuum cleaner fills up a canister that is emptied when full. This means no frequent bag changes and no worrying if you have enough bags. The bag situation stated in the first paragraph could never occur because you would never run out of bags.

Another advantage found in certain bagless vacuum cleaners such as the Dyson is no need for filter changes. The filters are actually washable and only need to be washed every 6 months or so. You let the filter dry out for about 12 hours and you are ready to vacuum again. Washing filters instead of replacing them every 6 months saves you time and money. Not all bagless vacuum brands have this feature so watch out for brands that require frequent filter changes because filters can be a disadvantage for many bagless vacuums.

Some bagless vacuum cleaners use cyclonic technology, like the Dyson, which allows the vacuum cleaner to vacuum with the same amount of suction regardless of how much dirt is in the bin. This means no loss of suction even if the entire bin is full. Cyclonic technology is not found in every bagless vacuum cleaner, but be aware when shopping that this is a major consideration considering other brands without this technology do lose suction fairly quickly as the filter and bin begin to clog up with dirt.

Despite the advantages to owning a bagless vacuum cleaner there are also disadvantages to owning such a cleaner. A strong drawback to owning a bagless vacuum cleaner is the emptying of the dirt bin. With a bagless vacuum emptying the dirt bin quickly becomes an unbearable chore for you. When emptying the bin the dirt does not neatly empty into the trash bin, instead it scatters everywhere and quickly sullies the floor you just cleaned and dirtying the air with contaminates you were trying to rid your house of. Emptying the dirt bin is so bad that many bagless vacuum manufactures advise emptying the dust bin outside to prevent getting dirt everywhere in the house. If you suffer from asthma or allergies, this situation can trigger outbreaks. Those with either condition are strongly advised to purchase a bagged vacuum cleaner, to both avoid allergenic or asthmatic outburst and maintain a healthier house.

A bagless unit also makes you see everything you have picked up. It shows exactly how much dirt you just picked up and the dirt stays in the canister staring at you until you dump it outside. This an extremely undesirable feature for many clean freaks because at all times the bin looks dirty. The bin looks dirty even you have emptied the bin because the dirt and dust clings to the plastic bin. Bagless Vacuums use clear plastic bins so you always see the dirt and the only way to get rid of it is to wash out the entire bin. Washing out the entire bin requires a lot of time and energy and will have to be done every time after you vacuum if you cannot stand the look of a dirty bin.

Another disadvantage of some bagless vacuum cleaners is the filtration system. This does not apply to all bagless vacuums but some vacuums contain horrendous filtration systems. Many machines rapidly fill and congest with dirt the minute the machine is switched on. Dirt should be filtered through the filter medium, which in a bagless vacuum cleaner is located in the same place the dirt and debris is located making the filter highly inefficient and unhealthy. The filter is supposed to contain and stop dirty air from spreading within your house, but with this type of setup the contaminated air spreads throughout your house, which should be a serious concern for allergy suffers. Another problem with some bagless filters is the amount of maintenance and money that is required to upkeep the filter. Numerous bagless vacuums require that you change the filter every 6 months, this totals to an amount of roughly $80 a year. A total which is very high for a vacuum cleaner which is supposed to prevent you from spending money on 'extras.' The filters for many bagless vacuum cleaners are both costly and ineffective. For this reason it is vital to look for either a bagged vacuum cleaner or a bagless vacuum cleaner with a lifetime washable filter (an example being the Dyson vacuum cleaner).

With a bagless vacuum cleaner you are not forced to purchase bags and filters for the machine, but it when purchasing your subsequent vacuum cleaner it is important to keep in mind the negatives of buying a bagless vacuum cleaner as well. Bagless vacuum cleaners are a horrendous choice for those with asthma and allergies, as the construction of the machine is far from friendly with those with these types of conditions. Overall it is the choice of the user, and the lifestyle of the user. However not having to replace the bag has many drawbacks such as a vacuum cleaner that never looks clean, needs filter replacements every 6 months for an ineffective filter, and a machine that constantly emits contamination into the air. Now you are armed with useful information about the positives and negatives of both the bagged and bagless vacuum cleaner, which can help you find out what is best for you and your current situation.

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