by: Catherine Olivia
According to history, the first vacuum cleaner actually wasn't a vacuum cleaner at all, it was a carpet sweeper. The inventor was a man by the name of Daniel Hess who in 1860 patented a machine that had rotating brushes on the bottom and bellows to generate suction. There is however no evidence that this machine was ever produced. It would be some forty plus years later, in 1908, that Mr. James Spangler of Canton, Ohio would receive a patent for the first electric portable vacuum cleaner. And, it was his cousin-in-law, William Hoover, who lent his name to the legendary company that still produces vacuums today.
For more than one hundred and forty years the vacuum cleaner has been improved upon. Whether you are doing your weekly vacuuming of your home, doing a thorough spring cleaning (including vacuuming the furniture, and all the dust balls that have gathered behind it), or, leaving the vacuuming up to the robot, there is a vacuum suited to your need. Upright or canister, hepa filtered, bagged or bagless, there is an endless array of vacuums on the market today.
A vacuum actually cleans in two ways. The first, and the job we rate a vacuum on most is how the vacuum actually picks up debris and dirt from a carpet, or floor. When you are looking for a vacuum keep in mind the power of the suction motor, this is critical for good performance. The second, and not so often thought about, is how well the vacuum filters the air it puts back into the home. For those with allergy problems a hepa vacuum might be the best choice. Some of these hepa vacuums can filter out over 99% of pollens, household dust and other allergens.
Then, there is the choice of canister or upright vacuum. This is strictly based on personal preference. Both types of vacuums have pluses and minuses. Canister vacuum heads will be able to reach under your furniture, and will be easier to use when vacuuming the stairs. Canister vacuums generally have a retractable electrical cord, which is much more convenient than wrapping the cord back around the vacuum neck. It is easier to push the lightweight vacuum head of a canister as opposed to pushing an upright vacuum. Some say they prefer to have the vacuum in front of them, which is why they like an upright. They don't like dragging the vacuum behind them. Upright vacuum cleaner bags tend to be larger than bags used in canister vacuums so they need to be changed less frequently.
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