02/06/2014
Do you as a professional help guide your clients to the right buying decision for the vacuum they use in their homes or businesses? We often take some time with new clients to inspect the units they are using and the other day on Facebook a friend of mine posted a question on what is better. A canister vac "bag-less" or a bagged vacuum. This was my response. As a pro what is your favorite unit and why?
"One thing for sure is how passionate people are about their vacuums. Its like I have insulted a family member when I tell them they got ripped off by the door to door salesman that sold them a bad vacuum. Its funny the crap Americans will buy when you put a guy with a fancy hat and a British accent in a infomercial. lol.
It really comes down to what you are planning to achieve with your vacuum. Are you looking for something just to use as a litter picker upper? Something to get the stuff you CAN see, like pet hair and crumbs. In that case most any $65 vacuum from Wallmart will do. But if you are worried about indoor air quality you will need to choose carefully. A good solid vacuum is a real investment. And should last years. You want something that filters the stuff you CAN'T see and not just displace it back into the air only to redistribute back onto the carpet, upholstery and drapes.
Then you have to ask. Do I want an upright, canister, or backpack? They all have their advantages and disadvantages. As a pro I choose a Backpack unit. They are fast and versatile allowing for easy over head cleaning, edging, mattress, hard surfaces and furniture cleaning. Plus I look really cool like a Ghost Buster or a Rocket man lol.. Carpet and upholstery are like huge filters or sinks for fine particulate particles to collect in/on. And need maintained well to insure indoor air quality is healthy. The ultimate residential vac is truly a central vac. as this moves particles to a unit out side or in a garage. No need to worry about filtering in the middle of the living room. But those can be very expensive. The link below will take you to approved vacuums by the CRI. I have been to the testing facility and watched them test vacuums and it truly uses NASA Science with its X-ray Florescent Technology. The CRI is the trade association for carpet manufactures, based in Georgia where they make 95% of the carpet in the world. You will see that the most popular brands don't even meet the most basic requirements including Dyson, Rainbow, and the famous Kirby. I hope this is not information over load but this is what I do. As a pro I have solved Asthma related problems for hundreds of my clients. Using solid proven science. http://www.carpet-rug.org/.../soa-gl-vacuum-list.cfm."
Tom Sherman
Professional Carpet Systems
SCRT BOD