Last updated on June 5th, 2022
Your health and the health of your family are very important. So how to choose a vacuum that can ensure a better air environment for our healthiness. This is because the air exhausted out of a vacuum cleaner can contain bacteria, pollens, and allergens that have been sucked out of the carpet.
-These can be harmful to people and pets, especially those with breathing difficulties such as asthma.
So, the following are some of the tips to help you choose the most reliable vacuum to better protect your health (including your family members).
Also read: Top 3 Canister Vacuum For Allergies & Asthma Sufferers.
Tips to Choose a Great Vacuum for Better Health
Before we really dive in, let’s see the following video on choosing a great-quality vacuum:
1. Vacuum with HEPA Filter
Look for a vacuum incorporating filters that trap the harmful particles and prevents them from being released from the vacuum. These are usually referred to as HEPA filter vacuum cleaners, S Filter, and Hospital Filtration vacuums. According to NIOSH (the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), a HEPA filter is one that can trap 99.97 percent of dust particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter (where a micron is one-millionth of a meter).
There’s nothing particularly significant about particles 0.3 microns in diameter: they are simply the ones most likely to get through the filter. To put 0.3 microns in perspective, a typical human hair is roughly 50-150 microns in diameter, so a HEPA filter is trapping dust several hundred times thinner, including dust mite dung, mold spores, and even some bacteria and viruses.
A vacuum with proper HEPA filtration will move virtually all (over 90 percent) of the dirty air through the HEPA filter. This means that HEPA filters obstruct the airstream in vacuum cleaners. It takes a lot of suction to pull air past through the filter so true HEPA vacuum cleaners need more powerful and therefore costly motors.
2. Bagged or Bagless Vacuum Cleaner?
This is truly a matter of personal choice. Personally, as I am asthmatic, I prefer a bag vacuum cleaner because I do not like the idea of dust particles escaping when I empty the dust container. However, I have clients with asthma who have no problems emptying a bagless machine.
But to be honest, for those people that suffered from asthma or allergies, it’s better to use the bagged vacuum. Of course, both the bagged or bagless vacuum has their own strengths and weaknesses as you can read here.
3. On-Board Tools and Attachments
A good length hose is preferable and ideally, the hose should reach the height of a flight of stairs. This means that the vacuum can stand safely at the bottom of the staircase while you can use the hose to clean the individual steps. However, if your preferred vac does not have such a hose, invest in a handheld model for the steps. Never vacuum a staircase from above as the vacuum could fall down the stairs and cause injury.
So, always look for a vacuum that comes with many onboard tools if possible. Those attachments can help you do the cleaning a lot faster and save your time to do other jobs. If you are using a canister vacuum, here are the 10 accessories that can help in your daily cleaning tasks.
4. Vacuum Cleaners for Pet Hairs
If you have pets, a vacuum cleaner that will effectively pick up their hair is essential. You will need a model with a powerful motor to ensure strong suction. As well as power, you need a vacuum cleaner with good turbo brushes to loosen and lift the hair.
The best way to be sure the vacuum cleaner will have the brushes you need is to look for ‘Pets’ in the name and description. If the vacuum cleaner is described as being suitable for pet hair, you’ll know it’ll be able to cope with the most demanding conditions.
See our editor’s recommendations on the Best Vacuum for Pet Hair: Reviews & Buying Guide.
5. Variable Power Vacuum Cleaners
While you generally need most power for vacuuming your carpets, if you also have rugs or delicate fabrics to vacuum, a vacuum cleaner that gives you the option to turn the power down can be really useful. The option of adjusting the power means you can vacuum rug tassels without destroying them, curtains without pulling them down, and delicate upholstery without destroying them. So the ability to vary the suction levels can make vacuuming safer and easier!
Also, for a canister vacuum, you can either have a turbo head or powerhead to be used during the cleaning process i.e. depending on the surfaces you are cleaning. More info here.
6. Agility and Maneuverability
Traditionally, upright vacuums have had fixed wheels, making it harder to change direction and clean around obstacles. This is especially so if you have significant areas of carpet to vacuum or if your movement is restricted through age and or conditions such as arthritis.
So features that make vacuuming easier are well worth the investment. In recent years, manufacturers have developed models with pivot heads, swivel neck joints, and castor rollers that allow you to change direction and clean around obstacles with just a turn of your wrist.
Dyson models incorporate ball technology to improve maneuverability. Bosch uses a pivoting head in its Felix range, as does Hoover in its Slalom model. Miele uses a swivel neck joint in its Complete series of vacuum cleaners.
Last Words
With these pointers in mind visit retailers, test models for yourself, and check online reviews. When the time comes to decide, you will have armed yourself with sufficient information to make an excellent informed choice.
If you are still undecided, you can refer to the homepage of this site and you will get many ideas and we also pick the most suitable vacuums for different surfaces and pricing. If you are looking for other traditional types of vacuums, here are the buying guide:
We hope that you can pick the best model for your and your family member’s healthiness.
