Vacuum Cleaner Types And Configurations

Vacuum cleaners are devices that use an air pump to
create a partial vacuum to suck up dirt and dust,
normally from carpeted floors. Most homes that have
carpet floors have a vacuum for cleaning. The dirt
that is pulled up from the carpet is collected by
a filtering system or even a cyclone for later
disposal.

There are several type of configurations possible
for vacuum cleaners.

Upright
Upright vacuums have the pump mounted directly above
the suction intake, with the bag mounted directly on
the handle, which will rise to waist height or so.
The upright type designs normally employ mechanical
beaters which often rotate brushes, to help disturb
dust enough to be vacuumed up. These beaters are
normally driven by a belt that is attached to the
vacuum motor.

Canister
Also known as cylinder vacuums, the canister type
designs have the motor and bag in a seperate canister
unit that connects to the vacuum head by a flexible
hose. Even though upright units have been tested
as being more effective, the lighter and more
maneuverable heads of the canister models are quite
popular. Some models have power heads, which contain
the same type of mechanical beaters found it upright
units, although they are driven by a seperate electric
motor.

Wet vacs/dry vacs
These types a specialized form of the canister
vacuum and they can be used to clean up wet or liquid
spills as well. They will commonly accomodate both
wet and dry soilage, with some being equipped with
a switch or exhaust port that reverses the flow of
air. This is a very useful function for everything
from clearing clogged hoses to blowing dust into a
corner for easy collecting.

Back pack vac
These types of vacuums are commonly used for
commercial cleaning, as they allow you to move about
quickly and efficiently in a large area. They are
basically canister vacuum cleaners, except for the
fact that straps are used to carry the canister
on your back.

Built in or central
These types of vacuum cleaners will move the suction
motor and bag to a central location in the building
and provide vacuum inlets at strategic places
throughout the entire building. You only need to
carry the hose and pickup head from room to room,
while the hose is normally 25 foot long and allows
a large range of movement without changing vacuum
inlets.

The plastic piping will connect vacuum inlets to
the central unit. The vacuum can either be unpowered
or have beaters that are operated by an electric
motor or an air driven motor. The bag in the
central vacuum system is normally so big that
emptying it or changing needs to be done less as
often, sometimes only once a year.

Vacuum Cleaner - An Absolute Must For Your New Home

A vacuum cleaner is an absolute must have home
appliance these days. All of us rely on our vacuum
cleaner to help keep our homes free of dirt and dust,
although how we go about it sometimes, doesn't
give a lot of thought as to how efficient the
vacuum cleaner really is.

Before electric vacuums were created, home cleaning
was a tedious task. Back then, floors had to be
cleaned with brushes, mops, and brooms. Rugs and
carpets had to be removed from the floor, hung up
outdoors, and beaten to get the dust out. Doing
things this way involved a lot of time and effort
and caused many health complaints.

The earlier inventions of non electric floor cleaning
devices made home cleaning much easier. People
started to look for ways to improve on the efficiency
of these machines, which caused all types of
contraptions to be invented.

Throughout the 100 year history of the vacuum cleaner,
there have been all sorts of improvements. The
very first electric vacuums were created in the
early 1900s. In 1908, the Hoover Company built
the first electric vacuum cleaner that used a cloth
filter bag and cleaning attachments as well.

During the years that followed, many different
designs and models were created, each one varying
in weight, size, suction power, performance, and
other features. With all of the designs that came
out, the upright vacuum cleaner remained to be the
most popular.

The latest upright vacuums that are available today
will make cleaning a whole lot easier. They are
very light and versatile, and come in both bagged
and bagless designs. They also include tools that
will help you remove dust from drapes, upholstery,
and even get tricky and hard to reach places.

By owning a bagless vacuum, you won't ever have
to buy vacuum bags again. When it comes time to
empty the dirt container, you can empty it right
into your garbage can.

You'll want to do this out in your yard or on the
street in order to prevent the dust from getting
back into your house. If you suffer from allergies,
it's best to stay with a bagged unit. With bagged
vacuum cleaners, the dust will stay in a sealed
bag and then when it gets full, you can easily
dispose of it without being exposed to dust.

When you buy a vacuum cleaner, it's very important
to choose the best vacuum that will fit your home
cleaning needs. You'll also need to think about
carpets and rugs, hard floors, even stairs before
you purchase your vacuum. This way, you'll be
able to get the right vacuum with the right
accessories for the job - which will save you a lot
of time and effort when the time comes to clean your
home.

Getting Your Home Spotless With A Steam Cleaner

A selection of hot water extractors are being marketed
that range from the large or small canister types
with hose and nozzle to those that look more like an
upright vacuum cleaner. The basic operation of the
steam cleaner vacuum involves spraying a mixture
of warm water and detergent into the carpet, washing
the fibers and then extracting the solution mixture
back out. There are some models that include
rotating or revolving brushes that will agitate the
carpet for better cleaning.

The earlier styles that were sold consisted of a
special wand and nozzle that was used to on wet/dry
utility type of vacuum cleaner. The long hose was
connected to a nearby hot water source. The detergent
came in a small bottle on the wand and was mixed with
hot water before being sprayed on the carpet. By
using a finger controlled valve, you should control
how much water was sprayed in the carpet. Even today,
this type of vacuum is still being used.

The more modern designs are more self contained in
the sense that water and detergent mixtures are
placed into a tank on the machine. This will free
you from the long water supply hose.

The main part of an extractor will consist of a
cleaning solution tank, recovery tank, suction motor,
cleaning nozzle, and some sort of solution spraying
system. If there is a hose that is used, there
will also be a motor or turbine driven pump that
will force the solution on to the end of the hose.

Upright steam cleaners
These types of vacuums look like uprights also
have the tanks, suction motor, main nozzle, and
other features built into one. The entire vacuum
unit is pushed around much like using an upright
vacuum cleaner. Normally, the solution is gravity
fed to the spray nozzle which is directly behind
the suction nozzle.

Most types have brushes mounted in the same area
to agitate the carpet for overall better cleaning.
For cleaning upholstered furniture and carpeted
stairs, most types will have a special hose and
smaller nozzle that will come with stationary
brushes that can easily detach.

Canister steam cleaners
This type of steam cleaner will come with a separate
hose and nozzle and has the tanks and suction motor
built directly into a case that is pulled along
with you. The nozzle at the end of the hose and
the wands are moved back and forth across the carpet
to clean it.

There are some deluxe models that have a drive motor
style revolving brush in the nozzle that will help
you with the process of cleaning. These types of
nozzles are much lighter to move acros the carpet
than the upright types of steam cleaners.

The only disadvantage is that they aren't as
convenient to set up and store as the self contained
upright type. Therefore, having to pull them
around with you can be a pain in the neck. The
smaller portable extractor is a variation of the
canister type in a small package. Even though this
may sound great to have for stairs and furniture,
the effectiveness they offer is actually quite
poor.

Steam cleaners work the best when they used on a
periodic basis to clean carpets that are very
lightly soiled. If you use them on carpet that is
very heavily soiled or stained, it can be very
disappointing to say the least.

If you have the need for heavy duty cleaning, you
should look into the professional cleaning
services that are offered in your area. They have
heavy duty commercial equipment that is far more
powerful and able to produce much better results.

How Do Vacuum Cleaners Work To Clean Your Home

Even though it may appear to be a very complicated
machine, the conventional vacuum cleaner is actually
made up of six essential components: intake port,
exhaust port, electric motor, fan, porous bag, and
a housing that stores all of the other components.

When you plug the vacuum cleaner into the outlet and
turn it on, the following happens:
1. First of all, the electric current will
operate the motor, which is attached to the fan,
which resembles an airplane propeller.
2. As the blades begin to turn, they will
force the air upwards, towards the exhaust port.
3. When the air particles are driven forwards,
the density of the particles will increase in front
of the fan and therefore decrease behind it.

The pressure drop that occurs behind the fan is
similar to the pressure drop when you take a drink
through a straw. The pressure level in the area
that is behind the fan will drop below the pressure
level that is outside of the vacuum cleaner.

This will create a suction inside of the vacuum
cleaner. The ambient air will push itself into the
vacuum cleaner through the intake port because the
air pressure that is inside of the vacuum cleaner
is much lower than the pressure on the outside.

Picking the dirt up
The stream of air that the vacuum generates is just
like a stream of water. The air particles that move
will rub against any loose dust or debris and if
it is light enough, the friction will carry the
material around the inside of the vacuum cleaner.

As the dirt continues on to the exhaust port, it
will pass through the cleaner bag. They tiny holes
in the vacuum cleaner bag are large enough to let
the air pass through, although too small for the
dust particles to fit through. Therefore, when
the air current gets into the bag, the dirt and
debris will be collected there.

You can stick the bag anywhere along the path
between the intake tube and the exhaust port, just
as long as the air current passes through.

Suction
The power of a vacuum cleaner's suction will depend
on several factors. The suction can be stronger
or weaker depending on:
1. Fan power - In order to generate a
strong suction, the motor needs to turn at a good
speed.
2. Air passageway - When a lot of debris
builds up in the bag, the air will face a greater
level of resistance on the way out. Each particle
of air will move slowly due to the increase in
drag. This is the reason why a vacuum cleaner
works much better once you've replaced the bag
than when you have been using it for a while.
3. Size of the intake port - With the
speed of the vacuum fan being constant, the amount
of air that passes through the vacuum cleaner per
second is also constant.

How To Vacuum Clean Your Home Effectively

Image via Wikipedia

To maintain the look, feel, and appearance of your
carpet you'll need to vacuum on a regular basis. If
you are new to vacuuming, you'll find the tips below
to help you when it comes to keeping your home clean:

1. Before you start, you should always inspect
the area. Pick up any objects that could cause
your vacuum cleaner to clog up. The smaller objects
are fine, just as long as they will pass through the
vacuum.

2. You should check the vacuum bag to ensure
that is isn't full already. If it is full, you
should go ahead and change it. A full bag isn't
going to suck up much dirt, as the power will be
greatly reduced due to the bag taking up a great
deal of storage and limiting the suction.

3. You should always vacuum forwards instead
of going backwards. Going forward will get the
job done quicker and you won't wear your cord out
near as fast. When going backwards, you also run
the risk of running back over your cord, which is
something you don't want to do.

4. Be sure that you overlap your strokes
to ensure that you get out all of the dirt and the
residue. You don't want to miss any of the carpet,
which is why it is important that you overlap your
strokes.

5. You should change your vacuuming
direction on occasion to reduce any type of matting
in your carpet. You can change direction without
any problems. Doing this every time you make a
sweep on the carpet or every other time you vacuum
will be good.

6. On corners, use a damp cloth or a
crevice tool attachment that hooks up to your
vacuum cleaner. This will ensure that you get the
corners and tight areas good, and they don't
stand out from the rest of the carpet.

7. You can get rid of dust particles and
dirt by waving a vacuum wand under your bed. Doing
so on occasion will ensure that your bedroom
stays clean, and smells clean as well.

For kitty litter on carpets or floors, you should
use a lightweight vacuum cleaner. To get deep
into the fibers of the carpet, you should try
an upright vacuum cleaner with a power brush. Kitty
litter can be a pain in the neck if it gets
crushed in the pile or embedded, which is why
you should get it out as quick as you can.

Give some thought to purchasing a vacuum cleaner
with a rotating brush or combination beater and
brush bar, which will loosen up the dirt in the
carpet and then suck it out. This will beat the
dirt from the fibers and even embedded dirt, which
will leave your carpet clean and smelling great.

Whenever you vacuum, you should always be on the
lookout for straw, thread, and string as it can
trap debris in the vacuum hose and result in a
clog. These types of hazards are also bad for the
agitators as well, as they can clog up the suction
as well, or get tangled up in the agitators and
cause more problems.

If you have pets, you should sprinkle some baking
soda on the carpet before you vacuum. Let it sit
for a little while, then vacuum. The baking soda
is a lot cheaper than carpet fresheners and it
does the same thing - only better.

Vacuuming is very easy to do, and it's something
that should be done on a regular basis. You don't
have to be an expert to vacuum, all you have to
do is make an effort. Your carpet will look good
all the time, and your house will stay smelling
great - which is reason enough to grab the vacuum
and take a trip through the house with it.

Making Your Life Easier With A Hand Held Vacuum Cleaner

All of us have a special tool lying around the house
that we simply cannot live without. A tool or gadget
that makes life a lot easier because it exists. For
many people, this tool or gadget is the hand held
vacuum cleaner. When it comes to cleaning house, this
tool is something many people couldn't live without.

Regardless of the type of home you have, a hand held
vacuum cleaner can make life a lot easier. Whether
it's a tiny apartment or a large mansion, these small
cleaners are the perfect way to cope with unexpected
spills and not have to worry about dragging a vacuum
cleaner around. Anyone who has messy kids or a messy
spouse, hand held vacuum cleaners can help you keep
your home spick and span without having to lose your
mind in the process.

The truth remains that few of us do housework just
for the sake of doing it. There are a few dedicated
souls out there who enjoy all the stretching and
exercise that cleaning involves, although the rest
of us just go for the results.

A clean and tidy home is very nice, relaxing, and
nothing in the world is more frustrating than
achieving one only to see all of your hard work being
shattered by the falling of crumbs or the spilling
of liquid on your freshly vacuumed floor.

The hand held vacuum cleaner will allow you to
enjoy the same results without having to do any of
the hard work. Many of us who find peace and
tranquility in an organized home will normally hide
tools we use to create it out of sight. Then,
when it comes time to clean house, dragging the
vacuum out of it's hiding place can be a chore in
its own rights.

For small messes and spills, a pint sized cleaner
can help you retain your sense of peace simply
because it will help you to realize that the small
stuff is just that - small stuff - and nothing more.

The tools used to perform common household tasks
should be the things you love to use, as this is
actually the best way to ensure that the housework
will actually get done.

Small portable cleaning devices are the ultimate
in friendly cleaning equipment, as they can clean
up small messes before they get bigger. You also
don't have to work all the time either to achieve
the clean home you want, you simply need the
right tools for the job.

The first time you pick up a handheld vacuum
cleaner, you'll see how something so small in
size can make a world of difference. You'll cut
your vacuum time in half and ensure that your
home stays clean all the time - spill free.