Product Selection: Vacuum Cleaners

Which Vacuum Options Are Right For Your Business?
When it comes to indoor air quality (IAQ) and ergonomics, vacuums have not always had a good reputation. All that’s changing. Vacuums today are lighter, sleeker, more powerful, and better for the environment.

The vacuum cleaner is both enemy and hero in the IAQ battle. Due to normal wear and tear of the motor, vacuums can spit fine particulate matter into the air. A vacuum with a good filtration system, however, is the best weapon in the fight against air pollution. Filters prevent particles from leaving the vacuum and entering the environment. The smaller the particle, the more likely it is to escape. Vacuum cleaners with a good filter—especially vacuums with more than one filter—will actually make a space healthier. As a bonus, a good filter also will reduce the need for dusting because less particulate returns to the surface, says Larry Shideler, president of Pro-Team, Boise, Idaho. Shideler was a contract cleaner for 25 years before starting his vacuum manufacturing company in 1988.

The type of filter is less important than the simple fact that the vacuum has at least one, if not several. Look for a filter that is easy to clean and reusable.

The ultimate filtration systems, however, are the newer high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) and ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) systems. HEPA and ULPA can filter more and smaller particulate. They are also more expensive to purchase and require pricey filters that must be replaced often.

While popular in residential vacuums, HEPA and ULPA are only needed for specialized commercial jobs, including “clean rooms” that house delicate computer equipment, museums with one-of-a-kind artifacts, and in institutional health care facilities. The filters also are used in biohazard vacuums that can clean areas of mold, spores, dust and anthrax. Fewer than one-quarter of the commercial vacuums sold by All-Type Vacuum & Janitorial in St. Louis have HEPA filters, says owner Brett Marshall.

If HEPA or ULPA do suit your needs, be aware that there is a difference between HEPA- and ULPA-tested machines and a HEPA- or ULPA-rated filter. It’s better to choose the tested machine because the integrity of the entire machine, not just the filter, has been tested, says Mark Reyers, of distributor PB Gast & Sons.

Ultimately, what is truly important in a vacuum filter, however, is that it improves, rather than worsens, IAQ. Vacuum cleaners should pick up, not re-distribute, dirt through the building.

“Just vacuuming is important,” says Reyers. “People don’t vacuum enough. Vacuum carpets more frequently and IAQ will automatically improve.”

Ergonomic issues
Good filtration systems can reduce damage to the health of the vacuum’s operator. Equally important is that the vacuum is comfortable for its operator. Good ergonomic engineering can reduce user fatigue and repetitive-motion injuries while increasing productivity.

Perhaps the best way to eliminate injuries is to choose the right vacuum cleaner for the job. No matter what type of machine you choose, be sure it is lightweight, which allows an operator to use it for longer periods without tiring.

Uprights typically weigh 15 to 20 pounds (wide-area machines can weigh even more). The user must push and pull that weight, causing stress to the arm, shoulder and back. These machines are best for cleaning large areas faster.

Of a similar weight to the upright is the canister vacuum. The benefit of the canister is that the user must only carry around a lightweight wand that typically weighs less than 3 pounds.

Another option for large spaces—but one that cleans small areas with equal ease—is the backpack vacuum. These cleaners provide increased mobility and flexibility in cleaning operations. Plus, they are more ergonomically correct as they typically weigh less than 10 pounds and the weight is distributed evenly over the hips, reducing strain.

There have been many other updates to traditional vacuum design, which has created a new breed of more ergonomically friendly cleaners. Other options to look for include automatic spring-tension cord rewind; stretch hoses and long wands that can be used without bending; contoured handles that provide a comfortable grip; handles that can be adjusted to different user heights; weight springs that reduce weight on an upright’s handle; and detachable side wands that simplify edge dusting.

Before putting any new equipment into operation, offer thorough training—either by the manufacturer or the vendor—to anyone who will use it. As always, training is the key to any successful cleaning operation.

Becky Mollenkamp is a writer and editor in Des Moines, Iowa.