Vacuum Cleaners
What to Look For
Vacuuming regularly will do wonders to improve indoor air quality and reduce the tiny pollutants that trigger allergies and asthma. The most common offending particles are microscopic, measured in microns (.0004 inches). They range from fine particulates, such as tobacco smoke (0.1 to 1 micron) and cat dander (0.5 to 1.5 microns), to coarse particulates such as dust (10 microns and up), dust mite droppings (10-20 microns) and pollen (15-25 microns). Such tiny particles can penetrate deep into sensitive airways, triggering allergic reactions and asthma attacks, so vacuuming is key to maintaining healthy indoor air.
However, if an old, inefficient vacuum is spewing just as much dust out of a back vent as it's sucking up, it's probably doing little good to clean your carpets. Here are a few things to look for when upgrading to a better model.
HEPA Filters
The vacuums of choice for many allergy and asthma sufferers are those that use High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which trap 99.97 percent of particles down to 0.3 microns in size. To be effective, HEPA filters are installed inside over a backdraft vent, blocking vacuumed particles from spewing back out into the air. In addition to cutting down on allergens, HEPA filters help trap the brain-damaging flame retardants, hormone-disrupting phthalates, possibly carcinogenic perfluorooctanoic acid (the chemical used to make Teflon) and toxic pesticides that bind to household dust.
Type
There are multiple types of vacuums, but you'll most likely be choosing from uprights and canisters. Hand-held vacuums and dustbusters are good options for stairs or area rugs, but since few reliable ratings systems exist for these, we haven't included them in our Product Comparisons.
Uprights are ideal for deep cleaning medium- and deep-pile carpets. The entire unit is pushed during cleaning. Uprights generally require attachments for narrow and hard-to-reach places.
Canisters are ideal for cleaning carpets as well as hard floors, stairs, drapes and upholstery. The head fits under furniture and allows for easier access to hard-to-reach spots, but canister models tend to be less effective on carpet.
Bags or Bagless?
Bagless vacuum cleaners help lighten the load of vacuum bags that go to landfills, but because emptying bagless dust compartments can disperse dust and allergens back into the air, severe allergy sufferers should opt for cleaners with bags.
Weight
Heavy vacuums can be difficult to maneuver. Most upright models weigh around twenty pounds, but lighter options are available.
