Filter-based vacuum cleaner leaks, gets clogged and smells

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Filter-based Vacuum Cleaner Leaks, Gets Clogged and Smells

Posted: Jan 2006 (Return to the original web page from this print version)

Filter-based vacuum cleaners are hazardous to health because they pick up dust particles (which include dust mites, mould and bacteria) from the floor and disperse them into the air through the pores of the paper bag or filter. The person doing the cleaning would breathe in the dust particles that can be seen as motes in a ray of sunlight. These particles will float in the air for up to a few hours before settling down. Hence the dust particles never leave your house or office. In summary, the major problems of filter-based vacuum cleaners include:

Leakage of dust
Clogging of pores, leading to reduction in efficiency and energy wastage
Bad odour from decaying materials, mould and bacteria trapped
High Maintenance Costs
Generate ozone which is harmful to health and to the environment
The air current from the exhaust vent blows up dust from the floor
Cannot clean the hose, wands, brush heads, or dust chamber easily

Leakage of dust through the pores of dust bag / filter

Filter-based vacuum cleaners draw air through a paper / cloth bag and a filter at the back end of the dust chamber. Some of the larger dust particles are trapped inside the bag or on the filter. But smaller particles can escape through pores of the dust bag or filter. The tiny dust particles are effectively sucked from the floor and dispersed in the air for people to breathe into the lung. Mould and bacteria may be picked up from one location and spread to other areas of the house. Hence these vacuum cleaners are doing more harm than good.

Clogging of pores, low efficiency & energy wastage

After turning on the machines for 10-15 minutes, the tiny pores of a new dust bag or filter in the dust chamber start getting clogged by the dust particles. The suction power of the machine decreases rapidly. Therefore the motor has to work harder to pump air through the dust bag and filter. That's why the watt power of these filter-based machines is very high, ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 watt. A lot of energy has been wasted in overcoming the blockage by dust particles on the pores of dust bag and filter.

To protect the motor from getting over-heat, filter-based vacuum cleaner usually has a safety device that automatically shut down the machines once it becomes over-loaded. Therefore these machines cannot be used continuously for an extended period of time.

Bad odour

Food debris, mould, dust mites, human skin flakes and bacteria sucked into the dust bag are decaying inside it. Therefore the air blowing out of the filter-based vacuum cleaners usually has a bad smell.

High maintenance costs

The paper / cloth bag never becomes full as dust escapes through the pores. But in order to maintain the efficiency of the machine and to avoid the bad smell from decaying dust particles, the dust bag and filter have to be changed frequently. Hence the maintenance costs are rather high.

Generate harmful ozone

The universal motor with carbon brush is used in all common electrical appliances in the marketplace, including filter-based vacuum cleaners. When the carbon brush rotates, it generates sparks which may convert oxygen in the air to ozone. Ozone is harmful to human health and to the environment.

Blowing up dust from the floor

The exhaust air vent of most filter-based vacuum cleaners is pointing downwards and is very close to the floor level. Therefore the air current from the exhaust vent is blowing up dust from the floor well before you manage to suck up the dirt.

Cannot easily clean the hose, wands, brush heads, or dust chamber

For most filter-based vacuum cleaners, there is no easy way to clean the dirt trapped inside the vacuuming hose, wands, and brush heads. These dirt-laden items are usually just put into the storage cupboard after use.

In addition, since the dust bag leaks dust, the dust chamber is usually coated with dirt particles. Cleaning the irregular-shaped dust chamber is very troublesome and time-consuming.