Previous Story
The Best Vacuums to Help Mitigate Allergy Flare-Ups
Indoor allergens can wreak havoc on your home and your family’s well being. One of the easiest ways to attack these allergens and prevent allergy flare-ups is to clean your home regularly. To do so, it is important to invest in a good vacuum that will effectively remove the particles. When it comes to removing pet dander, dust, mold, or pollen, what features are essential and what vacuums best rise to the challenge?
HEPA Filters
HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air and is a type of filter designed to capture extremely small particles. In fact, a true HEPA filter can trap 99.97 percent of all airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns. Vacuuming with a HEPA filter will help to ensure that you are not just kicking allergens back into the air but are truly trapping them in the vacuum. In order to select a vacuum that not only picks up the larger dust and dirt floating around your home but also removes the unseen allergens, it is essential to find one that contains a true HEPA filter. Make sure to research the claims of any advertiser to ensure that the vacuum really does have a HEPA filter.
Dry vs. Wet vs. Steam
Once you know to look for a vacuum with a HEPA filter, it is time to decide what type of vacuum system is best for your home and cleaning needs. Dry, wet, and steam vacuums each have their own advantages. Dry vacuums are able to be more compact and can come in handheld or cordless forms, allowing you to better vacuum stairs, corners, and even furniture. Dry vacuums are also best for your more regular cleaning schedule as you don’t have to worry about staying off the carpet. However, wet vacuums are able to take your allergy mitigation to a whole new level for carpeted homes because they clean carpet. In addition, steam vacuums clean the carpet and are able to kill any dust mites. Depending on the surfaces in your home, you may consider investing in several different types of vacuums.
Other Important Features
Household names for cleaning include Shark, Dyson, Bissel, iRobot, and Miele vacuums. Each of these leading brands offers a wide variety of allergy-fighting vacuums, whether robotic, canister or upright. Each brand has vacuums specifically designed to target various allergens. For example, if you have pets in your home, a vacuum built to remove pet hair and dander will be most effective.
Most vacuums can be purchased from a mass retailer, but before you make the investment you should consider using online tools to compare all of the features. Selecting the right model for your home can be a difficult decision, so take the time to research the pros and cons of each model.
One feature to consider is whether or not to buy a vacuum that requires bags. Bagless vacuums offer more convenience because they do not have the ongoing expense of purchasing the bag. However, depending on the severity of allergies in your home, using a vacuum with a bag may be the best solution. By using the bag you will be able to trap and dispose of all dirt and allergens without having to come into direct contact with them. In order to ensure that no dust is being released back into the air, make sure that the vacuum uses double-thickness bags.
Lastly, consider purchasing a vacuum with a sealed system. While HEPA filters and double-thickness bags will do their best to trap all of the allergens, a sealed system means that none of the particles will escape as air passes through the vacuum. This provides an extra layer of protection from the particles that get stirred up during the cleaning process.
Making the Investment
Whether a canister, upright or robotic vacuum meets your home’s needs the best, purchasing the right vacuum will aid your cleaning routine and help rid your home of allergens. Use a well-rated HEPA filter vacuum to remove allergens in conjunction with other recommended steps to reduce allergies in your home and help your family breathe more easily.
