Vacuuming Correctly

First, don’t buy a cheap vacuum; they are not sealed up very well and they will put the dust back into your air for you to breathe. A good vacuum will cost $200-$500. Get something with a HEPA filter; and upright is the most comfortable to carry, maneuver and use.

There is no need to buy a $2500 crazy vacuum system that is sold door to door. (A word to the wise, don’t let a door to door vacuum sales person into your home. Even if he does offer you a free room of carpet cleaning, you will be sorry, and you will most likely never get him out of your home. Grab hold of your wallet with both hands; don’t make eye contact and say, “I no uh speakie english…” and slowly close the door). Don’t forget to also lock the back door .

So once you have a good vacuum, you want to use it frequently…typically once per week in bedrooms and areas away from the front door or main traffic pattern of the home. In the living room and close to the entry doors, do this area twice per week, especially in the winter months.

Indoor air quality is typically 70 times more polluted than the outside air because there is no quality air exchange. Vacuuming will filter out this stuff from your air supply before it leaves your lungs looking like an ashtray.

• Pick up all the loose stuff in your home; shake your curtains a few times; do your dusting etc. before you vacuum and wait a few minutes. That way all the dust has settled.

• Start with an empty dust collector or fresh bag, and a clean vacuum.

• Start at the back of your home and work your way to the front.

• As you use the vacuum, the most important motion is to pull back SLOWLY. Most people race through the house like the power is gonna cut off at any moment. As you pull the vacuum towards yourself, the brush on the vacuum is agitating the carpet pile so it can free up the dirt that is trapped between the fibers and then it can be sucked away. This allows for the maximum extraction of dust, dust mites, pet hair and dander, allergens and all the funk that gets trapped in your carpets.

• Make big overlaps as you go across the room. Let each pass go no more than 50% over the previous pass. Also it helps to alternate the direction that you vacuum each time (i.e. front to back v.s. side to side).

• Use the hose and crevice tools to suck up the crud and dust that collect at the edges at least twice a month. Also, pull off the cover to your air vents in the floor and get the dust that settles in the elbow of the air vents. Don’t forget all the dust and bugs that have died in the sliding door and window tracks. Oh, and the ceiling fan, suck the dust bunnies to fluffy critter heaven before they blow down onto your nicely vacuumed carpet.

• Take a well-deserved moment to rest and breathe easy. Now the job is done and you will have clean air to breathe and a lovely carpet.

Did you know the number one cause of Asthma, and other breathing allergies is due to dust and dust mites in the home. Removing this stuff frequently will help your family to live a healthier life.