How Vacuum Cleaners Work

Even though it may appear to be a very complicated
machine, the conventional vacuum cleaner is actually
made up of six essential components: intake port,
exhaust port, electric motor, fan, porous bag, and
a housing that stores all of the other components.

When you plug the vacuum cleaner into the outlet and
turn it on, the following happens:
1. First of all, the electric current will
operate the motor, which is attached to the fan,
which resembles an airplane propeller.
2. As the blades begin to turn, they will
force the air upwards, towards the exhaust port.
3. When the air particles are driven forwards,
the density of the particles will increase in front
of the fan and therefore decrease behind it.

The pressure drop that occurs behind the fan is
similar to the pressure drop when you take a drink
through a straw. The pressure level in the area
that is behind the fan will drop below the pressure
level that is outside of the vacuum cleaner.

This will create a suction inside of the vacuum
cleaner. The ambient air will push itself into the
vacuum cleaner through the intake port because the
air pressure that is inside of the vacuum cleaner
is much lower than the pressure on the outside.

Picking the dirt up
The stream of air that the vacuum generates is just
like a stream of water. The air particles that move
will rub against any loose dust or debris and if
it is light enough, the friction will carry the
material around the inside of the vacuum cleaner.

As the dirt continues on to the exhaust port, it
will pass through the cleaner bag. They tiny holes
in the vacuum cleaner bag are large enough to let
the air pass through, although too small for the
dust particles to fit through. Therefore, when
the air current gets into the bag, the dirt and
debris will be collected there.

You can stick the bag anywhere along the path
between the intake tube and the exhaust port, just
as long as the air current passes through.

Suction
The power of a vacuum cleaner’s suction will depend
on several factors. The suction can be stronger
or weaker depending on:
1. Fan power – In order to generate a
strong suction, the motor needs to turn at a good
speed.
2. Air passageway – When a lot of debris
builds up in the bag, the air will face a greater
level of resistance on the way out. Each particle
of air will move slowly due to the increase in
drag. This is the reason why a vacuum cleaner
works much better once you’ve replaced the bag
than when you have been using it for a while.
3. Size of the intake port – With the
speed of the vacuum fan being constant, the amount
of air that passes through the vacuum cleaner per
second is also constant.

Technorati Tags: Air Current, Air Particles, Air Pressure, Airplane Propeller, Ambient Air, Debris, Density, Dirt, Dust Particles, Electric Current, Exhaust Port, Friction, Intake Tube, Loose Dust, Tiny Holes, Vacuum Bag, Vacuum Cleaner, Vacuum Cleaners

How To Vacuum

To maintain the look, feel, and appearance of your
carpet you’ll need to vacuum on a regular basis. If
you are new to vacuuming, you’ll find the tips below
to help you when it comes to keeping your home clean:

1. Before you start, you should always inspect
the area. Pick up any objects that could cause
your vacuum cleaner to clog up. The smaller objects
are fine, just as long as they will pass through the
vacuum.

2. You should check the vacuum bag to ensure
that is isn’t full already. If it is full, you
should go ahead and change it. A full bag isn’t
going to suck up much dirt, as the power will be
greatly reduced due to the bag taking up a great
deal of storage and limiting the suction.

3. You should always vacuum forwards instead
of going backwards. Going forward will get the
job done quicker and you won’t wear your cord out
near as fast. When going backwards, you also run
the risk of running back over your cord, which is
something you don’t want to do.

4. Be sure that you overlap your strokes
to ensure that you get out all of the dirt and the
residue. You don’t want to miss any of the carpet,
which is why it is important that you overlap your
strokes.

5. You should change your vacuuming
direction on occasion to reduce any type of matting
in your carpet. You can change direction without
any problems. Doing this every time you make a
sweep on the carpet or every other time you vacuum
will be good.

6. On corners, use a damp cloth or a
crevice tool attachment that hooks up to your
vacuum cleaner. This will ensure that you get the
corners and tight areas good, and they don’t
stand out from the rest of the carpet.

7. You can get rid of dust particles and
dirt by waving a vacuum wand under your bed. Doing
so on occasion will ensure that your bedroom
stays clean, and smells clean as well.

For kitty litter on carpets or floors, you should
use a lightweight vacuum cleaner. To get deep
into the fibers of the carpet, you should try
an upright vacuum cleaner with a power brush. Kitty
litter can be a pain in the neck if it gets
crushed in the pile or embedded, which is why
you should get it out as quick as you can.

Give some thought to purchasing a vacuum cleaner
with a rotating brush or combination beater and
brush bar, which will loosen up the dirt in the
carpet and then suck it out. This will beat the
dirt from the fibers and even embedded dirt, which
will leave your carpet clean and smelling great.

Whenever you vacuum, you should always be on the
lookout for straw, thread, and string as it can
trap debris in the vacuum hose and result in a
clog. These types of hazards are also bad for the
agitators as well, as they can clog up the suction
as well, or get tangled up in the agitators and
cause more problems.

If you have pets, you should sprinkle some baking
soda on the carpet before you vacuum. Let it sit
for a little while, then vacuum. The baking soda
is a lot cheaper than carpet fresheners and it
does the same thing – only better.

Vacuuming is very easy to do, and it’s something
that should be done on a regular basis. You don’t
have to be an expert to vacuum, all you have to
do is make an effort. Your carpet will look good
all the time, and your house will stay smelling
great – which is reason enough to grab the vacuum
and take a trip through the house with it.

Technorati Tags: Appearance, Carpet, Carpets, Crevice Tool, Direction, Dirt, Dust Particles, Fibers, Job, Kitty Litter, Look Feel, Risk, Storage, Strokes, Suck, Tight Areas, Upright Vacuum, Vacuum Bag, Vacuum Cleaner, Vacuum Wand

Get Out More Dirt

The most important part of carpet maintenance is
removing and disposing of accumulated dry soil. The
removal of dry soil will improve the air quality
indoors, extend carpet life, and help to maintain
the carpet. Keeping regular maintenance on your
carpet is one thing, although being sure you have
the right equipment on the job is another.

The Green Label
For vacuum cleaners, the CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute)
has developed a Green Label testing program. The
CRI developed the performance protocol with the
goal of protecting indoor quality, keeping all
surfaces as clean as possible, and all without
putting dust back into the air.

The Green Label program helps to identify vacuum
cleaners that meet three different types of criteria:
1. Removing soil.
2. Keeping dust out of the air by
containing it within the filtration bag and the
machine itself.
3. It doesn’t damage the carpet and helps
to keep the appearance looking good.

The tests for determining the certification of a
vacuum cleaner were developed by carpet and vacuum
experts and reviewed by scientists with experience
in maintenance and the quality of indoor air.

Soil removal
The soil removal protocol will require that the
vacuum cleaner remove a specified quantity of soil
from the test carpet in four passes.

Dust containment
The protocol for dust containment will dictate the
total amount of dust particles that are released
into the surrounding air by the action of the
brush rolls, through the filtration bag, and any
leaks that come from the vacuum system. with this
test, the vacuum cleaner can’t release more than
100 micrograms of dust particles per cubic meter
of air.

Carpet retention
The testing protocol for appearance retention will
require that the vacuum cleaner not adversely
affect the appearance of the carpet, based on
a year of normal usage.

If a vacuum cleaner meets all three of the above
requirements, the manufacturer may then display
the official CRI Green Label on it’s brand of
vacuum cleaner. The CRI tests canister and upright
vacuums, wide area vacuums, and even walk behind
types as well.

Matching machines
Looking for that important Green Label is the first
step to providing longer carpet life and cleaner
air for your home or office. The next step is
selecting the proper vacuum cleaner for a specific
area. You can think of vacuum cleaners like
screwdrivers, as you wouldn’t want to use a Phillips
head screwdriver to remove a flathead screw.

In the bigger, more open areas, a wide are vacuum
cleaner or sweeper can produce excellent results,
as well as an increase in productivity. The
average 14 inch upright vacuum can clean at a rate
of 3,000 square feet per hour, while the average
walk behind can clean at a rate of 40,000 square
feet per hour, and also lift the pile of carpet in
high traffic areas where the carpet fibers are
subject to crushing and matting.

The two motor upright vacuum cleaner is an excellent
choice in areas such as executive offices, lobbies,
conference rooms, and break areas. A two motor
upright can provide grooming of the fibers in the
carpet and removal of the dry soil. Most uprights
with two motor setups will also have a removable
hose and on board accessories for cleaning other
areas as well, such as vents and chairs.

Along with the type of area, you should also give
some thought to the needs of the operator. If
you are a manager, you should look for vacuums
with ergonomic features, especially if the vacuum
will be used for long periods of time.

If it isn’t ergonomically designed, it could result
in injury to the operator. At the very least, the
cleaning operator might want to avoid using
vacuum cleaners that could result in injury.

Technorati Tags: Air Quality, Appearance, Carpet Life, Carpet Maintenance, Cri, Cubic Meter, Dirt, Dry Soil, Dust Containment, Dust Particles, Filtration, Leaks, Micrograms, Protocol, Rug Institute, Soil Removal, Surfaces, Vacuum Cleaner, Vacuum Cleaners, Vacuum System