Home Improvement

Archive for the ‘Home Improvement’ Category

With the invention of Carpet, the invention of a Carpet cleaning machine was not far away. The first hand held Carpet cleaning machine was designed and tested in the 1860’s in Chicago, while the first power operated vacuum machine was invented in the early 1900’s by an English man named H. Cecil Booth.

At around the same time as H. Cecil Booth’s invention, a man by the name of James Murray Spangler came up with his own vacuum cleaner invention, which he later sold to his cousin Hoover. As you well know, Hoover has become one of the most prominent names in the vacuum cleaning machine business and is certain one of the most popular household names in the western world.

The vacuum cleaner was heralded as a blessing in disguise for many housewives, whose weekly task it was to keep the house clean. Initially, vacuum cleaners were only capable of sucking up dust and dirt, but with modern technology inventors were soon capable of designing a wet-cleaner that can steam carpets and kill germs.

Carpet was capable of covering the floor of a house, flat, or bungalow and keeping peoples feet warm in winter. Initially, people needed to sweep their floors, or carpets, but with the invention of the vacuum cleaner, people could easily detract the dirt and dust from their carpets with less effort. It was also realized that businesses, apartments and corporations would need someone to clean their carpets too, so the invention of the commercial carpet cleaners was next.

Essentially, the vacuum cleaner operates using a pump system. The pumping device sucks up air from a house, which in turn sucks up the dust and dirt from anything in front of the house opening. Inside the vacuum cleaner is a filtering system that collects the dust and dirt that can later be placed in the garbage outside.

Currently there are seven main types of vacuum cleaners; the upright vacuum cleaner, the Canister vacuum cleaner, the back-pack style vacuum cleaner, the built-in vacuum cleaner, the robotic vacuum cleaner, the hand held vacuum cleaner and the wet/dry vacuum cleaners. These different types of vacuum cleaners are available in different styles, sizes and have various voltage/power potentials.

One of the most significant developments in carpet cleaning machines has been the invention of the cyclone carpet cleaner. Unlike previous carpet cleaning machines, the cyclone carpet cleaner collects dust and dirt in a large cylinder type container. The cyclone carpet cleaner operates using a central air force and a number of filters. These filters filter the dust and dirt into stages, so that the air being sucked up into the cylinder container can then be cleaned and re-released into the air through a central outlet.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are also a relatively new invention, enabling the carpet to be cleaned by a carpet cleaning machine without the need of people power. Using a simple control mechanisms, the robotic vacuum cleaner can navigate its way around the floor of an apartment, or home, cleaning dust and particles from the floor and then return to its docking station for re-charging.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air may be four to five times more polluted than outdoor air. With Americans spending nearly 90 percent of their time inside, indoor air quality is often taken for granted.

Allergens such as pollen, animal dander, dust mites, cockroaches and mold; irritants such as smoke, chemical odors and dust; and biological pollutants such as viruses and bacteria swirl in, often causing headaches, stuffy noses, tickly throats, nagging coughs, wheezing, shortness of breath, itchy eyes and more.

The average home has 72 trillion allergens floating in the air. “No matter how often you clean, those tiny little particles can get into your loved ones’ lungs, triggering allergies, asthma and a variety of other respiratory ailments. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make the air in your home better,” says John Spengler, Ph.D., professor of environmental health and human habitation at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Discourage mold growth. A musty smell or mold spots should sound an alarm. Replace missing grout, and repair or replace leaky faucets and pipes immediately. Use a mold-proof shower curtain, and wipe shower walls and tub toys dry after use.

Install a whole-house air cleaner. Professors from the Harvard School of Public Health recognize whole-house systems, such as Trane CleanEffects, as an effective way to remove triggers for allergies and asthma. The central air cleaning system removes up to 99.98 percent of particles down to .3 microns-as small as 1/300th the diameter of a human hair. The system is 100 times more effective than the standard 1-inch filter found in most home central heating and cooling systems.

Minimize dust mites. One ounce of dust can carry up to 40,000 dust mites. Wash bedding weekly in hot water (130° F) and use allergen-proof bed coverings. Minimize carpeting. Use washable throw rugs and curtains.

Limit upholstered furniture. Upholstered furniture can be a breeding ground for dust mites and collect pet dander. Vacuum underneath cushions and behind furniture at least once a month.

Control humidity. Having the proper moisture content in the air will not only discourage mold growth but will also minimize dust mites. A central system that features a variable-speed blower motor and a thermostat with a built-in humidity sensor kills dust mites by keeping the air below 50 percent relative humidity.