Probably the one vacuum cleaner that most everyone has heard of is a “Shop Vac”. Just like Kleenex or Tylenol, Shop Vac is a specific brand but the term is used to describe all types and models of shop vacuums. A shop vacuum cleaner can be a very handy piece of equipment. Shop Vac describe heavy duty vacuums that normally can pick up wet or dry items.

So what all can a Shop Vac do? (source)

• Clean out your workshop-sawdust, debris, etc
• Clean out your car
• Clean flooded basements - most shop vacs have wet or dry options. Why mop when you can vacuum?
• Unclog sinks
• Extract fumes from a room
• Use in the pool – puddles and debris in your pool or on your pool cover
• Store clothes in homemade airtight containers
• Christmas tree clean up
• Clean up those cobwebs
• Drain your fish tank
• Clean up that fireplace

A Shop Vac can be a very handy piece of equipment to have around the home or office.

Yes sir!

The Love-less Ash Vacuum was invented in 1983 by Mike Loveless because his wife, had it with the dust that was associated with their wood stove. Word spread about the vacuum and a few years later, they went into business, working out of their garage. The first Ash Vacuums were attachments to another vacuum source. They had a fire retardant filter and the user’s current vacuum acted as the second filter. In 1990 the Cheetah, a motorized unit was created.

So how does it work?
A steel nozzle fits on the 5 foot flame-resistant hose to keep unburned coals from clogging the hose. The patented two stage, high density, fire resistant filter system traps the finest ash particles ensuring that no dust exits the vacuum to contaminate the room. The fireproof 3 gallon steel chamber holds ashes so you don’t need costly vacuum bags. The lid with motor removes for easy emptying when full, and the filter can be cleaned without removing lid.

The hose on the vacuum cleaners is a bit cumbersome because it is made to handle the possibility of warm coals and embers; flame retardant. When using the unit, the hose should be positioned so that it has a natural curve from the vacuum to the nozzle that is put inside of the stove or fireplace.

The ash is actually removed from the bottom. This helps the ash to move quickly along the hose and keeps the nozzle opening free and clear of debris. As the ash is being taken into the vacuum, larger pieces of wood or charcoal, etc. can be moved out of the way and left in the stove and burned at a later time.

What models are available?

Currently the manufacturer offers two vacuum cleaners:
Cougar Ash Vacuum Model MU405
Cheetah II Ash Vacuum Model MU305

The Love-less Ash vacuum cleaner is a must for any one who owns a wood stove, uses it frequently and wants to keep a tidy house.

If search Google or any of the search engines for refurbished vacuum cleaners, you will find a ton of websites that offer vacuums that have been refurbished. Everyone wants to save a few dollars but the question is, is it worth it? Most times yes.

You can get a very good vacuum cleaner that has been refurbished but you should do some homework before purchasing one.
So what makes an item “refurbished”, a number of factors such as:

shipping damage
cosmestic damage
demo units
defect during production

Ok, so what do you need to check when purchasing a refurbished vacuum?

1. Is the unit being sold by a retailer that is also authorized to sell new products made by the same company?

2. Does the refurbished unit have a U.S. warranty (it should have a 45 to 90-day Parts and Labor warranty)? — Also, some times refurbished units are gray market — which means they may not have been originally intended the U.S. market.

3. Does the retailer offer a return or exchange policy for the refurbished unit if you are not happy (15-days or more).

4. Does the retailer offer an extended warranty for the item? This doesn’t mean you have to buy an extended warranty — but whether or not they offer one indicates their degree of support for the product. In addition, if the dealer is not an authorized dealer of the brand, they would be hesitant to offer an extended warranty for it. (source)

This is good advice no matter what refurbished items you choose to shop for. Remember though, do some homework first.

One of the big choices today in vacuum cleaners is getting a vacuum which uses a bag to trap the dirt or a vacuum that does not use a bag. A bagged vacuum cleaner uses a replaceable bag as a filter to trap dirt while allowing air to flow through the bag. Bags must be replaced when they are full. Bagless vacuum cleaners use filters to trap dirt in a chamber that can then be emptied.

The debate has been, is one type of vacuum cleaner better than another? Are Bagless Vacuum Cleaners Good for Allergies? Does one type of vacuum clean better than another?

Vacuum Cleaner Bags
With this type of vacuum cleaner, the bag will be changed when full. This should not be a big deal, some systems will have an indicator to tell you when to change the bag. You usually will know when a bag is full when you lose suction. Using a vacuum bag
minimizes your exposure to the dust and dirt collected.

Bagless Vacuum Cleaners
With this type of vacuum cleaner, you wil need to clean out the chamber once the dirt and dust reach the fill line. Now different
models might require additional cleaning. This could be a messy procedure, please refer to your owner’s manual before cleaning out the vacuum. Now those with allergies, a bagless vacuum might not be a good idea as the exposure to the dirt and dust, during cleaning, can be high.

So what is the answer to the original question?
There really is not one right answer, our recommendation is to shop around find a vacuum that has the features you want but to be aware of how the vacuum collects the dirt and if you suffer from allergies.

In the 1960s, Electrolux successfully marketed vacuums in the United Kingdom with this slogan, it was only in the US that took it to be negative.

Electrolux was founded in 1910 as Elektromekaniska AB, and changed its name to Elektrolux after merging with Lux AB in 1919.

Some interesting points in their history: (source)
1912: Collaboration between Lux and Axel Wenner-Gren begins. The first vacuum cleaner, the Lux 1, is produced at Lilla Essingen. Axel Wenner-Gren becomes the agent for Lux in Germany, United Kingdom and France.
2001: Change of brand name from Eureka to Electrolux Oxygen vacuum cleaner, equipped with the Electrolux O2 filter system HEPA 13, which the company claims provides 99.5% filtration capacity, and that the vacuum’s exhaust air is actually cleaner than the air on the North Pole.
2002: Launch of robot vacuum cleaner, Electrolux Trilobite.

Currently Electrolux vacuums come in three brands:

Electrolux (which has the following product lines)
Canisters vacuums
Lightweights vacuums
Uprights vacuums
Air cleaners vacuums
Central vacuum systems

Eureka (which has the following product lines)
Canisters vacuums
Lightweights vacuums
Uprights vacuums
Extractor vacuums
Central vacuum systems

Sanitaire (which is the commercial vacuum center with)
Duravacs vacuums
Lightweight vacuums
Standard vacuums
Quick Kleen vacuums
Contractor vacuums
Sealed HEPA vacuums
Specialty vacuums

For all parts and accessories for your Electrolux, see TotalVac

In 1992, Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) launched its Green Label program to test carpet, cushions and adhesives to help specifiers identify products with very low emissions of Volatile organice compounds (VOCs). For vacuum cleaners, the Carpet and Rug Institute also developed the green label program.

The Green Label program helps to identify vacuum cleaners that meet three different types of criteria:
1. Soil removal:  This protocol will require that the vacuum cleaner remove a specified quantity of soil from the test carpet in four passes.

2. Dust containment: This protocol 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.

3. Carpet retention: This final protocol is 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 criteria, then the manufacturer may then display the official CRI Green Label on it’s vacuum cleaner(s). The CRI tests canister and upright vacuums, wide area vacuums, and even walk behind types as well.

TotalVac carries green cleaning products.