Vacuum with Ease - Like Jane Jetson!

by: Leigh LaCava

Last night I dreamt of a wonderful universe: life in a space age utopia in the sky. I had a loving husband, two wonderful kids, a nanny and a robotic maid. We flew through space in a bubble car. At home, all I needed to do was push a button and any household chore was handled in a jiffy. My hair, however, looked quite ridiculous, but what did it matter? Life was grand; life was easy. The dream must have been inspired by a vacuum video I watched that day (then watched again with drooling and hypnotic envy.)

As far as household chores goes, vacuuming is my least favorite. That heavy, unruly machine; the bending and stooping to pick objects off the floor; the furniture that must be heaved out of position to ensure a good job is done: it’s all too much for me. How many times have I hurt myself in this task? Vacuuming is a challenging sport;but there are a few things that can make it easier.

Tips for Vacuuming with Ease

- Get the right vacuum for your needs. No, they are not all created equally. Make a calculated list of your specific needs and then get down to researching.

- Break the tasks up. An hour or a day before vacuuming: tidy, dust and shake throw rugs. Shift furniture positions slightly, and move any small objects off the floor. Sweep dirt out from the corners of flooring to allow you to skip having to get in there with the nozzle. These tips spread the work out and are sure to safeguard your energy levels as well as your back!

- Work in zones. Divide your house into two or three zones and clean them systematically. Take a break as each zone is completed. Empty the canister halfway through the task to keep the suction strong. This offers a feeling of accomplishment as you proceed with small steps and build in pit stops.

- Work the micro as well as the macro. This is critical when you have anyone in the home who has a compromised immune system. A HEPA filter will work wonders to support asthma or allergy sufferers (and is a must if you own pets.) A powerful upright with well-made attachments is an excellent investment. Consider Bissell’s Healthy Home Upright model which has a 12 Amp motor, airtight HEPA filtration system, cyclonic system and sturdy attachments. It sucks up micro-particles like dust mites, pollen, mold spores and pet dander.

- Alternate the 'deep cleaning'. No need to get into all the corners and crevices every time you clean.Rotate the zones so that one half or third of the house gets detailed every time.

- Have a Robot do the Cleaning. Huh? Yes, the space age has arrived,and like Jane Jetson, you can have yourhome thoroughly cleaned with a simple push of a button.

Robotic Vacuums are a hit. One of the best is the iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner which is getting rave reviews (300 reviewers on Amazon.com give the product four out of five stars.) This vacuum is a disc, not much bigger than a bathroom scale, that roams your floors, going under and around furniture and into hard to reach areas. It claims to have power, great navigation, affordability, and lots of safeguards in place so it can be used even when you aren’t there!

Whether seeking deep down micro-particle suction and top-notch filtration, or the Jetsons-style robotic concept,now one of the most dreaded chores is made easy by technological advances. Hmm, now, about that pile of laundry....