"Your Vacuum is NOT a Garbage Can!"

Stuff you should never suck up - no matter how harmless it looks...

I shamelessly solicited topic advice for this newsletter while I was on Facebook one day. My cousin posted a great question... “Are there certain things you should NEVER vacuum up? What I thought was going to be used as a quick Q&A piece turned into a full blown article. Lucky you!

The simple answer is “Oh, YES!” There are plenty of vacuum NO-NO’s I can list off the top of my head! Being in the repair business, we see the consequences of sucking up a whole host of bizarre things. But for the sake of this article, let's look at stuff vacuum users have mistakenly thought would be okay to suck up...

TOP TEN things you should never pick up with your vacuum cleaner (and WHY!):

10. Live Bugs - If you use a bagless vacuum, this isn’t the best idea. You might want to wait until you’re sure all critters are dead before you empty the dirt collection bin!

9. Broken Glass / Ceramic - If you use a bagless vacuum you risk getting cut by these particles when you empty the dirt bin or clean the filters! Also at risk of getting cut is the vacuum’s drive belt, or hoses. Big chunks can break the vac’s fan, or cause clogs. Only certain vacuums can handle this material safely.

8. Coins or Pebbles - Hard, heavy (albeit small) objects like these can obstruct the brushroller and break the belt, or worse - in certain machines, shatter the vacuum’s fan.

7. Staples / Paperclips / Bobby Pins - These can obstruct the brushroller, tear up the belt, or get stuck sideways and cause clogs.

6. Pine Needles, Paper Shreddings or Leaves - These also tend to cause terrible clogs in the hose, and fill your bag prematurely (wasteful....just sweep that stuff up, silly.)

5. Dirt - I don’t care what commercials or advertisements show...dirt is ALIVE and usually is moist (see above.) Sweep up as much as you can, let the area dry, and then vacuum gently.

4. Kitty Litter - The fine dust clogs the bag and filters, and (obviously) breeds nasty smells and bacteria inside the vacuum!

3. Water / Moist Stuff - You know not to vacuum puddles, but many folk’s vacuum areas that are still damp. The moisture breeds mildew, “sludges up” the brushroller housing and may rust the vac’s motor.

2. Food - Anything perishable or moist will rot inside the vacuum. Greasier foods slime your internal housing and hose. ‘Nuff said! Dry spills like rice, pretzels or a small amount of flour is safe. Dry cereal is ok too, unless is has been touched by milk.

Drum roll Please….

1. Baking Soda / Powders / Sheetrock Dust - This type of fine particulate seems harmless, but can quickly clog the tiny pores of your vacuum’s bag and/or filters. A very small amount is fine...But too much and the vacuum clogs, suffocates and the motor may short out prematurely!

Moral of the story? Your vacuum cleaner is NOT a garbage can! Use a little common sense, and WHEN IN DOUBT - THROW IT OUT. Pick up, sweep up or blot up the questionable item or substance on your floor instead of letting your poor vacuum cleaner consume it!

SEW what?!

Okay, everybody knows we sell and fix vacuum cleaners - but "Sewing" IS the other half of our business name (albeit neglected.)

Sewing machine sales and repairs may not take the biggest share of our business, but it's notable nonetheless. I often feel badly because I'm the one who knows the least about sewing around here, and I don't like being out of the loop!!

On top of that, my passion for clog-dancing has led me to coordinating a reunion show for my old group. With a performance fast approaching, I desperately needed to pull together our costumes! Using myself as the guinea pig, I decided to try making our skirt....to figure the desired length so as to order the right length petticoats, see how much fabric to buy, etc. It's just a knee-length circle skirt...how hard could that be? Well, surprisingly - for someone who does NOT know how to sew, nor had an actual pattern to follow - it wasn't so bad!! Aside from being a little shorter than I planned, it came out great! Sewing IS cool! What a great sense of accomplishment I was left with. Sewing is coming back in style, baby!

What I wanted to share with you was a little something I made after finishing the skirt. I was so psyched, on quite a creative roll, and I had about a half a yard or so of leftover skirt fabric. Again, not having any particular skill nor a pattern, I wondered what I could do with my leftovers? I thought back to 7th grade Home-Ec class...Eh -I didn't really need any pillow covers (certainly not in black & white polka dot.) But - I though it would be super cute to have a bag to put my clogging shoes in - that matched my costume!! Brilliant!!

So here's a dummy's lesson for how to make a simple drawstring bag with leftover fabric (of almost any size!) A bag like this is an extremely functional way to corral all sorts of stuff.

*A big bag could be used to protect or organize linens or perhaps sports gear.
*Medium-sized bags can keep your vacuum cleaner tools together; make a non-fussy purse or bridal card keeper; separate your dirty shoes or laundry from the rest of your luggage; serve as a reusable gift bag.
* A small bag can protect your camera or sunglasses in your purse; corral a few coughdrops or mints in your purse.
Oh, the possibilities are endless!



SIMPLE DRAWSTRING BAG

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
* Leftover fabric (find a scrap long/deep enough to hold your desired item, and just over twice the desired width.)
* Coordinating ribbon or thick string. (just over twice the width of the top of your bag)
* Coordinating thread
* Fabric glue (optional - just a dab to prevent the edge of your ribbon from fraying)
* Embellishments optional (appliques for the bag, fringe, baubles for the string ties, etc.)


1. Cut out the desired size of fabric.

2. Along what will be the top/opening of the bag, lay across the desired ribbon/string and cut ribbon to a length that leaves enough on both sides with which to tie.

3. I hate trying to fish ribbons through the channel at the top - so I addressed the ribbon issue in a different way: Fold down the top of the bag fabric over the ribbon, allowing enough overlap to sew it down (without catching the ribbon!)

4. I chose to iron this fold down. Pinning the ribbon in place afterward (snugly at the top of your fold) makes it easier to sew, as the ribbon won't fall down into your sewing path.

5. Next, make a tiny fold (just over twice the width of the ribbon) at the top edge of the bag, where the ribbon comes out on each side. Sew down this tiny fold to avoid frayed edges later.


6. Now sew down the entire length of the top of the bag, below the ribbon, to encase it.



7. Now we're movin.... Keeping the fabric's inside facing out, fold the bag in half into its final shape. Just below the ribbon/drawstring seam, sew along the outer seam, side and bottom, to close up the rest of the bag.



8. That's it!! Reach inside your bag to pull it right side out.



9. If you're feeling crafty, now's the time to embellish with appliques, puffy paint or stones (remember to slip some wax paper inside the bag to keep any glues from seeping through and sticking your bag closed!)
I kept mine simple...But I did use the tiniest dab of fabric glue at the edge of my ribbon to keep the edge from fraying.

Enjoy!!

"Vacuums Suck and Cars Don't!"

(PART TWO of a short series using cars to understand vacuums)

We hope you enjoyed last month's lead article "If cars were built like vacuums - we'd probably be dead." If you missed it or didn't finish reading it CLICK HERE to catch up!

So far, we learned that cars have significantly improved in critical areas like comfort, safety and fuel efficiency over the years. However, the mass majority of popular vacuum cleaners have suffered a serious decline in quality and performance to consumer demand for low prices and weight!

Now that you're warmed up to my train of thought - using something familiar like cars to better understand your vacuum - let's explore another commonly misunderstood factor: PERFORMANCE QUALITY. Following are 3 key factors to consider….

Every machine is designed to do a certain job, or set of jobs. To share the same classification, machines must obviously share specific performance criteria: Calculators have to calculate; Toasters must toast; Cars need to move, steer and stop; Vacuums cleaners have to suck and hold dirt in side. If a machine doesn’t perform the expected tasks, we either consider it broken, or we just have to find a new name for it!

Yet within those categories of machine, we often see numerous variants, brands and types. Sure, shapes and colors may vary, but most often a machine will be separated from others of its kind because of a claim to perform somewhat differently. It’s important to look carefully at these differences in claims, as it may drastically affect the machine’s ability to perform the tasks we expect.

The first part of what makes up a machine’s quality of performance depends on how well it is tailored to the task at hand. Do you have the right “tool” for the job? You can’t roast a small chicken in a regular, sliced-bread toaster. I don’t expect you’d buy a Toyota Prius to go off-roading in the mountains. And I would hope you’d know better than to buy an upright vacuum with a non-stopping brushroller if you have only hardwood floors.

The second factor falls in the realm of finer details. Two widgets may claim to do the exact same task, but have very different prices. Why? Quality is usually the one of the main reasons, yet this can be cocktail of several factors. “Better” quality usually indicates a products ease of use during the performance of its given task. Also, the better product can usually be expected to last longer or break less, providing a greater value for your dollar over time. Perhaps this product also does the particular task “better” than the other: Computes faster; Toasts more evenly; Is safer in a crash; Allows less dust escapes into the air, etc. Esthetics often plays a role too. Ultimately you need to decide how much those subtle factors affect the completion of your task, whether you feel they are worth the price, or which is just a better fit for your personal preferences. So if the next vacuum you buy is only $50, that’s fine - It may be just right for your situation. What I hope is that you will NOT BE FOOLED by the commercials and colorful packaging into believing that it will last very long or is “great for allergy sufferers!”

By the way – I finally found that Mercedes-Benz commercial I was talking about. “Everything Matters.” CLICK to WATCH:

This brings me to the third aspect of discussion: How to maintain your equipment’s level of performance. Everything has an “Achilles Heel.” You wouldn’t dream of buying a car, whether a Hyundai or a Hummer, and never change the oil or brakes…You’d either blow up the motor or get killed in an accident! Similarly, you can’t buy a vacuum and not replace the bag or filter for 6 months without risking blowing up its motor, or you at least suffering a serious allergy attack! Just remember the KEY WORD: MAINTENANCE. All machines, especially those with moving parts, need it now and then! Otherwise, your car, vacuum, etc., cannot be expected to perform as well as it is intended to. You'll need to understand what it takes to keep it going, and whether or not you're willing and able to keep up with it!

At Queen Vacuum, we play “matchmaker” all day! It’s our job to listen and match each customer up with the right vacuum for their specific needs. Sometimes it’s a $69 Dirt Devil, sometimes it’s a $699 Miele. When you know a lot about a given type of product it’s easy to spot the differences between seemingly similar items. You can discern the main criteria: WHAT it does, HOW WELL it does it, and HOW LONG will it last. Most importantly, you can translate those differences into the potential benefits or detriments in your experience with that product. When you don’t know much about something you’re looking to buy, please do your research. But if you just can’t wrap your mind around the differences in the products you want – have an expert explain it. Or try the old trick of relating it to something you already understand well like food, electronics or (our favorite) cars!


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LET’S TEST THE LOGIC: "Cheap is Expensive"

TRUE or FALSE?
It’s “better” to keep buying cheaper new vacuums than getting the old one fixed. (Let’s establish that in general, the more expensive the machine is the higher quality it is.)

[SCENARIO 1: Always buying new]
• Your vacuum cost $400, 3 years ago. You sucked up water by accident and the motor blew. It will cost $150 to fix. You say “No way – I can buy new vacuum for that!”
• Your new vacuum cost $200. After 2 years it broke and will cost $75 to fix. You say “No way – I can buy new vacuum for that!”
• Your new vacuum cost $100. It’s now 2 years old and just isn’t working like it used to. All it needs is a belt and standard servicing for $39.99. “No way – I can buy new vacuum for that!”
• Your new vacuum cost $50. It’s a bagless upright model and is due for its first HEPA filter change after 1 year. A filter costs $29.99. DON’T SAY IT: You cannot get a “full-sized” vacuum for that price. (Perhaps a Dustbuster or broom though!) So you buy one more new vacuum for $50.

Let’s take a look at what you spent buying new vacuums instead of fixing them (and more importantly) what you got for your money:
• You’ve spent a total of $800 in an 8 year period. That’s $100 a year average. You’ve gone through 5 vacuums, 4 of which are in the landfill. You now have in your possession a poorly performing, $50 toy-sized vacuum that cannot clean your whole house well.

[SCENARIO 2: Fix & maintain what you have]
Let’s say you’d kept your original, $400 vacuum running. Factor in that first major $150 repair. Let’s also allow for $20 per year for bags and belts ($160) PLUS a $30 standard servicing every 2 years ($120):
• You’ve spent $120 LESS! A total of $680 in an 8 year period (averaging only $85 per year.) You’ve contributed no excess waste in the landfill. Best part is you STILL have in your possession a higher quality, $400 machine that cleans your house very well!!

CONCLUSION: FALSE! Cheap IS Expensive. It is far “better” to buy a quality vacuum and keep it running for many years. It’s more economical, ecological and provides a higher level of cleaning performance in your home!

If Cars were built like most Vacuums...we'd be dead.

We use "car analogies" a lot in our vacuum store. Perhaps it's because we know so much about them. John was a high-end automotive technician for 15 years before taking over the vacuum shop. I am a graphic designer by trade, but was raised with a father who was into hot rods (I was in diapers sitting in the engine compartment of Dad's '72 Camaro.) Most people "get" cars too. But the average person doesn't really "get" vacuums.
CLICK HERE to access a FREE, helpful tool for choosing the right vacuum cleaner, or call Queen Vacuum for more information: 732-747-5623 or E-mail us: info@queenvacuum.com

** CLICK to watch actual Crash Footage! **

Understandably, most folks don't really care about vacuums so they've not been paying close attention. Yet as consumers, we've "asked" for changes in our vacuum products that, albeit unintentionally, yielded some pretty nasty side effects. The consequence of this is that the majority of vacuum cleaners have been allowed to devolve into a substandard variety over the years, right under our noses....

MOST VACUUMS ARE BUILT SO POORLY THESE DAYS THAT IF THE AUTO COMPANIES HAD STOOPED TO THE SAME MANUFACTURING STANDARDS AS EXIST FOR MOST VACUUMS - WE'D PROBABLY GET KILLED IN MINOR ACCIDENTS, OR CHOKE TO DEATH ON VEHICHLES' EMISSIONS. While cars have generally and steadily improved over the years, vacuums made some forward progress and then began to show a sickening decline.

Now, I know that "improve" is a subjective word. But for the purpose of this article, I am referring to increases in performance of a machine's essential functions. Auto manufacturers (in some cases under the guidance of Federal regulation) have dramatically improved the automobile's ability to: Protect occupants in a crash; Operate cabin controls; Steer and stop easily; Sputter and stall less; Pollute the air less. Thus, even the most basic models of car are typically equipped with features only luxury cars offered back in the day: Crumple zones, seatbelts and airbags; Power steering, windows and locks; Fuel injection; Anti-lock brakes; Catalytic converters, et al.

For a vacuum, I consider "improvement" a performance increase in its main functions: Debris extraction across various surfaces, dust capture (filtration), ease of use and maintenance, and working without breakage over time. Yet it seems that the vacuum industry's attempt to improve some features caused some serious, fundamental problems in other areas...

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE:
- When cars got faster and more powerful, safety upgrades had to be made to compensate. Brakes had to be bulked up to help the stop from those higher speeds. Bodies and frames had to be re-engineered to withstand higher-speed crashes. True improvements!

-When vacuums got more powerful, in most cases the rubber drive belts were not upgraded to withstand the added speed and friction. With four times the electrical amperage and motor speed transferred to that small strip of rubber, that's why your vacuum's belt lasts only about a quarter of the time it used to. Also, more power equals motor, bigger motor means more weight. To compensate for the added weight, some vacuums' bodies were made thinner and lighter. These new poor-quality, ill-fitting plastic bodies contribute to severe dust leakage that spews dust back into the air (gross!), as well as the vacuum's internal motor compartment. That results in a dusty house, and a motor that shorts out prematurely. Many vacuums gained the potential to pick up more dust and dirt, and then lost the ability to contain it properly. What started as an upgrade, resulted in a downgrade! That is NOT a true improvement. It's like having a "better" bucket that holds more water, but has a leaky hole in the bottom of it.

The good news is that there are a few phenomenal vacuums made today! Sebo and Miele are two brands, both made in Germany, that offer much higher standards than the mass-marketed brands. We sought them out specifically to carry in our store. You could say they are the vacuum equivalent or Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars. They both found ways to improve suction, versatility, ease-of-use and lifespan without sacrificing filtration or other critical functions. Like a Mercedes commercial I just saw on TV....they "don't do just one thing well, they do everything well." No, you can't expect to find a Miele at Costco or Wal-Mart. And yes, it will cost more up-front than a Eureka, and may be a few pounds heavier. But the benefits dramatically outweigh those minor "negatives." With rare exception, you really do get what you pay for.

So in conclusion...I am NOT saying that you will die if you buy a lousy vacuum. What I AM trying to do is make you MORE AWARE of the (poor) quality of the majority of vacuum products on the market, and how this affects your life. We're talking about dirt; microscopic particles. They're small, "out of sight out of mind," not the top priority in your life...until the vacuum breaks, something starts to smell, or someone gets sick. We are all targets of clever marketing. Other industries like food, automotive and pharmaceutical, are highly regulated regarding production standards and the claims they make to consumers. Vacuums...ehhh...not so much. Just be aware that the majority of the vacuum cleaners on the mass market do not perform as well as you may think, or as advertised. Gauge your expectations accordingly, or consult an expert on how to pick a vacuum that's truly right for you, and get more for your money!

By, Rachel Decker

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR NEXT MONTH'S FOLLOW-UP ARTICLE...
You'll enjoy some thought-provoking and useful points that can help you make more educated choices when purchasing a vacuum - or almost anything else for that matter!

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"Crawlies" in your carpet giving you the CREEPS?

(October, 2009) HAPPY OCTOBER! Halloween is approaching....ghosts, goblins, werewolves - oh my! They’d be scary if they were real. But what are genuinely scary? The creepy crawlies that can take residence in your carpet, bed and hard-to-reach corners of your home! The good news is that there’s an easy solution to banishing these buggers - and it’s right under your nose...Your vacuum to the rescue! So before you batten down the hatches for winter, take some time this fall to rid your home of unwanted and unhealthy guests. Arm yourself by following these helpful tips: • Rabid ankle-biting dust bunnies are easily detained - if you’re able to catch them off-guard. Often provoked to flee at the first sight of your vacuum - you must sneak up on this skittish prey. Point the machine’s exhaust away from the bunnies and scap them up with a quick sweep of your vacuum’s long hose/wand attachment. • Use your vacuum to suck up and trap the tiny spiders that live in the corners of your home and behind furniture. Using the hose attachment with the long wand or crevice tool means you won’t even have to get near them. Get rid of the spiders and you don’t have to clean embarrassing cobwebs! (By the way, this works best with a bagged vacuum.) • Clean the kitchen area frequently; Wipe counters, empty the garbage, avoid leaving pet food dishes out for long periods of time, and vacuum the floor frequently for crumbs. This will discourage infestation of ants as well rodents! Also be sure to store those Halloween snacks and sweets in closed containers. • Don’t forget to vacuum your mattress several times per year (or each time you change the sheets if you feel ambitious.) Dust mites and other “creepies” feed on the dead skin and other matter you naturally shed. Reduce their food supply, as well as remove much of the eggs and allergens they produce by vacuuming it up. Be sure to use a quality bagged machine with genuine, sealed HEPA filtration to actually capture all you collect! • Little buggers like fleas and dust mites can be discouraged by vacuuming too. True, that the adult bugs are harder to catch and left unchecked, chemical warfare may be the only resolution. However, using a quality deep cleaning HEPA vacuum on your carpet, furniture and pet beds will remove much of these critters’ eggs, larvae, allergens and food supply that will keep their population at bay. • For the creepy stuff you can’t really see – be sure to change your vacuum’s bags and filters frequently. Bacteria, mold and other allergens can multiply or develop inside these media if left for months at a time. Good vacuums are not hard to find - you just need to know where to look! Learn more about better choices of vacuums on our website, www.queenvacuum.com/sales. Call or stop in our shop any time for more explanation, information, or a demonstration. By: Rachel Decker Receive more interesting articles like this each month by subcribing to our monthly e-newsletter... Join our FREE Email Mailing List

"The DIRT on Dyson & Other Bagless Vacuum Cleaners... Facts that just might take your breath away!"

This month we're talkin' dirty about bagless vacuum cleaners! Now bear with me, because this is not a pretty topic - but it's one that is extremely important to your respiratory health and the quality of life in your home.

It's the latest craze....BAGLESS VACUUMS! "What a revolution... no bags, no worries...how easy and cost-effective!!" Craze? Craziness is more like it. I hate to be harsh, and I hate name names, but my job is to be straight with my customers.... All bagless vacuums are: unsanitary, unhealthy, are not effective, do not last very long and are more expensive to operate & maintain. Sorry, but that includes the Dyson. Pictures are worth a thousand words (see below).



How can I make such a bold claim? How do I know? Because vacuum cleaners are my life! Queen Vacuum (formerly named Graman's Vacuum) has been in operation for over 50 years. It's one thing just to sell vacuums - but the fact that we repair vacuums as well means that we understand vacuum cleaners inside and out, literally!

So put on your goggles and gloves - we're going to take a closer look at how your vacuum affects your world. If you already have a bagless vacuum, or are considering purchasing one, please consider the following statements and comments - you can make your OWN conclusions:

1. I suffer from severe allergies and my doctor said to buy a vacuum with a HEPA filter. I read that the Dyson is certified asthma & allergy friendly."
The Truth Is: The Dyson can extract a great deal of dirt and allergens from the carpet, as well as trap most of it from returning to your room’s atmosphere – while in operation and sealed. However (as seen in the provided illustration) you are completely exposed to the full concentration of dirt and allergens you collected when it’s time to empty the Dyson’s dirt bin! Even worse, you are required to hand wash the Dyson’s dirty sponge filter every few months to prevent clogging and maintain performance. Most people – not thinking – empty the dusty bin in the kitchen garbage, and wash the filter in the sink! The unhealthy residue and fine dust released from these tasks can badly contaminate the very place where you prepare food for your family.

2. (I hear this one a lot) “My Dyson vacuum picks up way more dirt” than my old bagged vacuum ever did!” I can’t help but ask, “How do you know? Did you ever test them side-by-side then cut open your bag to measure and compare contents?”
The Truth Is: A typical filter bag can hold up to 20x more dirt than the dirt-collection bin of any full-sized Dyson vacuum. In other words, you will need to stop and empty your Dyson 20 times before it’s time to throw out the bag in a regular vacuum!

3. “I really need to watch costs these days. I don’t have the money to keep buying replacement filter bags all of the time. A bagless vacuum will be way cheaper to maintain.”
The Truth Is: Typical high-filtration paper vacuum bags only cost between $1-$2 each. The average household goes through one bag every month. That’s $12-$24 per year. Let’s even say it has a HEPA exhaust filter too…that’s another $20 per year. Okay, $44 bucks. Your average bagless vacuum has a primary HEPA filter that requires regular cleaning, plus replacement every six months. These cost $20-$30 on average, making annual operating costs between $40 and $60! Where’s the savings? Also – paper vacuums bags are not charged sales tax by the Sate of NJ!

Furthermore - Most bagless vacuums are designed by manufacturers to be “disposable.” The cost of filter replacement is very high, so the initial purchase is usually very low. After a year or two, you throw them out (not very green, right?) which also means that repeated replacement racks up huge costs compared to the maintenance of a better machine over several year’s time. Most importantly, cheap price means cheap, poor construction. Remember we’re dealing with dust and microscopic particles. This means that a vacuum’s ill-fitting body parts and lousy seals allow a certain portion of the dust picked up to leaks out of those cracks. Much of the dirty air may not even make it through the HEPA filter, and some gets sucked into the vacuum’s motor. The result? Dust and allergens spewed into your breathing air and a damaged motor that is likely to “burn up” within a few short years. You’ll see the outside of a bagless vacuum quickly get covered in dust. They harbor more odors than a bagged vacuum whose dirty bag gets removed very frequently. They clog more frequently and pick up less from your floors as a result of suction loss from a quickly choked-up filter.

A vacuum is intended to do ONE SIMPLE JOB: SUCK UP dirt from floors and surfaces, TRAP the dirt and expel only CLEAN AIR. You should now understand how many machines, claiming to be “vacuums cleaners,” fail miserably at one or all of these criteria. Failure means you home is not clean, you’ve wasted your money and time and may be putting your family's health at risk.

Good vacuums are not hard to find - you just need to know where to look! Learn more about better choices of vacuums on our website, www.queenvacuum.com/sales. Call or stop in our shop any time for more explanation, information, or a demonstration.

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