American Vacuum Cleaning: History & Trends

Carpets are known to cause countless problems for allergy sufferers. The fibers in carpets provide a safe haven for dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, and other allergens. In fact, in severe cases, some doctors recommend getting rid of all carpets in your home if you have allergies. It’s usually not necessary to go that far, but if you have allergies, it is imperative that you vacuum your home frequently with a high-quality vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter that is capable of capturing allergens. Learn about vacuum cleaner history below.

The History of Vacuum Cleaners

Vacuum Cleaner HistoryAccording to the vacuum cleaner history, before the existence of vacuum cleaners, people had to take their carpets outside and beat the dirt out of them. As a result, some people would only clean the carpets in their homes once a year during spring (The dust mites must have loved that!).

Ives W. McGaffey invented the first vacuum cleaner, called the “Whirlwind,” in Chicago in 1868. However, the Whirlwind was difficult to use because the operator had to turn a crank while pushing it across the floor manually.

Allergy and asthma sufferer, Melville Reuben Bissell, invented the first successful mechanical “carpet sweeper” in 1876 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Bissell carpet sweeper is still very popular today. This is especially true in restaurants and other locations where operators do not want to disturb patrons with the noise of an electric vacuum cleaner. The first patent for an electric carpet sweeper was granted to Corinne Dufour of Savannah, GA, in 1890.

In 1901, Hubert Cecil Booth invented a large vacuum cleaner known as the “Puffing Billy.” The Puffing Billy was first powered by an oil engine and later by an electric motor. But, Booth did not achieve much success with his large machine, which required a horse-drawn carriage for transport.

Walter Griffiths developed an improved manual vacuum cleaner in Birmingham, England, in 1905. To clean the floor, the operator would pump a bellows-like contraption to suck up dirt through a flexible pipe—this was the first device that resembled a modern vacuum cleaner.

Between 1903 and 1913, New Jersey inventor David T. Kennedy was granted nine patents for machines that were similar in design to the Puffing Billy. Kennedy established the Suction Cleaner Company and the American vacuum cleaner industry.

Allergy: The Mother of Invention

In 1906, janitor James Murray Spangler was motivated to create an electric vacuum. This was due to the frequent allergy and asthma attacks he experienced after using his sweeper. His vacuum was created using an electric fan motor, a soapbox, a broom handle, and a pillowcase. In addition, he added a rotating brush to help loosen dirt and debris for easy pick-up. Spangler patented his rotating-brush design in 1908 and eventually sold it to W.H. Hoover of Hoover Harness and Leather Goods Factory. The Hoover company is still a leading manufacturer of vacuum cleaners today! As a matter of fact, in Great Britain, “hoover” is often used interchangeably with the word “vacuum.” Even as a verb, “I hoovered the living room this morning.”

How Vacuum Cleaners Work

How Vacuum Cleaners WorkTraditional vacuum cleaners utilize a fan to suck in air. As a result, it reduces the air pressure inside the cleaning tube. Atmospheric pressure then pushes the air up the tube and into the bag, similar to sipping a beverage through a straw. However, when the air travels through the tube, it carries dirt along with it. Specifically, the air freely moves through the tiny pores of the vacuum’s dust bag to the vacuum’s exhaust. During this process, the dirt gets trapped inside the bag.

Allergies & HEPA Filtration

During World War II, HEPA filters were created to remove radioactive particles from the air. HEPA stands for “High-Efficiency Particulate Air.” By definition, a HEPA filter must capture at least 99.97% of all particles down to 0.3 microns in size. Household allergens average between one and ten microns in size. Therefore, we recommend that allergy sufferers only use vacuums that feature HEPA filtration. Without a HEPA filter, allergens that get sucked into the vacuum will pass through the bag’s pores with the outgoing air and get blown back into the environment through the vacuum’s exhaust. A HEPA filter, however, is guaranteed to trap virtually all household allergens. If you use a laser particle counter to test the HEPA filtration system on a Miele vacuum cleaner, the particle count at the exhaust goes all the way down to zero!

Trends in American Vacuum Cleaning

Vacuum cleaners were considered to be luxury items until after World War II. Then they started to become common in middle-class homes. Today, nearly every home in the United States has at least one vacuum cleaner. Vacuum cleaners are much more common in Western countries, as wall-to-wall carpeting is rare in many other parts of the world.

Upright vacuum cleaners are by far the most popular style in the United States. However, canister vacuum cleaners have become more prevalent in the last few years. This may be a direct result of non-carpeted floors becoming more popular. Upright vacuums are perfect for homes with wall-to-wall carpeting in every room. In contrast, canister vacuum cleaners work well on all types of flooring. Generally, canister vacuum cleaners also offer more suction and greater airflow. Universal upright vacuum cleaners (also known as “stick” vacuums) are becoming more popular today. There will always be a place for handheld vacuums in the home.

As vacuum cleaners evolve to address consumer concerns, designers have recently focused on improving factors such as filtration, weight, maneuverability, ease of use, and noise.

Miele vacuum cleaners are built to last for 20 years, so if you’re looking for a top-notch vacuum cleaner that’s going to last, a Miele vacuum cleaner may be your best bet.

Miele HEPA Titan canister vacuum cleaner
Electrolux Deep Clean Canister Vacuum Cleaner Electrolux vacuum cleaners are also quiet and easy-to-use, and they offer HEPA filtration with a slightly lower price tag than Miele vacuums. The Electrolux Harmony vacuum features soft wheels and a low-noise floor nozzle, making it possible to vacuum without disturbing sleeping family members or roommates – and it’s priced very reasonably.
SEBO Automatic X5 Vacuum Cleaner SEBO vacuum cleaners were designed with allergy sufferers in mind. Upright vacuum cleaners, like the SEBO Automatic X5 vacuum cleaner, lay flat to the floor for parallel cleaning so you can easily clean underneath furniture without having to move things around. If a damaging item is accidentally sucked into the machine, the smart SEBO motor will automatically shut off the unit off before it burns out. In addition, indicator lights will illuminate to notify you of any problems like a non-functioning brush roll or a blocked hose. SEBO vacuum cleaners are also available in a canister design.
DirtTamer Supreme V2400 Cordless Wet/Dry HEPA Hand Vac When you need a handheld vacuum cleaner for specialized cleaning, you don’t have to sacrifice HEPA filtration. Dyson has handheld vacuum cleaners that offer HEPA filtration on a smaller scale.

Recent Arrival of the Cyclones

In 1985, James Dyson invented the Dyson vacuum cleaner after getting the idea from industrial cyclonic separators. Dyson vacuum cleaners employ a contained vortex to pick up dust in your home. First, the centrifugal force of the vortex separates the larger particles from the smaller ones. Then the particles move to different filters depending on their size. The first Dyson vacuum cleaners sold for about $1,800 in Japan. Now, thanks to its market success, you can buy a Dyson vacuum cleaner for less than a quarter of its original price.

What is Household Dust, Anyway?

Dead human skin cells make up about 80% of household dust. Dust also contains hair, lint, animal dander, dust mites, pollen, mold spores, insect appendages in various states of decay, soil from the outdoors, and often toxic chemicals. Until you vacuum your carpet with a HEPA-filtered vacuum, these particles will remain in the carpet and enter the indoor air when they’re stirred up.

Vacuum Cleaning Tips for Allergy Sufferers

To increase efficiency, vacuum your floors at a slower speed. Slow, deliberate movements capture more allergens than quick, random movements. We recommend that you vacuum at least two times per week. To ensure that your vacuum cleaner is working correctly, be sure to replace the filters and bags on time. If you have a bagless vacuum cleaner, empty the bin into a trash receptacle outdoors to avoid contaminating the indoor air with allergens. In addition, make sure you do not forget to vacuum all those hard-to-reach areas in your home with your vacuum cleaner’s attachments or with a handheld vacuum. If you’re allergic to dust mites, consider using Allersearch X-Mite carpet powder or Ecology Works Anti-Allergen Solution to denature allergens in carpet, or Ecology Works DustMiteX to kill dust mites in your carpeting and upholstery.

For more information, visit our HEPA vacuum cleaner buying guide or browse some of our vacuum cleaner FAQs.