Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Your enthusiasm for all things dyson is commendable but alas the facts speak for themselves. 

I'll paraphrase Consumer Reports which says pet hair has a propensity to stick to the plastic dirt bins and bin parts, including the shroud.  CR states that its test staff has to pick off the pet hair by hand to measure the amount actually picked up after vacuuming in order to score the pet hair tests.  CR consistently sites this shortcoming about bagless vacuums.  For this reason and others, CR recommends asthma and allergy sufferers avoid bagless vacuums and/or recommends the use of breathing masks in concert with bagless vacuums. 

Carmine D.

Are you serious or delirious, DIB? 

On a serious note, Laurel and Hardy, were hilarious in their day of the black and white "talkies" with their slap stick comedy [a favorite of mine and still in reruns on Saturday afternoon TV].  But they are long gone and forgotten.  So too are the duo comedic routines/styles they heralded on national TV with the likes of Abbott and Costello, Lewis and Martin, the Smothers Brothers and Martin/Rowan.  And a host of ventriloquists with "dummies" like Winchell and Mahoney.  Perhaps you and HARDSELL can revive this comedy venue?  I will even script a routine for you using vacuums.  You with your DC15 and HS with his Royal Emminence.  Bagless versus bagged.  Did you know that all the great comedy duos had a vacuum cleaner routine?  No, you probably didn't.  Like I said, gone and forgotten.

Science on the other hand has come a long ways in the meantime and to its credit so has Consumer Reports. 

Carmine D.

In my experience, ladies' long hair, feathers (from duvets and pillows), synthetic long fibres from certain carpets, can and do stick to that damned Dyson shroud. That I can attest to.

It should also be mentioned that over a period of time, the Dyson will start to smell, even if the bin is emptied regularly and the filter washed. This is because the fine dust accumulates in the airducts within the shroud area, as well as the small cyclone depositing area.

I found the answer with my DC15: wash the complete, removable cyclone bin assembly.

Here is what I did. (Wear eye protection!)

Empty bin, remove clear bin, wash clear bin with detergent.

Remove pre-filter, wash both parts of pre-filter in warm water, by hand, with laundry detergent. I used P&G's "Bold" powder. Rinse well, allow to thoroughly air dry.

Remove filter lid (hinge can be gently forced off one side), set aside. There should only be the shroud and inner cyclone assembly now.

Fill a 2-gallon bucket with hand-hot water, add a scoop of laundry powder, place the inner cyclone assembly into bucket, and agitate up & down vigorously, and rotate clockwise & anti-clockwise.

Invert the cyclone assembly and place back into the bucket, using same up & down and rotating motions.

You may find that you have to empty the pail and start again, due to the amount of dirt released.

Rinse all washed parts thoroughly, and allow to air-dry for a couple of days. When all parts are dry, re-assemble and enjoy a clean machine once again!

Of course, you could save yourselves all this hassle: by buying a bagged machine. Then, when the bag starts to smell bad, simply replace the bag with a new one. Problem solved!

Carmine: