Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I just came across what appears to be a press release regarding, Fresh Ins packets that contain scented baking soda crystals.  Arm & Hammer already produces a bunch of deodorizing disposable bags plus filters for many brands of vacs.  The claim in regard to Fresh Ins is that the product can be dumped into any vacuum, bagged or bagless, to neutralize pet odor and has twice the dedorizing power of Arm & Hammer's bags.  Per the article, the packets sell for about $2.50 for nine packets. Link is here -- http://www.courant.com/features/home/hc-faqpetfresh.artaug06,0,7643952.story?track=rss

Nice idea but I also liked the company provision for info through its "Jill's Secret Solutions" page -- http://armandhammer.com/default.aspx?ITEMID=4  There are all sorts of tips on how to use just plain old cheap baking soda around the house.

One of Jill's ideas is to go directly to the source and give dogs a deodorizing dry bath, sprinkle it on-brush it out, with baking soda.  I also suggest IF you have a quiet vacuum with hose, try vacuuming Rover.  DO NOT use tools with moving parts like air-powered turbo tools, etc.  DO USE a straight suction upholstery tool or dusting brush with the suction relief open or motor speed reduced and stay away from your animals ears and head. 

Your cat or dog of course has to go for the idea and it should not be forced on them.  However, if you've got an animal that likes a thrill, the feel of cool air pulling through its fur as you give it a going over is quite enjoyable.  I remember that my dog began to fall out on the floor waiting to be done with the bare floor tool just about every time I turned the cleaner on.  This is also helpful in that the fur and dandruff you dislodge goes straight into the vacuum. Regular grooming of any kind may help reduce reduce the amount of shed hair and dander you have to tackle come cleaning day.

Best,

Venson

A while back I posted the merits of  baking soda uses around the home.  At least one member refured my claims.  He says that very few households use baking soda.

He seems to believe that more home owners prefer to keep a stock of kapok.

I can't imagine why anyone except a vacuum salesman would want to keep a supply of kapok but baking soda is another story. 

Before all the hype about the expensive toothpaste version, for years people made a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and used it to brush their teeth.  Baking soda was often used as a gentle scouring agent in place of harsher cleansers.  Presently, it has been found proved to be effective at dealing with odors in carpeting.  And I don't mean the fancy stuff with all the perfumes added -- just good old baking soda straight out of the box.  Best yet, you can cook with it. What can be better.

Why it's just like good old vinegar -- you can clean your windows or make a salad.

Unfortunately, I don't know how well the use baking soda and other simple and handy household standbys has taken hold these days.  Everyone, old and young, is in a rush to do this or that task and can't seem to believe that you don't always have to rush to the store to buy the miracle cleaner advertised on television to get things done. Despite the seeming urgency, I can't help but wonder if some of the back-in-the-day problem solvers won't grow in interest to younger and less aware out there who are looking to save a little money or possibly be even a little more green-minded.

As an aside, for those of us who like a feeliing of self-sufficiency there's a wonderful cookbook still available called "Better than Store-bought" by Helen Witty.

Best,

Venson

I use about one box of baking soda weekly.  My favorite is using in the dishwasher.  Dishes (especially pots and pans) come out sparkling clean.

Yes the vac store owners prefer kapok.  I recommended baking soda for use at an Oreck store to one of our readers.  Carmine went beserk.  Guess he already knew the Oreck couldn't handle the test.

I do applaud the home grown uses for baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.   Love those old fashioned household remedies.

Carmine D.

Sand doesn't occur naturally in all environments.  Neither does dog hair.  Dust and dirt occur naturally in all environments. 

A reader mentioned that they would be testing new vacs and asked for recommended tests.  I suggested baking soda for testing a vacuums performance on hard surfaces since so many vacuums blow more dust / dirt than they collect .  You became defensive of this test because you know that the test would show the inferiority of Oreck and so many others.  You also know that baking soda would clog the bag very quickly if vacuumed in large quantities.  Only then did I suggest that you try it with your Oreck and report back.  I haven't heard the results.

I'm so sorry if you inferred that I contradicted you and your recommended test.  That was not my intention at all.  I was referring ONLY to my use of baking soda for a bare floor test, since sand occurs so abundantly and naturally here in the desert. 

BTW, the paper bag in the ORECK is 6 quarts.  This is one of the largest paper bags in the vacuum industry.  I literally vacuum up several pounds of sand with pet hair and household dust/dirt before I replace a bag.  I have not had a single instance of a clogged bag in over a year's worth of daily ORECK usage.  

Do you still think it is practical and necessary for me to do the baking soda test to see if an ORECK bag will/will not clog?  What difference would it make TO ME, if it did?

Hello again Venson:

If Arm and Hammer made bags to fit the ORECK [ORECK doesn't use filters], I would most definitely buy/experiment with the bag product.  I use the cheapest ORECK brand of paper bags and have been impressed with their quality and performace.  The cost is about $2 per bag.  A bag lasts for almost 2 months and even then, it is not full when I replace. 

Carmine D.

Carmine,

Everything is not about you.  You were very adamant that baking soda was not a good test for simulating dust.  However you were persistant in using kapok.    Not all homes have dog and cat hair.  All homes have dust and dirt so the kapok is not as good for testing as BS.. Having visited LV I have no doubt that you have lots of sand to vacuum.  Sand is not prevelant in all regions so others have different testing needs.  Again,  my original recommendation to use BS was not to you. 

You might get a lb of sand before clogging a bag.  I have serious doubts that you could get a lb of dust and dirt without losing suction since it is not so great even with a new bag.  I am not surprised that an Oreck bag lasts a year since it leaves so much dirt behind.  I never had a Dyson to clog or lose suction. 

I do not think it ir practical for you to do the test to justify your application since you vacuum mostly sand and dog hair.  I do think it is practical for those withe the proper need.

What difference does it make to me and millions of others if your Dyson did not pass your carpet test so long as it works for us?

Contrary to your belief the world does not always have your needs nor should they share your beliefs.

Hiya Carmine,

This link has been giving me trouble this evening but did work for me earlier in the day -- http://www.armhammervac.com/prod_cats/oreck.html

If it fails to get you to the Oreck bag listing maybe trying the "Jill's Secret Solutions" link will get you to the vacuum bags.  Click on the vacuum cleaner icon.

Walmart stocks a bunch of Arm & Hammer bags for Hoover and Eureka but nothing turned up when I searched for Oreck accessories.

Best,

Venson

Thanks for the link.  I'll research what's available for ORECK in the way of replacement bags by A&H.

Carmine D.

With all the productive uses for baking soda around the home, using it as a test substance to vacuum up and throw away is, IMHO, a waste of time and money.  Especially when other household debris, like sand and/or common household dirt/dust and household by-products, are free, in abundant supply, useless around the home, and certainly more worthy of waste and disposal than a fine multi useful product like baking soda. 

For example, dried out, used coffee grinds are an excellent test substance for vacuums on bare floors AND rugs.  If dried by natural sunlight, they have no odor whatsoever.  And used dried coffee grinds can be weighed before and after pick up by the user to measure vacuum performance.  A unique characteristic of used dried coffee grinds, unlike most other test substances, is that they hold steadfast to their original mass and volume.  Much better than baking soda which is powdery and breaks down/disintegrates/evaporates from the pressure and force of revolving brush rolls and normal vacuuming. 

As the old school saying goes: Waste not/want not!

Carmine D.