The Eureka Company's parent organization, A.B. Electrolux of
Sweden, commissioned a study* in the United Kingdom which showed that over half
of British adults suffer from back pain and many of them point to vacuuming as
one of the main triggers. Americans are likely to be suffering similar levels
of back pain. The Eureka Company has found a number of ways to address this
health issue including the Back Saver handle, wider cleaning paths, bagless
filtration, light weight and self-propelled models.
Eureka's patented Back Saver handle, found on many Eureka
upright models in the United States, is now also used on Eureka models marketed
under the A.B. Electrolux name in the U.K. The Back Saver handle reduces back
strain by minimizing the need for bending while cleaning under low furniture.
This handle is standard on all of Eureka's Victory models, including Enviro Vac
with True HEPA filtration. The Back Saver handle is also on all of the new
WhirlWind models with True HEPA filtration and cyclonic action.
Many Eureka vacuums are equipped with a 15" cleaning path
rather than the standard 12" path. This wider path means fewer passes over the
carpeting to complete the job up to 25% faster than conventional width vacuums.
Because extra weight is part of the problem for those with
back pain, Eureka uprights are light weight and they come with attachments that
make it possible to clean furniture and stairs without bending and lifting up
the entire unit.
WhirlWind has a lightweight removable
cassette which can be easily emptied after each use. This eliminates the
standard filter bag which can become overfilled and add weight to the vacuum.
Another simple "back saver" is knowing how to set the vacuum
height adjustment properly. The wrong setting makes the vacuum hard to push,
which adds physical strain, and it reduces the cleaning effectiveness of the
vacuum. To set the height adjustment, turn on your upright vacuum while it is
sitting on the carpet you are planning to clean and release the handle as
though you were going to start moving the vacuum across the floor. Set the
height adjustment to the highest carpet setting. Then, adjust the dial
downward, one setting at a time, until you hear the tone of the vacuum motor
change. It will sound as though the motor has changed gears. The change in tone
indicates that the brush roller is making contact with the carpeting, and there
is still enough air circulating around the base of the power unit to pull the
dirt up and into the cleaner. This change in tone means you have found the
optimum setting for that particular carpet. Setting the adjustment any lower
actually reduces your vacuum's ability to clean because there isn't enough air
circulating through the carpet fibers to carry debris up into the unit.
