Underwriters Laboratories Inc (UL) evaluated several types of vacuum cleaners in response to recent speculations that the devices’ dust-collection bags allow dust back into the air after being processed. Dirt and debris filtering and storing in the appliance were considered.

UL created a technical advisory committee to formulate a consensus standard. A standard which addresses all environmental effects from a vacuum-cleaner operation was proposed.

Proposed standard targets clean air coupled with clean carpets.

Recently, there has been a trend in the vacuum-cleaner industry towards improving efficiency. This trend has been predicated on the perception that dust-collection bags allow dust back into the air after being processed by the vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaner sales are outselling other small appliances and the market is still growing. For example, 1992 vacuum cleaner sales totaled a record 11.7 million full-size units, and Jan 1993 sales increased 26.4% over Jan 1992 levels to 1.1 million units. Industry experts attribute the rise to several factors, including growth in the housing market and the aging of US consumers.

Cleaners top rest of small appliances, but even greater growth envisioned as economy rises

Vacuum cleaner out-performed the rest of the small-appliance industry on average and could be on the verge of dramatic growth as the economy turns around.

One day, an executive with an eye on higher efficiency and cleaner floors purchased one vacuum cleaner, two computers, one database management system, and one program for word processing and a variety of other uses.

The vacuum cleaner, when pulled from its box and plugged into the electrical socket, immediately began its work. The computers and programs were another story.

A computer is not a vacuum cleaner. You can’t just plug it in, flip the switch, and put it to productive work.

The tip-off that you must expect to spend some time experimenting comes when you see the “owner’s manual’ that accompanies a computer and its programs.