Putting UVs to Good Use: the Verilux UVC Sanitizing Vacuum
The past 12 months have been particularly bad as far as colds and flu go. Nearly everyone we know has dealt with some sort of illness, and it seems that everyone was worse this year than previous years. Most people have a vested interest at this point in infection control in any way that it can be had. There are, of course, very tried and true methods for keeping yourself and the area around you sanitary. Things like washing your hands properly, keeping your hands away from your mouth and eyes, especially when out in public, and not coughing or sneezing into your hands are all good places to start. Bleach is the standby when it comes to disinfecting surfaces in your home, itʻs cheap and effective.
More and more now we are seeing products with UV light in them for the purpose of sanitizing things like toothbrushes, and to help purify air and water. There is some merit to this whole concept, but in general the level of UV exposure has to be high and concentrated to be truly effective in altering or killing bacteria. Particularly in home use itʻs very difficult to quantify the efficacy of UV light and itʻs effect on the amount of pathogens on your toothbrush or in your water. There are no tests available for the consumer to verify that there are indeed fewer microbes to contend with, we are expected to simply believe what the companies who market such products tell us.
With all that in mind we decided to give the Verilux UVC Sanitizing Vac a spin. This vacuum is in the same league many mid size vacuum cleaners and is priced accordingly at around $130. Like most vacuum cleaners in that price range itʻs a matter of getting what you pay for. The Verilux is made to be used on low pile carpet and solid floors like wood, tile and linoleum. There is also a UV light by the brush, the idea being that in addition to removing debris from your floor the UV light will also sanitize the floors. Without a way to measure the level of bacteria before or after running the vacuum makes it impossible to know if it works or not, but we suspect the latter. Unfortunately this vacuum also fails to remove all of the debris in itʻs path the first time over. We found it necessary to go over the same areas multiple times in order to effectively sweep to a satisfactory clean.
We did appreciate the size and portability of this vacuum cleaner, it was easy to store, and a great size for a small office or apartment. Nice and lightweight the Verilux was quite mobile. It uses a bag free system, using a 2-stage micro-allergy filtration system instead, which we prefer as a whole. The vacuum also held a charge well. We would like to see the roller a bit wider, as it was difficult to get to the edges of the floor next to walls and under cabinets. If the UV light really is as effective as the claims sound this vacuum could be a decent choice for the price range. In all good conscience though we would be more inclined to recommend a good broom and dustpan, for a really thorough cleaning (brooms are green too!). If youʻd like to give the Verilux UVC Sanitizing Vacuum a try for yourself you can find it directly from Verilux for $129.95 or online at Amazon.
