How do cleaning gadgets work?
There are a myriad of cleaning gadgets out there, making cleaning easier, more thorough and more fun. Each has been tailored using creative technologies which allow them to do the best job possible. But how do these work? Well, here is what we found out…
Vacuums (bagless):
We thought we would start off with a gadget we often use and take for granted. The vacuum cleaner. More specifically… The bagless vacuum cleaner. Invented by James Dyson, this product has reinvented the way we clean, and highly improved performance and lifespan of vacuum cleaners. This was no easy feat- it took James Dyson 5,127 prototypes before the design was a success and good for production.
Bagless vacuum cleaners use filters to trap dirt and debris into a reusable cylinder or pocket. This can then be emptied as and when needed and the vacuum works pretty much like new – with no need for bag replacement or impact on vacuum performance. All vacuum cleaners rely on suction for their use- they pull air and particles in and remove them from the surface you are working on. This suction is created by an electric motor creating a giant suction effect and increasing airflow through a system in the vacuum.
Ultrasonic cleaners:
As the name may suggest, ultrasonic cleaners use high frequency sound waves which are used to agitate liquids and increase cavitation of molecules in the solution. This is done as the force of high frequency sound breaks up molecules between each other and the surface being cleaned. However, it is gentle enough to not damage the surface or molecules being cleaned themselves – it really requires a fine balance! Its first major debut was in 1952 and is now widely used globally, in a range of cleaning sectors including industrial, medical and more. You can find out more here.
UV cleaners
These use ultraviolet radiation in order to disinfect surfaces and are commonly used to disinfect phones. For a bit of background, UV is a form of electromagnetic radiation which has a frequency just higher than visible light, but still lower than x-ray. The UV radiation works by disrupting the effective replication of genetic material and therefore helps kill viral and bacterial cells. However, there is speculation with regards to how effective it is in small doses- such as those used in some UV phone cleaners.
Air purifiers
What is an air purifier? Well, most air purifiers work to remove contaminants in a room in order to improve air quality in indoor spaces- allowing you to breathe ‘fresher’, cleaner air. But how do they work? This will vary depending on the type of purifier but generally: most have filters and air circulatory systems within them, so that air is pulled in, contaminants are trapped between filter layers, and clean air is circulated back out. Some may have additional cleaning technologies, but the general structure is almost the same in many purifiers. It is important to check cleaning advice for filters, to prevent them from being clogged with too much dirt/ microbes. You can find out more about how air purifiers work, as well as recommendations here.