Dog Hair Vacuum

I run a dog daycare and boarding business in my home. All visiting dogs have free reign around my house just like my own dog. The first time I used any Dyson vacuum was in August 2006. It was a Dyson DC07. My 2 year old bagless Kenmore Evo canister vacuum just didn’t seem to suck up the ‘invisible’ dirt and baking soda that was embedded in the carpet even though the carpet looked clean. When the dogs started playing, you could see dust rising above the carpet when looking from an angle.

It is important to remember that a dog’s coat attracts fine dirt like a magnet. After playing and rolling in the yard their fur will quickly pick up dirt which become uninvited guests in your home.

I first set out to look for a vacuum that could ‘deep’ clean carpets exceptionally well. Floor cleaning ability and accessories were an afterthought. The first problem was articulating to others what I meant by exceptionally well. It was remarkable, different people had different ideas of what clean was. After all there is no such thing as a 100% clean carpet.

The second problem was finding a bagless vacuum. My carpets need vacuuming daily (sometimes twice a day). Each time I vacuum the bin gets full and needs emptying. My basic math skills suggested that I would need at least 365 bags a year. It would have cost a pretty penny if I was to get a vacuum that required a new bag after every fill up.

I eventually picked out a handful of vacuums. I then ran into my third problem. Every vacuum had its adoring zealots and its dedicated seething haters. I eventually chose the DC07 because of its 2 year warranty (it has since been increased to 5 years) and its quick telephone support. I also found the Dyson’s claim that it never loses suction (one which I can now attest as true) intriguing.

When I received my new Dyson vacuum, I discovered that some assembly was required. What a pain I thought. It was also heavier than my ‘old’ Kenmore. These negative thoughts quickly evaporated when I started what I thought would be a quick test drive. I figured that since I had already vacuumed my rugs a few hours earlier and they still looked clean I would clean my whole house the next day as usual.

Less than one minute into testing my new vacuum on my clean 8ft by 10ft carpet with under padding, the clear bin was full of dirt! I emptied it and continued vacuuming the same ‘clean’ carpet; the bin got full again! The dogs that were there that day heard my verbal shock and starred at me as though I was a raving lunatic. I became extremely motivated and vacuumed all the rugs in the house again. I emptied the bin many times that day.

Emptying my bagless Kenmore Evo’s bin and filter was a messy and dirty affair that had to be done outdoors. Emptying the Dyson’s clear bin however is a breeze. Simply place the bin in a large bag and pull a release trigger with your finger and lightly shake. It is a very clean process. No dirt or dust gets out of the large bag. I would recommend that you store this large bag by tying a knot until it is full then dispose of it. The stored bag has the side effect of reminding you how filthy your home gets if you start feeling too lazy to vacuum.

In the last two years (FYI, this article was written in 2008) I have never had a problem with my dyson vacuum. There was one time I thought that it was not working properly. I called dyson and one of their representatives walked me through various tests. It turned out that there was no problem . Even though no problem existed, I did get to test dyson’s telephone support. It was outstanding. I was never kept on hold and the lady with whom I spoke with was courteous, patient and knowledgeable.

The Dyson DC07 does have several weaknesses:

1. It struggled picking up larger particles such as cheerios cereal. This maybe because the brush bar theoretically automatically adjusts its height to match that of the carpet to clean optimally.
2. I say theoretically because occasionally, I had to wiggle the vacuum’s handle so that its brush could find the ideal height for best results.
3. I also found that I had to vacuum in an over lapping manner because on its right side, it left behind a thin streak of dirt. Yes my clients bring home a lot of dirt every day.

After considering these weaknesses I would still highly recommend the Dyson DC07 because I found its dirt sucking ability to be jaw dropping. In the last two years, I have saved hundreds of dollars by never buying disposable vacuum bags and filters.