A recent $89 deal at Kmart has started people talking about the something we all need. A vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter had its claim to fame by being as good as the more expensive Dyson versions and apparently seen them sold out at Kmart stores. So why is a HEPA filter so good, especially for allergy sufferers?

A HEPA filter works to keep the dust in your vacuum cleaner and not recirculated back out into your house and airborne like 80% of the dust normally does when vacuuming. This is especially an issue for people who have allergies as the indoor air quality is affected and can lead to allergic reactions after a house has been ‘cleaned.’ The HEPA filter has such a fine filter that the size of these allergy-causing particulates cannot escape. The size of the dust is usually undetectable to our human eye as we can see to between 40-50 microns, (with a strand of hair being 100 microns) and particles recently being classified into an ultra-fine category of >0.1 micron.

Cleaning your house can actually do more damage for allergy sufferers! Did you know it takes about 79 days for a virus particle to fall back to the ground after vacuuming? This is just one of the lovely things floating around in your house!  We get a little de-sensitised to what is actually coming into our houses and surrounding us in our daily lives.

Have a look at what these particulates consist of:

•  Dust: dirt, skin cells, pet hair and dander, fibres from clothing and furnishings, particles from insects, building materials and food
•  Heavy Metals: lead, titanium, copper, cadmium, mercury, nickel and chromium
•  Micro-Organisms: viruses, bacteria, mould spores, pollen, dust mites and their faeces
•  Toxic Particles: VOCs, asbestos, glass, pesticides, plastics, smoke, soot.

Simple steps to create a more healthier home

There are some simple steps to reducing these particulates from your home:

• A weekly clean with a good vacuum cleaner that is fitted with a HEPA filter can significantly reduce your dust load levels & reduce allergies in your home.
• Keep your vacuum cleaner for your home (If you have a cleaner that takes it from house to house you can increase receiving particulates from all the other houses that they clean).
• Replace your vacuum cleaner after about 5-10 years depending on its use (i.e. if you’ve renovated and used it during this time)
• Take your shoes off before you enter the house as this will also significantly reduce the dust load in your house by 50%.

How to get optimal benefits and create a healthy & harmonious home

You can also take this a step further and enhance your home with some good feng shui by:

• Clearing away the clutter before your weekly clean to allow fresh, positive energy circulate around your home
• Once a month do a mini ‘Space Clearing’ to clear away any old negative energies & emotions in your home
• Move furniture around, change artwork, bring in some fresh flowers and/or have some beautiful essential oils diffusing to allow fresh, positive energy circulate around your home
• Be appreciative for the beautiful house and family you do have!