Daily, people do reviews of how high the performance of various vacuums is. No matter how many things they claim to be good about the products, the truth is that most of them are only looking to promote them and get people to buy.
Is there a way to know how authentic these reviews are? Is there a guarantee that the vacuum will be as good as they are reported to be when you buy them? As unreliable as some claims may be, many organizations around the world can be trusted when it comes to product testing. The go-ahead to test the manufacturer’s claim, and after that, give reliable information about the product.
Information on Vacuum Cleaner Standards and Tests
Usually, these independent organizations have no form of affiliation with the manufacturer. As such, they neither have something to gain nor lose by being biased, which means that they are usually objective and truthful with their reviews.
Of course, this will ultimately lead you to make the best final choice. This article will be giving you vital information about vacuum cleaner standards and test. So, keep reading.
Standards and Testing Organizations
When it comes to standards and testing organizations Carpets and Rug Institute is number one on the list. They provide independent informational tools and carry out standard testing.
Also, there’s the Consumers Union which is a well-established company that carries out several standard tests. They seek to ascertain that the manufacturers’ claims are true. Meanwhile, they are not limited to the vacuum cleaner industry alone. Their tests are reliable, and consumers find no trouble trusting them.
Again, ASTM International which was once known as the American Society for Testing and Materials is one of the international standards organization that set the standards for manufacturers. They develop and publish technical standards for a variety of materials, products, and services. The organization has it’s headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
There are also standards and testing Organizations that Carter for people with asthma and allergies that operate globally and help people to understand the certification mark of their top pick.
Some of these organizations are the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and the Allergy Standards Limited association. These organizations work hand in hand to create an outstanding certification program for sweepers and other tools. These agencies are better explained below.
Carpet and Rug Institute
Because of their exigent standards, getting a Seal of Approval or Green Label Certification from the carpets and rug institute is not an easy ordeal. Being a trade association for the textile, carpet and rug industry, they take their mandate quite seriously.
They are a leading source of information when it comes to how rugs and carpet make for a better living, working, learning and healing the environment.
The Institute is on a mission to serve not only the carpet industry but also the public. Their activities are tailored towards helping consumers make informed choices by providing fact.
They test cleaners to see how effective they are in containing soil and removing dust while maintaining the carpet’s color at the same time. The Carpet and rug institute usually list the certified brands and award them with either a Bronze, Silver or Gold rating. They give their ratings based on the following parameters.
Soil Removal
Soil removal entails the use of some x-ray fluorescence tech. These are usually enhanced by NASA for optimization and are used instead of gravimetric tests which are the more common option.
This processes give accurate results and are shown in 30 ounces/ square yard for both commercial pile carpeting and loop pile carpeting.
Dust Containment
This process tests the ability of the cleaner to contain dust. As such, there must be no avenue for the dust to escape from the body of the canister. For the cleaner to pass this test, nothing more than a 100 micrograms of dust must be released in a cubic meter of air.
Surface Appearance Change
The vacuum is not expected to affect the appearance of the carpet negatively. A test is carried out to ensure this. They run the cleaner over the carpet for up to 900 times. Also, they turn the sample every 50 times to simulate this.
Consumers Union & Consumers Reports
Though this organization does not have an official stamp of approval, they recognize their top models with awards. Also, they offer subscription and publish tests for a variety of products including vacuums. Compared to the carpet and rug institute, their tests are more elaborate, more specific and test performance on several surfaces. Their ratings cover the following areas
- Carpet
Using a carpet with a medium pile, they check how much sand the vacuum can lift. They also spread talc on the area and test that as well.
- Hard Floors
It turns out that the organization does not only test cleaners on carpets alone but also on hard floors. When they test sweepers on tiles or vinyl, they check how much sand the cleaners can gather without making a mess. The ones who do this effectively are rated higher.
- Tool Airflow
Knowing the importance of airflow, they also test how strong the suction on the device is. A suction that dissipates near the nozzle is not so good.
- Noise
A noisy sweeper is always annoying. Consumer union make it a point to test the noise level of the vacuums as well
- Emissions
This aspect is usually ignored; however, consumer union also check the number of particles that are released as the vacuum works.
- Handling
Since users need to handle their vacuum often, there is a need to check how easy it can be moved, pushed, pulled and carried around.
- Pet Hair
Getting rid of pet hair is an extra worry for pet owners. Thus, a rating on how effective a vacuum is in removing pet hair is essential. Consumer union do their pet hair testing on medium-pile carpets
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International)
Though their primary base in America, this organization is a global one. They test everything from vacuums to the bags inside them using more than 12000 varieties of ASTM standards.
The organization develops consensus norm that Carter for more than just the vacuum cleaner industry.
- Allergy Testing
Allergy testing is one of the most important reasons why independent testing is needful. The reason is quite apparent. Allergies are life-threatening, and it is crucial that everything is done to minimize their occurrence.
Though vacuums are a significant instrument for achieving this, their effects are dependent on the quality of the cleaners. Due to this, various organizations now specialize in checking how efficient several vacuums are in minimizing allergies
- AAFA
This agency is amongst the top organizations that strive to find solutions to allergies and asthma. Apart from fighting for the right of people suffering from these illnesses, they also strive to inform their buying decisions. Once they give their approval, it means the product can be trusted
- ASL
This establishment works alongside AAFA. They are also at the forefront when it comes to solving asthma and allergies issues. Being a global organization, they have professional doctors and scientists to help carry out their tests
- Allergy Research Limited (Allergy UK)
Like ASL and AAFA, these organizations seek to test how good various vacuums are in curbing allergies too. Though it’s hard to get approval from them because of their standards, the brands that meet the standards become widely recognized.
Conclusion
No matter what each of these organizations has different ways of testing products, they do it thoroughly. The agencies mentioned here are the top ones, and their judgments can be trusted.
So, if what you’re looking for is an unbiased review, you can check these organizations out. Note that the brands that they approve are most likely qualified. It would, therefore, be prudent to avoid purchasing products that have not received any certification.
