The good people at Oreck asked me to try their new IntellaShield vacuum and I
agreed to share the results with my readers. I agreed to give the
vacuum a try in my home. Here are my findings and opinions.

According to the press release, a Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of
Arizona was quoted as saying that he has found bacteria, mold, and other
organic contaminants inside of vacuums attached to all of their interior
parts.

“The vacuum acts like a sponge, picking up food particles, pet related dirt,
debris dragged in from the outside on pet feet and shoes and bacteria on
floors and carpeting,” Gerba said. “Thus the vacuum can become a thriving
habitat for bacteria.”

This is a very disturbing revelation to those of us who thought we were
offering a cleaner home for our families by vacuuming the soil accumulating on
our carpets and hard floors. While we can see the larger bits of debris,
bacteria is invisible to the naked eye. Only once mold has begun to colonize
can we be aware of it by spots and scent. Before this happens, humans can
already be experiencing determinate effects of these contaminants.

Just emptying a canister from a bag less vacuum can spread mold and bacteria
into the air.

The Oreck XL with IntellaShield is different from other vacuums. The
technology used with these vacuums builds the anti-microbial agent right into
the machine. From bags to brush roll, the entire vacuum is an amazing ?bug
buster?. Bacteria and other microbes do not stand a chance against this
powerhouse.

The Oreck I received impressed me from the moment I lifted the box. Most
vacuums of this size weigh quite a bit. There was no strain at all during
moving. Assembly was very simple, the vacuum was together and ready to work in
just a few minutes. Included in the box was the Oreck ?Challenge bag? which
you use on a 9×9 area of carpet after using your original vacuum.

Against a Kirby which is 4 years old and cost well over $1,000 USD, the Oreck
XL with IntellaShield came out on top with minimal effort. To say I was
shocked is an understatement. Not only did the Oreck outperform my Kirby, it
costs over $500 USD less and comes with a portable vacuum that is very easy to
carry as you use it.

The suction power along with the superior rotation speed stood the nap of the
carpet up, removed dirt that had been hidden deep in the pile, and left the
air in the room fresher. Normally with vacuuming, stale air will filter out of
a vacuum, leaving a not so fresh scent. Not in this case. This was without
using the air-freshener provided in the box for the inside of the outer vacuum
bag.

I am impressed and convinced that all vacuum manufacturers should follow the
impressive lead that the Oreck company has taken with this new IntellaShield
technology. It is only good stewardship to provide the best product possible.
Caring for the health and well being of your customers is a priceless stance
to take.

If you are concerned about the air quality in your home and wish to deeply
clean your carpets to remove bacteria, mold, and other debris that can harm
your health, I recommend the Oreck XL with IntellaShield technology.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at 2:28 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.