New study debunks myth that all HEPA vacuums contain 99.99% of particle emissions
Miele’s AirClean™ Filter-bag™ plus Sealed System™ prove 622x better at retaining harmful fine particles than other leading HEPA vacuums
Princeton, NJ – June 2010 – Alarming news for allergy and asthma sufferers is revealed in a recent study commissioned by Miele, the leading German manufacturer of advanced filtration vacuum cleaners and household appliances. The scientific study offers new evidence that not all HEPA vacuums retain 99.99% of harmful fine particles that may trigger attacks. On average, the study proves other HEPA-filtered vacuums spew 2-14 million lung damaging particles per minute into the air, effectively polluting the indoor air quality for hours after the vacuum is turned off. “For over a decade experts have been advising asthma and allergy sufferers to use vacuums equipped with a HEPA filter,” says Nadine Gast, Senior Product Manager for Miele. “However we now have credible evidence that not all HEPA vacuums are engineered to trap and retain particles to the same, safe standard.” By contrast, the study demonstrates that Miele vacuums capture and retain 99.99% of harmful irritants and lung damaging particulates (LDPs) on average 622x better than other HEPA-filtered brands, including the leading bagless vacuum cleaner brand, proving Miele is a serious cleaning tool for maintaining an allergy-friendly environment.
“Clearly Miele’s engineering team has a firm grasp on this issue,” continues Gast. “Since introducing our first HEPA vacuum cleaner in the 1990s, we’ve taken a system approach to filtration, consciously engineering vacuum cleaners that safeguard indoor air quality. It’s the sum of several critical parts that ensure the Miele vacuum system is tightly sealed and that virtually all the dirty air passes through key filtration points before exhausting into the room. And yes, one of the most critical elements is our unique filtering dustbag.” Miele’s filtration system employs a nine-layer, electrostatically charged AirClean™ Filter-bag™ that works in conjunction their unique Sealed System™ and certified HEPA filter to capture and hold on to 99.99% of lung damaging particles.
Experts Offer Caution When Vacuuming
According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation, 50 million Americans have asthma or allergies and prevalence overall has been increasing since the early 1980s. Allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the 3rd most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), among many other expert sources, recommend cleaning with a HEPA vacuum and since dangerous fine particles can trigger attacks, they further recommend allergy sufferers wear a N95 filter mask as particulates can remain in the home’s air for hours. “Asthma and allergy sufferers will need to consider their HEPA vacuum purchase more intensely as the scientific evidence shows not all HEPA vacuums safeguard the air,” states Gast. “It is critical that buyers understand that the craftsmanship of the vacuum is most important to ensure the dirty air doesn’t leak out unfiltered… and that’s exactly what other vacuums are doing!”
The Study
Miele commissioned Interbasic Resources (IBR), a nationally recognized research laboratory, to conduct an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) emissions efficiency test comparing their vacuum against four leading HEPA-filtered brands including Dyson®, SEBO®, Riccar® and Simplicity®.
Two significant tests were performed. The first series measured vacuum cleaner emissions from each brand new vacuum while running without any ASTM test material introduced upstream into the system. The objective of this test was to determine the volume of carbon dust particles emitted from each vacuum cleaner’s motor/fan. Results reveal that the poorest performing unit discharged over 13 million particles (0.3-0.5 microns in size) per minute. The average emissions of the four HEPA-filtered brands tested was over 3.7 million particles released per minute. Miele proved to be most efficient, emitting 638 times fewer carbon dust particles than the average vacuum cleaner tested.
The next test measured complete emissions efficiency – evaluating each unit’s overall capture and retention rate while ingesting ASTM specified material that mocks typical household dirt, dust and allergens. The results prove again that the Miele vacuum, with its Sealed System™ engineering, equipped with a unique AirClean™ Filter-bag™ and certified HEPA filter, had significantly lower rates of particle emissions than the competitors, which were on average 622x higher. “In fact, the particle emissions from Miele’s vacuum was next to nothing,” says Gast. The test was replicated three separate times according to the strictest scientific protocols. “Our advanced AirClean™ vacuum filtration system is the best protection we can offer families to safeguard their homes from vacuum cleaner dust,” concludes Gast. Copies of the complete study can be found on www.mieleusa.com.
About Miele Vacuum Cleaners
Miele is the world’s largest family owned and operated appliance company, founded in 1899, and a leading maker of quality vacuums – legendary for their powerful performance, advanced filtration and brilliant design details that set the standard for floor care and cleaning.
Miele’s long heritage of vacuum firsts dates back 83 years to the use of Bakelite as a sound dampener in 1927, the advent of convenient integrated tools and stunning fashion colors in the 1960s to the world’s first HEPA-certified vacuums in the 1990s. Throughout the century, these award-winning advances have established Miele as the “must-have” status vacuum – hailed as “so smart it could start its own Mensa chapter” and “it’s like the BMW of vacuum cleaners.”
Beyond the frequent accolades, design awards and sleek good looks, Miele continues to focus on making vacuuming easier through patented new technologies like the S7 SwivelNeck™ as well as longer cords, automatic flooring sensors, powerful Vortex Motor Systems™ and silence settings. Miele’s passion for quality and innovation has resulted in a vacuum that excels not only in cleaning performance, but also in the area of filtration. According to recent independent tests, there’s no other vacuum on the planet that removes dust, dirt and allergens as efficiently as a Miele canister or upright. Miele’s unique combination of AirClean™ Filter-bag™, HEPA filter and Sealed System™ design is 99.99% effective in capturing lung-damaging particles. The key to this design is its hygienic self-closing AirClean™ Filter-bag™ whose revolutionary multi-ply filtering material helps homeowners dispose of the captured particles without coming in contact with them.
For more information about Miele, please visit
www.mieleusa.com or call 800-843-7231
Since most readers are familiar with the Dyson brand of vacuum cleaners we will use one of their cyclonic units as an example of how bagless vacuums work. Keep in mind all bagless vacuum cleaners do work similarly the same. Dyson uses the term cyclone technology, but it is still simply centrifugal force that separates the large particles of debris from the air.
Miele & Cie. was founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann. Since then it has always been a family-owned, family-run company now in its fourth generation. Since the founding days, Miele's been guided by a mantra, a vision, to be "Immer Besser".
Miele entered the United States marketplace in 1984 with a clear and unwavering mission. That was to build the Miele brand as the preeminent, quality leader in household appliances one customer at a time. And that is exactly what we've been doing for 23 years.
Caring for the environment reflects the Miele family's deep-felt vision of Immer Besser or Forever Better. Forever means doing everything we can today to protect and preserve the planet's finite resources for tomorrow. This guiding principle permeates every aspect of the Miele organization—creating demanding standards for global, and personal, responsibility.