Why this sudden urge to buy a high-powered, high-end vacuum cleaner?  Well, it all started with a visit from a “Rainbow” vacuum representative.  A friend had referred us to see their in-home demo and so because part of the demo included a mattress cleaning, we figured it would be worth it check it out.  The Rainbow Cleaning System is truly cool.  When the rep showed us the amount of “stuff” (dead skin cells, bed bugs, bed bug droppings, hair, dirt, dust) that came out of our mattress, it scared us.  Not only was stuff coming out of the mattress, it was coming out of the pillows, the curtains, the air.  But, when he quoted us the price for purchasing this unit, coming in at around a hefty $20,000 HKD - I gawked.  Yes, it comes with a 7-year warranty and a whole set of nifty attachments, but is any vacuum worth that price?  Yah, maybe if it’s got Swarovski crystals and can cook and clean for me.

So my brother-in-law sat down and did some research on vacuum cleaners and found a high-end vacuum cleaner that performed similar functions at a much lower price point.  He showed me the results of cleaning their mattress and I was sold.  So Dennis and I went to Fortress, shoveled out about $5,000+ HKD and were the proud owners of a “Dyson DC22 All Floor Cleaning System“.  It’s interesting how no one uses the word vacuum anymore, you have to call them cleaning systems. 

What’s so great about this?

• It’s bagless - so all you have to do is clean 3 separate filters
• They are HEPA filters - which means they remove 99.97% of airborn particles 0.3 micrometers (µm) in diameter
• They are great for allergy and asthma sufferers
• Super compact and light-weight design is ideal for our tiny Hong Kong abodes - the attachments are all very neatly designed to somehow “hang” from its body
• A clean air exhaust - meaning the air coming out of this thing is said to be 150 times less mould and bacteria coming out of it (yes, sadly the air quality in HK is VERY VERY poor that we might as well put our heads around plastic bags and feed our vacuum exhaust air into them)
• All the fixings for hard-wood, tile, and carpeted floors
• This cool CYCLONE action (you can see it through the machine) that maintains its high-powered suction
• A neat power button at your fingertips so you’re not bending over to start and stop your machine
• A one-button release to empty your “dirt” (which is like a gray powder because of our dead skin cells and all the other yummies that go with it)

I should take a picture of all the stuff that came out (next time).  But I was truly impressed with this little machine.  Most people think that you vacuum stuff you can “see”.  Like hair and dirt on your floor, but a good cleaning system goes above and beyond that call.  I don’t recall vacuuming my bed EVER in Toronto, but ever since we’ve started being diligent in cleaning our beds and home, my husband’s asthma has gotten better.  Even my niece, Natalie, who had a neck and face rash since being a baby has seemed to recover from it and her skin is as beautiful as ever.  I don’t mean to sound like a sales person, I’m not selling this product, but as parents, maybe its time to evaluate the true meaning of cleanliness.

I know some think to a certain extent that overly clean doesn’t help children build strong immune systems, ie: if we’re constantly cleaning with 99.9% bacteria killing cleaners.  But this is different, it’s removing additives in the air that don’t help us breathe, in fact, they make our breathing worse. 

Anyways, enough said about this killer tool.  Maybe you should get a Rainbow rep to visit your house and get them to vacuum your mattress, it’ll scare the beejeebers out of you.  It certainly did me!