I'm caregiver for my mother with severe COPD. When she was in ICU with her COPD, I took the covers off the couch cushions and washed them, used the ELECTROLUX power nozzle and the hose, and sucked everything clean. THEN, the cat got out, and came in covered in fleas and their eggs. After shampooing the cat 4 times, I revacuum EVERYTHING, because I'm afraid of the flea eggs. I cant handle a lot of cleaners, insecticides, etc, cos i have chemical allergies. I didnt know what to do, so i tried this VERILUX CLEANWAVE. THIS SANITIZER IS AMAZING! The "particle" vacuum works great. If you have ever had a salesman demonstate a vacuum cleaner for you, you know they dump dirt on your carpet, and ask you to vacuum. Then, they take THEIR vacuum, and revacuum the area, so show you how much your vacuum missed. SO THATS WHAT I DID with the CLEANWAVE.
The Couch was vacuumed the last time, the night before the CLEANWAVE arrived. SO, I unpacked the Sanitizer/vacuum, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS, and ran it slowly over the couch cushions. When i was done, I went outside and took a long hard look at what was in the bag. I really was surprised...and disgusted too. After washing those cushions and vacuuming them twice (no one else is using the couch, btw)I saw all these little black dots. Flea eggs. ALSO, it sucks up all this powder fine dust, cat dander and other dead skin cells. (The white specks) It also got cat hair, that the Electrolux missed. I had no problem running the vacuum up and down the arms of the couch, and the back of the couch. As long as it stays in complete surface contact, it keeps running, and the sanitizing light stays ON. If i picked it up, or it ran off the edge of the couch, the light turned off. Next, i wanted to try cleaning my bed. I washed my mattress pad, meanwhile running the CLEANWAVE over my mattress. Since I had just checked and cleaned the filter, I was starting fresh. I ran it on my chair, which ALSO had just been vacuumed, and washed. I went outside and checked the filter again. SAME TYPE OF DIRT, except this time, more white specks. (My dead skin cells.) I ran it SLOWLY over my bed, so the light had a chance to disinfect, too. Disinfecting without disinfectant smells--GREAT. Normally, I get stuffed up when i run the vacuum, cos I have dust allergies. CLEANWAVE causes NO PROBLEM. This vacuum's exhaust is like being next to an air purifier. So, I'm the happy consumer here. However, i do want to address a couple of issues i saw in other reviews.
THE VACUUM WONT STAY CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM PIECE WITH THE LIGHT.
Well, read the instructions. The vacuum portion of this machine can disconnect, so you can take the attachments, and get inside the cracks and edges of things. (The brush and detailer attachments are stored right in the bottom compartment where the UVC light is..Excellect designing.) When you sit the vacuum into the light unit, a small button in the back needs to be pushed down, otherwise the two parts are only loosely attached. Depress the button, they lock together, and even if you SHAKE the whole unit (cos i did), it does NOT COME APART.
THE UV3 LIGHT WONT STAY LIT IF THE MACHINE DOESNT MAKE GOOD CONTACT.
That's a safety feature. Ultraviolet light (UV) comes in different wavelenghts, between the violet we see with our eyes, all the way to X-rays. UVA and UVB light from the sun can cause sunburns and eye problems. Those "black lights" they sell at Halloween, have NOTHING TO DO with real UV light. CLEANWAVE's UV3 light high intensity, designed to destroy mildew, flea eggs, mites, and germs in general. BECAUSE THE UV3 LIGHT WAVES WORK LIKE DISINFECTANT, if you looked at the light long enough, it would be like getting disinfectant in your eyes, ie, it would BURN. EVERY PRECAUTION is taken by Verilux to make sure you DONT HURT YOUR EYES! So, as long as the whole bottom light unit is covered, the light stays on. Lift up the unit, its turned off IMMEDIATELY. This unit is NEVER DANGEROUS to you. In fact, you want to use this light, so you DONT have to use dangerous disinfectants, bleach, etc, and smell those fumes, get disinfectant spray in your eyes. ITS ALL ABOUT SAFETY.
THE VACUUM DOESNT HAVE ENOUGH SUCTION POWER.
This unit doesnt replace a vacuum cleaner. In fact, since is works SO WELL, you should always vacuum the rug, or very dirty cushions, etc, BEFORE YOU USE IT. Since I had run the Electrolux over the rug by the couch, I wanted to see if I missed much. First, it got LOTS of eggs and dust the big vacuum missed. Second, i have a medium lenght shag carpet there, and the vacuum picked up fine. BUT! I would never run this vacuum on a dirty carpet. It's obviously NOT designed for that. ITs made to pick up the dead skin cells, insect eggs, mite droppings, and microscopic nastiness. Since you dont use vacuum bags (3 for $10 for the electrolux, so you save money there), you need to keep the filters clean. ITs easy, and the instructions explain how to do this without an allergy problem. I had no problem here, and bagless vacuums are new to me.
EVERYTHING HERE IS EASY TO DO. ITs all covered in the directions that come with the unit. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!! They are easy to read, lots of clear, easy to understand drawings, and other than ON/OFF, CLEANING THE FILTER, and LOCKING THE VACUUM TO THE LIGHT BASE, there are no real instructions, except this: IF YOU WANT TO DISINFECT to the utmost level,(ie 99.9%) you NEED to run the light unit SLOWLY over the couch, bed, chair, etc. Because it takes a little bit of time under the light, to destroy the germs. The vacuum helps, cos its picking up the skin cells at deeper levels, and dust particles, while the UV3 light does this. The unit is surprisingly light, maybe five pounds, and glides on wheels. The only way you can have problems with the CLEANWAVE, is if you assume you understand how it works. Take 3-4 minutes to go over the instructions, and you wont have the problems other people had in the dissatisfied reviews.
I reccommed this unit to ASTHMA SUFFERERS, COPD sufferers, cat/dog lovers with FLEA INFESTATIONS, ALLERGY SUFFERERS (either mold, mildew, dander, mite droppings, and especially DISINFECTANT ALLERGIES (LIKE ME!) It wont cure COPD, Asthma, or kill the fleas on your pet. BUT IF IT GIVES YOU EVEN 50% RELIEF OF IRRITANTS, its worth EVERY PENNY. When my mother comes home from the hospital after her last COPD flair up, at least I WILL KNOW i did everything for her, to make her enviorment as clean, comfortable, and safe for her as I can. CAREGIVERS, I'm sure you know what a relief saying that is. Good luck people.
The Verilux Cleanwave is a rather odd-looking machine--it looks sort of like a mini upright vacuum cleaner without it's tall upright handle. It is also a bit odd or awkward to use, since the UV light must remain in contact with the bed (or whatever surface you're sanitizing) at all times. It's also oddly heavy for something so small. Is this a piece of equipment every home needs? No. However, is it helpful? Yes. If you have asthma or allergies, it may well be quite helpful in managing the dust and debris in your home, especially in your mattress.
As noted in the video, I have the coughing form of asthma. It doesn't bother me all that much during the day, but I used to cough a lot at night while trying to get to sleep. Using the Verilux on my mattress every time I wash my bedclothes has improved my cough. I should also note, however, that I bought a new mattress about 2 years ago, so I am also likely coughing less now because there was less dust and debris in my mattress to begin with before I got the Verilux.
A few things I did not mention in the video:
1. There are a series of small lights on top of the vacuuming head. When the Verilux is making full contact with the surface of the mattress, these lights will come on and will be light blue. It is ONLY when these lights are on that the sanitizing UV light is actually on. If you are not making full contact (as I was not in the beginning of the video), these lights will not be on. I have found it necessary to move the vacuum with one hand and press down on the vacuum with the other hand to maintain the UV light contact with the mattress. Someone who is taller or stronger may not need to do this.
2. There is a filter inside the hand vacuum part that very easily comes out. However, my experience is that due to the very fine nature of the debris (dust, dead skin, etc.) makes it more difficult to clean the filter. It's not like a bagless vacuum cleaner where you just pop off the debris collector and empty it into the trash.
3. As you saw at the beginning of the video, I have had pretty regular trouble with getting the latch that connects the hand vacuum to the sanitizer to stay firmly attached, even when I make a special point of making sure the latch has firmly clicked after I re-attach the hand vac. As a result, when I pick up the Verilux to carry it from the closet to the bed, the hand vacuum often comes off. This is one of the reasons I am giving this product 3 stars.
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The Verilux CleanWave UV-C vacuum is a pretty cool little device. I have 4 cats and there's always a mess somewhere pee outside of the litter box, barf on a rug, or a poop accident on the tile floor. Even with enzymatic cleaners, sometimes these areas are hard to sanitize completely. With this vacuum, I can clean the spot as I regularly would and then go over it with the UV-C light to get rid of all the remaining germs and bacteria. This is great because it stops any residual smells without harsh chemicals. It's a powerful plug in vacuum to boot and picked up litter and cat hair in corners and along baseboards really well. I especially like the little detachable hand vac it would be nice to use when cleaning out a car interior or in other tight spaces, such as shelving units in the garage.
For the reviewers here who had problems getting the UV-C light to come on, please read the instructions that came with the vac. You need to press the lock button on the back of the unit after seating the vac in place or else they are only loosely attached together. When I first took it out of the box and tried it, I did not do this and the light only came on when I placed extreme downward force on the unit. After pressing the lock button and operating it the correct way, the light came on and stayed on over my tile floor, soft rugs, and living room couches. The light only went off if I picked up on the vac or came to an edge of the couch.
This is a pretty cool item it's definitely one of those "why didn't I get one of these sooner?" -type devices!
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Lately, I have been seeing a lot of products entering the market that exploit the germaphobic natures of buyers by selling UV-C wands, etc. The claims that UV-C can eliminate many germs and bugs is absolutely true. But not in the context of consumer usage. The germs must be exposed to the UVC light for several minutes in order for it to be effective on that level. Not something that many consumers would be willing to do. So if your item was in a UVC chamber, you would definitely have sanitization. But if you wave the light over it, even slowly, you will not. Many of the products don't disclose this, and only base the claims on theoretical values and not real life situations. In addition, UVC can cause cancer if overexposed on the skin. You won't get the characteristic redness and sunburn that you see with UVA and UVB. It just goes straight to mutating your DNA. In addition, many laboratories employ the use of UV spectrum lighting to disinfect fume hoods which are these glass enclosed work cabinets. Regulatory agencies have found that if there is an airflow in the hood, the UV light is ineffective, to the point that we cannot even use it to pass inspection for proof of sanitization.
Enter the UVC bed vac. Based on my aforementioned point, sanitization at the 99% is impossible. Not to say that there may not be some germ killing activity involved. For me, this device was worth a try just for my peace of mind for my mattress b/c of all the nasty bedbug outbreaks I had been hearing about. The safety mechanism that prevents you from exposing yourself to the light also prevents it from working when you go over a mattress that has quilting or uneven surfaces. If the device is not flat, the light will not turn on. The vac part when detached is pretty decent suction-wise. But when you attach it to the base, the suction is distributed over a much wider area and then becomes a light breeze. It was not even able to pick up any hairs that were on the mattress. So Then, what good is this vac for? I think the filtration mechanism for the vac itself is a bit better than most handheld vacs. But that is all I use it for.
I would be more open to buying this if there were studies done by a consumer group that really showed its germicidal capabilities by trying to grow bacterial culturesand proper technique on its usage.
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4.4 stars
The major pluses here are:
Strong 400-watt suction power from this wall-power unit. The nice thick cord is over 20 feet long so it's easy to get almost everywhere in your house with it, and that cord delivers so much more power than a Dustbuster or other battery units. Using the CleanWave (CW) as a dustbuster, especially with the little attachments, works great for corners, edges of sofas, under cushions, etc. It's easily the best hand-held vacuum I've used.
The CW features very solid construction. Well made in all ways, with thick plastic that looks ready to last for many years, unlike the Dustbuster and other small vacs. When it clicks on to the larger UV unit it's a solid connection...but be sure to make it connect completely by pushing down firmly on the back.
When the whole thing is connected (and looking like some sort of spaceship from a Journey album cover), it rolls very easily over any FLAT surface (see the minus category for more on that). It's very easy to use on beds, sofas, rugs, and any flat surface. And it...
Truly disinfects and sanitizes. I tried various experiments with dirty surfaces, doing half with the UV vac and testing against no vac and just the vac without UV. That UV thang works! You can see and more to the point smell the disinfecting and cleansing. The ads for this are not techno-babble; the UV does what it's said to do. If you suffer from one of many dust-related allergies, are concerned about your pets' fleas and flea eggs, or are looking to soothe an OCD friend who sees swine flu or MRSA around every corner, this will ease their ever-worried minds.
Bedbugs have become a problem again in various areas (so sayeth the media, whom I always take with a grain or three of salt; fear sells!); the CW will easily get rid of those in less than a minute, better than any other product I've seen. Same with dustmites, fleas, etc. This is a mini-critter killa!
The minuses:
The single one I can see is that the light only stays on when the spaceship is fully flat on a surface. Even a quilted mattress makes you have to push down a bit to keep the light on. Why is this, Verilux? Is the UV light a potential eye hazard, or what? Seems weird, as you can buy a UV wand that stays on all the time, so I'm confused by this. It also makes this unit useless for sanitizing rounded surfaces or certain corners, etc. Which is a shame, as that would be such a wonderful ancillary use, and would make this a five-star product without doubt. I'll see if I can circumvent this somehow, and will report back here if I can.
This is not a minus from me, but other reviewers here had issues with the vac not staying connected to the UV spaceship. The mothership must be carefully docked to achieve liftoff! You need to press down on the front and the back of the vac when connecting, and it will click very audibly. Once you've done it right you'll not forget how and it'll be simple from then on. This is not a design flaw, it's just something that needs to be learned.
All in all, I really like this little CleanWave spaceship. Its unusually strong suction makes it the best handheld vac I've found, and I like that it does both UV light sanitizing and vacuuming together or separately. You can clean up after your parties mighty fast with this puppy. It works quickly, is very well-made with no cheap parts, and seems destined for years of use. I have mild dust allergies, nothing hardcore, but for those who suffer mightily from serious allergy issues, this could be a major lifesaver.
And while it's not cheap at a c-note, it's a bargain for allergy victims; if you've ever really suffered for days and weeks on end, you know that you'd gladly pay many times the price of this for a (drug-free) happy body! Add the excellent handheld vacuum and I think the CleanWave is a fine product at a fair price; quality is always worth the extra outlay in the long run.
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