This Vacuum Disgusts Me … maybe that’s the point

I can think of about a million things I’d rather do than clean my apartment, but my conscience forces me to make an effort to pick up the place every once in a while. I’m pretty good about keeping the bathroom and kitchen spotless, but I must admit that vacuuming isn’t one of my favorite pastimes. Having a cat makes the task necessary but all the more painful, because I have to make sure the floors are cleared of his countless fake mice and rubber balls (often hidden in creative places). In fact, it was one of his fuzzy toys that caused the downfall of my old vacuum – a 20-year old loaner from my parents.

I’ve lived in this place for 4 months, and I’ve vacuumed the place … oh … about 4 times since I moved in. But these are new carpets, and they still look clean, so I didn’t feel too guilty about failing to replace the broken vacuum for a month (or two). Sure, I have piles of papers and clothes and magazines all over the place. But overall I’m a clean person.

Or so I thought. One use of the Dirt Devil told me that my carpets, spotless to the naked eye, were harboring a frightening amount of dust and dirt.

Why did I pick a Dirt Devil?

First and foremost, the price was right. I purchased this vacuum for $69.99 at Target. In fact, I would have purchased the $59.99 Eureka if only it had been in stock. In other words, I wasn’t overly concerned with the style, model or brand of the vacuum – I just wanted to spend less than $75. Online, it’s listed for a regular price of $129.99. I guess I got a great deal without even realizing it!

The box felt reasonably lightweight, and I noticed that the box advertised the vacuum as having 12 amps of power. I thought that was pretty impressive. My previous vacuum was the bagged variety, so I wasn’t sure what to think about the bagless, canister method. I figured it would be cheaper in the long run, because I wouldn’t have to buy replacement bags. Also, I could empty the canister as frequently as I wanted. The box mentioned something about the filter being able to trap 99% of dust and allergens. It sounded like a good deal to me, so I bought it.

Assembly: a bit more labor-intensive than I’d planned

The Jaguar model came in about 5 pieces, and it wasn’t immediately evident to me just how they were supposed to go together. I had to turn to the enclosed Owner’s Manual. The 12-page guide consisted of diagrams and words, and they were reasonably easy to follow. Still, it took me almost an hour to put the vacuum together. I usually bribe my friends to put together the furniture I get from Ikea. I’m not assembly-inclined. I stink at following instructions. So while it took me 45 minutes to assemble this vacuum, it may not take you as long.

I did have to use a screwdriver. Dirt Devil supplied 4 screws but I had to supply the screwdriver. These screws were inserted at key points to hold the vacuum together. It wasn’t difficult to screw them in, nor was it difficult for me to find where they needed to be inserted.

Otherwise, everything pretty much snapped together. It just took me time to decipher exactly how and where the snapping was to occur. Luckily I figured it out on my own. If you have difficulty, the Owner’s Manual provides a help number: (800) 321-1134.

I also noticed that the Owner’s Manual included a troubleshooting guide. While I haven’t had to use this guide (thank heavens), it is presented in chart form and seems very thorough, cross-referencing different sections of the Owner’s Manual for various problems.

First use: man, I really do live in squalor

The vacuum itself has a lot of features jam-packed in a relatively small and lightweight machine. There is a hose attachment, an extender, a corner-cleaning nozzle, and a brush attachment. There is a “tool holder” on the back of the machine that holds all the various extenders and nozzles.

All of the attachments work very well, but they are relatively cumbersome to use. In order to use the extender hose, it must be disengaged from the tool holder. Then, you must disengage the main hose leading into the machine and attach it to the extender. It’s a bit of a pain if you just want to suck up a pile of kitty litter once in a while. Since I’m more prone to use the hose attachment throughout the week than the full vacuum, I’ve learned to just keep it in the special hose configuration.

The vacuum has its own special light, an adjustment pedal, and an on/off pedal. There are 4 settings for the different carpet depths, including a “bare floor” option. Switching between these settings is as easy as turning a dial. The power cord is heavy-duty, and there is a special “cord keeper” attachment on the vacuum to wind the cord on. It couldn’t be any simpler!

So I depressed the on/off pedal, and the vacuum whirred into action. It is very noisy, so much so that I decided not to continue vacuuming, as it was already 10 pm when I started and I figured my neighbors wouldn’t appreciate the noise. When I tried again the next morning, I was impressed, yet disgusted, by the results. The vacuum was noisy but relatively easy to wield. The suction was extremely powerful – must be that 12 amp motor working – and I thought I should probably change the carpet depth setting. Even as adjusted, the vacuum was still very powerful. It sucked up everything on the first pass. When I finished the task, I took a gander at the see-through canister. What I saw made me want to take a shower: a 725 square-foot apartment, clean to the naked eye, yielded a disgusting amount of dirt and dust.

Gross! These carpets are supposedly only 4 months old. And, yes I have a cat, but cat hair wasn’t responsible for the majority of that amorphous gray matter that now filled the clear canister. I’m telling you, I have never seen anything like it. I decided that even after one use, I needed to clean out the canister.

Cleaning the filter and canister: better than a bag?

The canister was kind of like a pitcher attached to a blender, and it works the same way. Simply pull the canister off the machine, holding it by the handle, take off the lid, and pour into a garbage bag. I suppose the thrill of having a see-through canister is that it allows you to see all the gunk sucked from your carpets, plus the ease of cleaning the canister as frequently as you’d like.

The instructions said to empty the canister over a garbage can, which I did. The muck fell out with a few gentle taps against the can. Then, I read that the filter was also able to be cleaned. Following the instructions, I simply snapped it out of the canister and tapped it against the side of the garbage can. A bunch of dust flew out, and I shuddered in disgust. In fact, I’m not sure whether it was psychosomatic or what, but my eyes started to water. My nose got itchy. I was glad that I could clean out the canister apparatus.

One note: you are not supposed to use a brush to clean out the ridges of the filter. While I couldn’t get the filter completely clean, and it was still discolored, the instructions specifically state that a gray filter is fine – it will still work! The filters are replaceable and the instructions suggest a replacement once a year.

I sprayed some Windex in the canister and wiped it out with a paper towel, and then reattached it to the vacuum. Voila – all the nasty evidence was disposed of in just a matter of seconds. I scrubbed my hands, blew my nose, and put the vacuum in the closet.

Final thoughts

I was disgusted by the amount of dirt and dust sucked up by the Dirt Devil. After 4 subsequent uses, the vacuum does not appear to have lost its suction at all. Now I have developed almost a macabre fascination with the colony of gray matter living in the carpet. Recently, I crossed the line by saving the dirt to show to my boyfriend. I’m offering to go door-to-door with this thing to give demonstrations … at the pool today, I told no fewer than four people that they need to use the vacuum, and I’m trying to figure out a way how to sneak the vacuum into my boyfriend’s apartment. I can’t even imagine what kinds of gunk I’d get out of his carpet!

For $69.99, this vacuum is a great deal. Although it can be cumbersome to switch back and forth between the attachments, that minor inconvenience is offset by this powerful cleaning tool. I’m sold on the Dirt Devil, and I no longer dread vacuuming. I suppose I’ve been “scared straight” by the see-through canister. My mom would be so proud!