UV Light Can Improve Vacuum Microbe Removal

Columbus, OH, Nov. 2, 2010 -- The addition of ultraviolet light to the brushing and suction of a vacuum cleaner can significantly improve the removal of potentially infectious microorganisms from a carpet's surface when compared to vacuuming alone, new research suggests, according to sify news.

Ohio State University researchers say the findings suggest that incorporating the germicidal properties of UV light into vacuuming might have promise in reducing allergens and pathogens from carpets, as well.

Researchers tested a commercially available upright vacuum cleaner, evaluating separately and in combination the standard beater-bar, or rotating brush, as well as a lamp that emits germicidal radiation.

The Ohio State research group selected multiple 3-by-3-foot sections of carpeting of different types from three settings: a commercial tight-loop carpet in a university conference room, and medium Berber carpet with longer, dense loops in a common room of an apartment complex and a single-family home.

Overall, vacuuming alone reduced microbes by 78%, UV-C light alone produced a 60% reduction in microbes, and the combination of beater-bar vacuuming and UV-C light reduced microbes on the carpet surfaces by 87%.