Perth, Australia, May 11--To most of us it is a chore but for two Western Australian researchers, the humble practice of vacuum cleaning is a scientific passion.
Dr Heike Neumeister-Kemp, from Murdoch University's School of Biological Science, says the research has cleaned up some popular misconceptions.
When her husband and fellow researcher Dr. Peter Kemp vacuums, it is not an equal distribution of household chores but a scientific imperative.
"I run after him with the monitor and measure all the bio-aerosols and all the particles that he emits doing it," Dr. Neumeister-Kemp said.
The couple have found that ordinary vacuum cleaners are little use in removing the particles and mould that can cause health problems in the home.
They say high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are the best way to clean.
The finding debunks the popular belief that hard floors are better for people with problems such as asthma.
"Intensive HEPA vacuuming actually empties out the carpet so it actually gets the carpet fibre back up," Dr. Neumeister-Kemp said.
"So the carpet can then hold all the particles, which are also mould and bacteria spores, and fine particles, PM 10 and PM 2.5 - that's the little one that can go in your lungs.
"All that can be trapped in the carpet, so it's very good for you."
She says if those particles fell on a wooden floor, movement in the house would send them back up into the air.
"You would need to mop every day your floors or vacuum them because every time somebody walks over it, it would immediately get the particles up in the air again and you can breathe them in.
"You don't want that, especially if you're an asthmatic or have allergies."
Dr Neumeister-Kemp says while HEPA vacuum cleaners cost upwards of $800, the cost of dealing with asthma or allergies is far higher.
"If you then look at how much you pay in health bills for remedies for asthma and other things, it's really cheap to just buy a good instrument," she said.
"You only need it once a month - share it around.
"If you don't have the funds, go together with some other people and share the good vacuum cleaner around."
Dr. Kemp says industry is also starting to recognise the benefits of a more intensive cleaning regime.
He says this is seeing the once-humble cleaner gaining far more esteem within organisations.
"Think about what they're doing: they're at the coalface of improving our health," Dr. Kemp said.
"Accordingly, you have building managers and owners are also much more willing to pay for better services.
"A little bit of extra payment in cleaning can get a 5 per cent increase in terms of productivity, and of course, there's health benefits."
