It is probably a question that has never crossed your mind before, but research conducted by Electrolux wants you to consider: what does your dust bag say about you?

While some floorcare brands have embraced bagless models of vacuum cleaners, Electrolux has been putting its dustbags under the microscope.

Dustbags were examined from homes in cities with various air pollution issues — Los Angeles, Sao Paolo, Stockholm, Paris, Singapore, Seoul and Taipei using Electrolux UltraOne vacuums — to see what indoor particle pollution looks like around the world.

The global research project was comssioned by Electrolux to get people thinking about their ‘invironment’ in the lead up to World Environment Day on 5 June 2014.

“Particle pollution is a global environmental issue, generally focusing on outdoor air pollution. However, people in Asia Pacific homes spend 90 per cent of their time indoors and therefore the ‘invironment’ is just as important to consider as the environment,” Electrolux said.

Electrolux UltraOne
Electrolux UltraOne vacuum

Electrolux UltraOne vacuum was used to gather the samples and according to the official spiel it ‘captures 99.999 per cent of all particles it vacuums and is fitted with a specially developed dustbag called the Ultra Long Performance s-bag and the HEPA 13 filter that cleans up to 99.95 per cent of the released air.’

The analysis was carried out at the Swedish University of Agricultural Science, and the results showed 58 per cent of the particle findings originated from outdoor sources.

Traffic pollution is for example revealed via traces from car motors lubricants, exhaust residues, and iron and zinc oxides that emerge as cars brake.

Other less pleasant findings include soot particles and electronic capacitor filling with heavy metals such as Zirconium, Niobium, Cadmium and Barium – that depending on the amount can cause allergy and respiratory damage. One of the dust bags also revealed a mix of thallium and copper that is a highly poisonous combination (Thallium has, because of its historic popularity as a murder weapon, gained notoriety as ‘inheritance powder’).

The most significant finding, Electrolux says, is that the indoor environment is greatly affected by our habits. “The dust bag tells the truth about you and your lifestyle,” Electrolux said.

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Electrolux’s tips for improving your ‘invironment’

1. Vacuum more often. Surely not a popular suggestion but an obvious one. “Cleaning your home more often is one of the most direct ways to reduce the presence of particles indoors. And remember an old vacuum cleaner cannot contain dust and particles as efficaciously as modern ones – it can make it worse.”

2. Vent when raining. “Adequate ventilation is key to ensure a healthy indoor environment, and opening a window is perhaps the oldest trick in the book. A great time to do so is while raining, or after rain, as it refreshes the air and reduces the concentration of particles.”

3. Get indoor plants. “Studies by NASA show that houseplants are a useful tool in retaining indoor air pollution as they have the capacity to filter out common volatile organic compounds (so called VOCs).”

4. Take off your shoes. “Shoes are often the link between outdoor and indoor environments. Make sure to take off your shoes when you get home, or change to shoes specifically committed for indoor-use. Another tip is to use a generously sized doormat at every entry point.”

5. Take stock of your lifestyle. “The variables that determine your indoor environment is to a great extent dependent on – you.  If you are renovating, you will probably find gypsum particles. If you haven’t renovated at all, you are likely to find lead particles derived from old paint. Smoking, pets, work, proximity to heavy traffic – take five minutes to consider your everyday habits and activities and if there are obvious sources of pollution that you could minimize or counter, for example by making use of some of the tips above.”

Electrolux have enlarged some of the particles found inside the dustbags to produce ‘Dust Art’.

Fluff with old paint
Fluff with old paint
Iron rust
Iron rust
Magnesium and carbonate mineral
Magnesium and carbonate mineral
Silicate mineral
Silicate mineral
Bacteria on gypsum
Bacteria on gypsum
Plant residue with sand
Plant residue with sand