# Vacuums and feathers



## PidgePidge (May 14, 2003)

Hi All,
My mom has asked me to ask you all--she is going to need to buy a new vacuum soon, and wondered if anyone (presumably those who have pigeons indoors) have an opinion on brands/styles that are best around feathers and dander? She says that the last one didn't last long because the filter plugged up too easily with bird down etc. She was wondering about the bagless ones--if anyone has one, and if so what they think?
Just checking if anyone has an opinion!
Thanks!
Jill


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Pidgepidge, 


I would say do not use any conventional 'dry' Vacuum Cleaners to clean up after Birds....

They will disperse the finest particulates back INTO the air and likely cause you to become ill.


Rather, if one is to vacuum at all, use a kind which obliges the incoming sucked in Air and dusts and so on to be filtered through Water, which will trap the fine particulates and not cause them to get back into the air.

Or, use some heavy duty kind which can be located outside, and whose long Hose and end part can be used inside, so the exhaust Air is already and entirely outside, and stays out there.


Best of all, have bare floors and no rugs or carpets, and gently wet sweep and then wet mop...which risks no dissemination into the Air of the fine particles...



Best wishes...


Phil
Las Vegas


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

Dyson or Oric(sp?) They are expensive, but well worth it. The Dyson I have could clean up New Orleans.
Most important thing to look out for is a HEPA filter. I'd go for a bagless, or permenent bag also. Both hoovers should be washable too.

Like I said, the good ones are expensive, but you get what you pay for, and if you look after them they'll last you years.


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## roxtar (Aug 21, 2006)

I know about 10 people that have a Dyson vacuum and they all have said really great things about them.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

PidgePidge said:


> Hi All,
> My mom has asked me to ask you all--she is going to need to buy a new vacuum soon, and wondered if anyone (presumably those who have pigeons indoors) have an opinion on brands/styles that are best around feathers and dander? She says that the last one didn't last long because the filter plugged up too easily with bird down etc. She was wondering about the bagless ones--if anyone has one, and if so what they think?
> Just checking if anyone has an opinion!
> Thanks!
> Jill


I have a Rainbow vacuum and like ti very much as the dirt and dust go into the water contanier and nothing circulates back into the air. However, I don't have pigeons in the house, but I would recommend a wet/dry heavy-duty/industrial for vacuuming pigeon dust and dander, as it can create havic to most vacuums.

If you are considering air quality there is new brand that just came out Halo, I believe, and it also has a hepa filter.


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## PidgePidge (May 14, 2003)

Many Many thanks everyone for these thoughts. I'll pass them along to my mom. Very very helpful!!!!


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

*Oreck, Roomba*

Hi,
My two cents. I vote for a vaccuum with a hepa filter and / or a disposable bag that has near hepafilter capabilities (like the oreck I have). The bag traps the majority of the particles and does not allow them back into the air. The bag container contains what dust escapes through the paper layers on the bag. Only drawback about the Oreck is fitting the bag correctly. 
The bagless vaccuums release dust every time you empty them. I don't care for the bagless vaccums because replacing their filters can get expensive. You often have to order them on-line (something I try to avoid).
The Dyson looks interesting and the salespeople enjoy showing them (so maybe they are a good product). I don't have one so can't comment personally.
I've heard raves about the Rainbow from friends that own them.
I have a Roomba and am IMPRESSED by the amount of down, feathers, and seed hulls it picks up, but it is more of a "finish" vac around the birds. When I had the birds in the kitchen, I would sweep with the broom and then run the Roomba -- amazing the extra stuff the machine picked up 
I don't think the Roomba would handle large quantities of dust and feathers but it's good at the detail work. We also have a Scooba, so cool, but again, you have to clean the screen from time to time if there's a fair amount of stuff on the floor. Roomba and Scooba are a bit high-maintenance as far as the filters and battery charging and you do have to make sure they are going where you want them to, but they are fun to use and do a good job. Like the rest of us, they must be trained to do a proper job!
As said earlier, you usually get what you pay for.


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## PidgePidge (May 14, 2003)

Flitzsnowzoon: I hadn't thought about it that when you empty a bagless one, the dust has a chance to escape. Good point. Pidge Pidge's coop is in the garage (though he has free access to the house), and so most of the clean-up duty is for out there. We do sweep first, but a vacuum is nice for 'detail work' as you say. It's a cement floor so we don't have to worry about particles getting caught up in carpet which is good. It sounds like a good filter, perhaps HEPA is definitely the way forward. I'll mention water ones to my mom too (actually I just pasted all of these into an email for her). Really good advice from everyone, thanks again!


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

I have a Hoover Windtunnel (bagless) I love the the effects afterwards but I will never have another bagless as long as I live. Convenient yes but extremely dusty when empting the catcher. I would rather use a bag anyday plus parts for these are expensive as well. 

Cindy


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