Keep Your Floors Clean Easily - Stick Vacuums & Sweepers Are a Must-Own

Every parent knows with active children how difficult it is to keep your floors clean on a regular basis. Children are in and out of the home with dirt being tracked in constantly. Pet owners also know the difficulty of keeping your floors debris free. It's not easy and that's why owning a sweeper or stick vacuum is a must.

Stick vacuums and sweepers are vacuums that assist both homeowners and business owners in keeping their floors clean. Traditionally these vacuums are best when cordless though a few do come with cords. The corded sweepers take away the advantage of convenience and thus are not recommended. The key features of sweepers and stick vacuums are:

Light weight, typically weighing 3-8 pounds

Rechargeable, typically many will have rechargeable batteries or are wall mounted

Flexibility as many typically allow for fine debris and large debris to be picked up

Battery life of 15 minutes or more allowing for quick pick ups or a room to be vacuumed efficiently

Stick vacuums are extremely convenient as you simply grab it and turn it on to pick up a spill or vacuum a small area quickly. The two most important features to consider are the length of use and strength of the sweeper. Having a sweeper that is run by a battery is convenient as you can purchase typically an extra battery to allow for back-up when one looses its charge. The power feature is also important as you want to be able to do a good job. A good sweeper will have a beater bar that will agitate carpet area's to allow for good pick up even on thicker carpets. There are plenty of low cost sweepers under $50 that do a great job on hard floors, though not that good on carpeted areas. The three best sweepers that I've tested are:

Hoover BH50010 Linx Platinum Collection Cordless Stick Vacuum - One of the best stick cleaners on both hard surfaces and carpeted areas. Long lasting battery of 20 minutes and low cost extra batteries available. Almost as powerful as an upright vacuum and great for the elderly and those looking for a quick clean.

Karcher Cordless Electric Sweeper - Another great choice as the battery life is 30-40 minutes and the power is amazing both on floors and carpets. This unit is also extremely quiet and the battery recharges in an hour.

Oreck Sweep-N-Go PR8000 Sweeper - Low cost and will pick up fine particles, though does exceptionally well on large debris. Picks up coins, paperclips and other heavier objects in just one pass.

If you've never owned a stick vacuum or sweeper and appreciate a clean area you should strongly consider. The convenience factor of owning a good sweeper is well worth the investment.

Mike Kawula is an owner of Discount Cleaning Products and 123BuyIt, America's #1 Online Retailer of Commercial & Residential Tools Cleaning Supplies & Office Supplies! Feel free to visit http://www.discountcleaningproducts.com or by email at marketing@123buyit.com Thank you! 888-233-0851

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How to Import Embroidery Designs Into the Brother SE400

The Brother SE400 Embroidery and Sewing Machine has a USB cable port. This means you can connect the SE400 directly to your computer. You can then download embroidery designs saved on your computer into the SE400. This article explains step-by-step how to do this.

Choose .PES or .DST Embroidery Design File Format

You can buy additional embroidery designs for the Brother SE400 on CD or download them from the Internet. In addition, many online sites, including Brother.com, have designs you can download for free.

The Brother SE400 can only handle embroidery data files in .PES and .DST format. Be sure to get the right file format.

Check that hoop size is 4x4 inches.

Copy Or Download The Embroidery Data Files To Your Computer

I usually store all of my designs in a folder called "Embroidery Designs" on my Desktop. Then I organize them in sub-folders by type. For example, "Flowers" or "Sports." Make sure that the file names don't contain special characters. It's safest to only use letters, numbers, hyphen (-), and underscore (_).

Connect Your Computer To The Brother SE400

Plug the included USB cable into the USB port on the right side of the SE400. Connect the other end of the cable to the USB port on your computer. Make sure both the computer and embroidery machine are turned on.

You should see the "Removable Disk" icon in "My Computer" on your computer.

Copy The Embroidery Design Data Files To "Removable Disk"

Copy the embroidery data files you want to use to "Removable Disk." Do not put folders in "Removable Disk." The SE400 cannot recognize folders or find embroidery patterns in folders.

Do not copy more than 12 patterns to "Removable Disk."

Save the patterns to the machine's memory. Otherwise the patterns in "Removable Disk" will be lost when you turn off the SE400, and you will have to copy them over from the computer again.

Select The Pattern You Want To Stitch

Press the USB icon on the LCD screen. The downloaded patterns are displayed. If you have a .PES file, you will see an image of the design. Move to the pattern you want using the Previous and Next page keys. Press the Retrieve key.

The Tajima ( .DST) Embroidery Data Files are limited. Only the first eight characters of the file name will be displayed in the pattern list, not the image of the design. Also the .DST format does not contain specific thread colors and will be displayed with Brother' default color sequence. Check the preview and change the thread colors to what you like.

Embroider Your New Pattern

Edit the design and begin stitching.

For Macintosh Users
Even though Brother says the SE400 is only compatible with Windows, it works just fine with the Macintosh. Connect it to your Mac's USB port. The SE400 will show up as an external hard drive, named "No Name." Just drag and drop the embroidery files to this drive. The rest of the instructions should be the same as the PC.

If you want to know more...

For more detailed instructions with photos to illustrate each step in the process, have a look at my article, How To Download Embroidery Designs on my blog "The Brother SE400 Enthusiast."

If you're thinking about buying a Brother SE400 and want to find out more about it, visit my blog, www.brotherse400.com, for a complete list of features, reviews, video, accessories, as well as some optional accessories and supplies and get all the information you need to decide if the SE400 is the right embroidery machine for you.

A Review About Adaptable Miele S7210

Fancy a new vacuum cleaner? Take this time to read about Miele S7210. It is a high- end vacuum cleaner with just the right features to make it among one of the most powerful vacuums ever sold. Any Miele S7210 review would marvel on its strengths and some of its weaknesses. To name a few, the best features of this vacuum cleaner are the following:

1. The motor has 1,200 watts of suction power which is strong enough to suck up every dust particle from any surface. It even removes pollen, pet hair, and even allergens. The powerful motor adapts to any surface with varying thickness. Carpets will be easier to clean as the Miele S7210 has a separate motor that is dedicated to power the 4800 rpm roller brush.

2. It has a patented SwivelNeck feature which twists and turns with a mere manipulation of the handle. This maneuverability makes it easier to handle than any other vacuum cleaner. People who have painful joints will find it a joy to use this vacuum cleaner as it will not demand you to flex any muscle or bend over too much. The flexibility of the machine will truly amaze anyone.

3. It uses an innovative technology in holding the collected particles inside the AirClean Sealed Systems which ensures that 99.9% of them are trapped inside the bag.

4. It has an integrated flexible hose that allows cleaning of upholstered furniture unlike other vacuum cleaners that are limited only to cleaning flat surfaces. The hose can be used to reach the underside of the furniture keeping every nook and cranny free from any dust and dirt. You can even use it to clean hard to reach spots like corridors and the back of unmovable furniture and machines in the house.

5. And last but not the least, any Miele S7210 review would rave on the 39 inch of power cord. Other brands does not have power cords that long which makes cleaning more like outlet hopping having to switch outlets to clean another area of the room.

Like any other products, the Miele S7210 also has its flaws. Among the most complained about by users are:

1. There is no filter replacement indicator. It is very annoying to guess when the right time to change filters is. Clean filters are important as it adds up to the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner.

2. Another one is that the shiny plastic components make it look a little fragile.

3. Most users also find it a little difficult to remove and change the bags.

iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot: Introducing the Advanced Features

iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot is perfect to everyone who keeps up a busy life. With all the responsibilities people fulfill everyday - home, family and work, it is not surprising to find out that a lot of individuals spend very little time to clean and maintain their homes. Fortunately, this product helps all busy households maintain floor brightness without any effort. Unlike other vacuum floor cleaners, you don't have to stress yourself holding the cleaner to the direction it should go as it automatically performs the entire floor cleaning for you. Leave this floor vacuum, let it roam around the house, clean the carpets and at the time you arrive home, you have this bright-looking, clean and fresh house look. For everyone with very limited time to clean the floor and carpet, powerful floor vacuum is a perfect purchase.

This floor cleaner is definitely a great cleaner to have at home especially for those who can't spend enough time to maintain the floor and carpets. Cleaning the home is now easy and fast as this product comes with a press button and its ready to get rid of all the dirt, dust and debris all by itself. While you are away from home or office, this product will do the floor cleaning task for you in easy and fast way. Without human intervention, this vacuum cleaner cleans all surfaces even the dirtiest areas of home while leaving no obvious marks on the floor.

Roomba floor cleaner is a perfect machine to purchase if you want to be free from the stress of cleaning dust and dirt in your entire home. iRobot 560 Roomba can clean almost all types of surfaces without your intervention as it is equipped with a cleaning head that can adjust to various surfaces automatically. So whether you go out to work or spend time with your loved ones outside, you can rely on this floor cleaner to do the job for you. You never have to worry about wire tangling issues as it features anti-tangle technology that keeps it from being stuck by rug fringe and cords.

iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot also features a gentle-touch bumper system which senses obstacles and redirects the course of the unit to a safer and open space. This machine is extremely smart. It can also sense areas that are dirtier and spends longer time to eliminate all the dirt in that area. The in-built cliff sensors allows it to avoid the stairs and other drop-offs so no matter how long you stay outside, you can expect for this floor cleaner to remain safe and working for a long time. This product also features a fine-filtration system which is able to trap all dirt and keep them inside the storage bin. Under a very low price, you get a smart cleaner that is very easy to operate, maintain and empty when full. This home appliance is highly durable and equipped with advanced features to guarantee a stress-free cleaning. It is noise-free and highly reliable. You can count on this machine to work on your side whether you are out or inside the home.

Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Reviews - Neato XV-11 Vs Roomba

Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Reviews - Neato XV-11 Vs Roomba

The advancement in the technology, have brought a great part in the lives of many people. One of the most popular technologies and flooding the markets today, are the robotic vacuum cleaners. The first robotic vacuum cleaner known as "Roomba" was first introduced on the Christmas season of 2002 by iRobot. The iRobot Company created and developed the robomaid and sold it for $200 each.

The first released of these robomaids have caught the eyes of the press that eventually created a lot of robotic vacuum cleaners reviews from a lot of its users. However, there are several doubts that were broken out about the value of these newly integrated technologies. Do robotic vacuum cleaners produce annoying sounds? How do they really work? Can they really clean and eliminate dirt in the house? How efficient are they when it comes to power consumption? Are they really controllable or they are just cleaning the floors while silently waiting for the robot apocalypse? Do people really need to deal with this annoying robomaid that roams around our home?

Not so long, positive robotic vacuum cleaners reviews from a lot of users proved that those little "Roombas" are really useful to people. Eventually, many electronics companies tried to develop and create their own robomaids with more advanced integrated features like automatic cleaning scheduling, navigation interface, automatic recharging features, and more. Today, Neato XV-11 All Floor Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is one the advanced robotic vacuum cleaners that covers and cleans the every inch and corners of the house. Most Neato XV-11 reviews say, "Neato XV-11 doesn't only clean more efficiently, it cleans smarter."

Neato XV-11 vs Roomba 780

Talking about the prices and sizes, Neato XV-11 costs $399.99 and having the dimensions of 15.5 x 15.5 x 10 inches, while Roomba 780 costs $599.99 and having the dimensions of 19 x 5 x 21.5 inches.

Functionality

Both the Neato XV-11 and Roomba 780 use infrared sensors, run in a logical cleaning path, detect dirty areas and avoid obstacles smartly. They both use acoustic sensors that allow the vacuum to focus the cleaning action on a dirty spot before moving on another area. Both also have HEPA filters that do not only clean the floor, but also remove particles from the air.

Performance

The Neato XV-11 has a high-performance vacuum that works in a precise and uniform back-and-forth motion. It picks up even very tiny specks, and can easily slide under the tables, sofas, and beds. It works on all types of floors - it might be on carpets, Pergos, rugs, tiles or hardwoods. Roomba 780 navigates from room-to-room, and leaves behind a healthier and cleaner air. Roomba 780 uses iAdapt Responsive Cleaning Technology, that allows the robot to thoroughly vacuum the entire house, including hard-to-reach areas under the furniture, removing up to 98% of dust, dirt, and pet hair from your floors. Both the Neato XV-11 and Roomba 780 are easy to set up and can clean the entire home very well at only 1 charging.

Features

Neato XV-11 has the Room Positioning System (RPS) which makes the robot smart, sees 360-degree view of the room, maps the floor well and avoids carefully any furniture, stairs and any other obstacles. Other features are:

Low-profile access - updates the robot's internet map to accurately detect objects which are higher than 4 inches and avoid it by carefully cleaning around without bumping off the walls and damaging the furniture.

Scuff-free navigation and large dirt bin - creates high-powered suction ability to thoroughly pick up dust and debris.

Self-docking to re-power - this allows the robot to return automatically to its base after cleaning to recharge itself.

The Roomba 780 has the state-of-the art capacitive touch screen LCD regulator that gives you control of the robot, whether with the touch of a finger or by using its infrared remote control. It has Dirt Detect™ Series 2 technology that allows the robot to find the dirtiest spots of the house and focus when performing the cleaning in those areas. It also features:

Virtual Wall® Lighthouses™ - it allows the Roomba to logically clean one area at a time, without missing any remaining dirt on the spot before proceeding to the next room.

Full Bin Indicator - this will let you know with when the Roomba is already full and needs to be emptied.

3-Stage Cleaning with AeroVac™ Series 2 - uses a 3-stage powerful cleaning system powerful enough to suck and pick massive pet hair, dirt, dust and other debris. It has a spinning side brush that cleans the edges of the walls, counter-rotating brushes that sweep the floor and a dustpan to jerk the gathered dust and debris from the floor.

Both have cleaning scheduler features used to set and schedule the robot everyday for cleaning even you are out all day.