When it comes to vacuum cleaners, many Kenyans are so eager to buy one , siting that vacuums are the ‘modern’ way of living. Hardly anyone ever thinks about the risk factor of buying such equipment. This article focuses on the negative aspects of buying and using a vacuum cleaner.
Just to be clear, I am not denying that vacuum cleaners are really good devices. Personally, I find them really handy and easy to use, saving me on time and energy I would have spent doing routine cleaning.
The issue is, just after getting yourself a vacuum cleaner, you start realising the downside of it, how it may inconvenience the user and the his surroundings.
There are a number of ways in which buying and using vacuums is a ticking time bomb. These are:
1. You are constantly fighting Mother Nature
Some vacuum cleaners, especially cordless vacuums, use lithium ion batteries, and since they have become really famous for their convenience, more people are buying this device. However, environmentalists will tell you that lithium ion batteries have been in constant war with Mother Nature as they do not decay; rather they leak their toxic chemical residue and leave it on the ground.
The bad news is, this normally comes back to bite us in the back, as plants usually take in these residues, and whether through direct consumption of the plants or indirectly through animals, one way or another we get these toxic carcinogenic substances back into our bodies.
We are shooting ourselves in the foot. Figuratively, of course.
2. We don’t have spare parts, buddy!
Let’s say you buy yourself a super convenient, really powerful and exotic vacuum cleaner(I am talking about the expensive kind) . Should this vacuum cleaner break down, either due to your fault or by accident (cough, cough blaming nature for your fault) then you should be prepared for a little trouble because some of these really good vacuums do not have locally available spare parts. There a scanty amount of spare parts for any good vacuum cleaner Kenya can provide.
No one ever thinks of this when they are buying vacuums though, or just about any electronic device, and so when their devices break down, they either cost them a lot or end up getting shoved in the basement, never to be used again.
3. Yes, they will cost you.
This should have been my main point. Of course they are expensive they are vacuum cleaners. See Vacuum cleaner Kenya.
Vacuum cleaners are not meant for lower class in society. You may find their prices ridiculously high, and this just gets higher as you seek better quality (a universal principle). Middle income families view this as a waste of money, preferring the traditional broom and rightfully so. Mentioning this to some low income families is a taboo.
Your electricity bill is bound to skyrocket, reaching all time high in the dry dusty season when you feel the need to constantly vacuum everything.
4. Maybe vacuums are just not suitable here.
Let’s be real. We are Kenyans.
And as Kenyans, we are made up of majority of low income earners, and thus most of our dwellings may lack carpets and other suitable surfaces for vacuuming (yes, I am talking about earthen floors). Have you ever tried vacuuming an earthen floor? Hint: It’s a kin to taking water out of the ocean.
5. Your vacuum while generally degrade
Like all electronics, vacuums also depreciate with time. Given the nature of the services they provide, a broken vacuum cleaner (or one that breaks down during the job) is a worrisome scenario. Since Kenya is typically dusty, vacuum cleaners may be overworked and thus have a shorter life span.
They may release dust and the particles they absorb into the air as a result of faulty collection bags, their suction and cleaning abilities following the same degrading route making them less efficient cleaners and ergo just cumbersome useless machines (speaking from experience here).
Conclusion
Vacuum cleaners are not all glitter and glamour as sold by advertisers. They do have their downsides, one of the main ones being to the environment through their lithium ion batteries. Some vacuum cleaners do not have easily available spare parts and are generally expensive. The nature of this country may be inappropriate for use of vacuums, and they may degrade really quickly as a result of frequent use. For more, check https://vacuumcleaners.co.ke
