It may not be doable with some existing homes, but I swear by my central vac system. I wouldn't go back to portable vacs, as I've never used one without dust being left in the air. Check with several manufacturers to see if there's a system that can be retrofitted into your home.

If you are on a budget, we purchased a Eureka The Boss Smart Vac. I paid $130 and I really like it. Consumer's Report rated it better than Dyson and several other of the popular brands and it was the same or better than others in terms of eliminating pollens and allergens. It has a hepa filter and special filtration bags.

I read Debra's post regarding vacuums and looked up the Eureka Smart Boss. It does say that it has a sealed Hepa filter.

I highly recommend the Rainbow Vacuum. I have used it in my home for years and as I vacuum it also cleans the air so there is no dust thrown around the room. It has a water basin for the dirt to go in insteade of a bag. When I've used it I've actually felt a better sense of well-being and this is because the house is much cleaner than with other "bag" type vacuums. It's expenseive but it's one of the best investments I've ever made.

I agree with Debra's decision to buy a Miele canister vacuum cleaner. We invested (they aren't cheap) in one, since we have a large furry dog. Even though we don't wear our shoes in the house (which definitely cuts down on dirt and dust), I still need to vacuum at least once a week. Our vacuum really works great and is supposed to have a very efficient HEPA filter. I would highly recommend them. (Plus they are pretty quiet, which is nice, and doesn't scare the dog as much!)

Cheers,

kt

I agree on the Rainbow vac. It is expensive, but it is truly worth it. NO DUST comes out of this, it all goes into the water. You can even run it in a corner for a couple minutes, and it will completely 'wash' all the air in the room. My mom bought one in 1982, and it has never even been serviced.

Definitely not cheap, but we love our Oreck XL21. It's got a HEPA bag to reduce allergens in the air. As long as you take it in for a free tune-up once a year, it's guaranteed for 21 years. This vacuum really sucks! ;-) (And that's what you want from a vacuum, right?)

For more information n vacuums go to www.youtube.com then in search box type: Kill Dirt.com, and look at the Rainbow and Dyson videos vs. the Miele video among many others of your chosing. Miele is a winner!!