The HENRY Company

The latest marketing scam-of-the-month some vacuum companies (think over-priced and lightweight) are using is Ultraviolet light on the underside of the nozzle to "kill" germs as you vacuum. There are many problems with this:

1. If the vacuum is only 4 or 5 amps total - motor, headlight AND ultraviolet generator, I doubt that their ultraviolet generator would give an Amoeba a suntan, much less kill it.
2. At the speed that the average vacuumer moves (i.e., FAST), the effects would be negligible even if the ultraviolet WAS powerful.
3. Like dust mites, kill 'em all you want - on and under carpet, but give them an hour and they'll be back unless you somehow get your humidity levels in your house way down. In summary, get a vacuum with more than a toy motor in it so that your carpet is clean and the germs won't want to live there any more.
4. This just in (6-12-11): It has been found that Oreck's (makers of Halo vacuums) claims regarding the germ-killing effectiveness of the ultra-violet lights on the bottom of their vacs is a load of B.S., just as I theorized. They have settled the complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by paying a $750,000 fine. Apparently while the FTC does not have the energy to prosecute general false advertising, which is rampant & costly to the public, they draw the line at making false medical claims (so we won't die from bad products, we'll just get ripped off - we'll still have our health, though!) There's big money in duping the public, so public - don't blindly believe what you hear.