The next VDTA/SDTA Convention & Show will be in
New Orleans, LA
February 27 - 29, 2012
at the Ernest Morial Convention Center

Panasonic Dirt Sensors boost consumer confidence

A mother of three asked the vac shop owner "My kids spend a lot of time on the carpet. How do I know it's really clean?" She obviously was not concerned about surface litter because she can see surface dirt being picked up every time she vacuums. She was concerned about the "hidden dirt" -- the dirt that has settled into the fibers of the carpet.

Compared to other cleaning appliances, it's difficult to judge how well a vacuum cleans because there is no feedback to the user. You can tell if a dishwasher is not cleaning if you continuously see food left on the dishes. You can tell if a clothes washer is not cleaning by the appearance of the dirt/stains left on the clothes. But how do you tell if your vacuum is cleaning your carpet when you can't see the dirt in the first place? The answer is to use a Panasonic vacuum cleaner equipped with a Dirt Sensor feature.

The Panasonic Dirt Sensor uses infrared technology to "see" dirt as it is picked up and carried through the air path to the bag. In canister vacuums, the Dirt Sensor is located in the swivel pipe that connects the nozzle to the wands. In upright vacuums, the Dirt Sensor is located in the main body just before the dirt enters the dust bag.

The sensor has two "eyes" -- a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter sends a beam of infrared light to the receiver. As long as the beam is not broken, a green light is visible to the user. When dirt is picked up, the dirt interrupts the beam and a red light is illuminated to signal the cleaning action.

Anyone can use a Panasonic Dirt Sensor vacuum and be confident they are doing a good job. Today, over half the households are single parent families. With a working parent, everyone chips in to handle chores -- including kids and seniors. When the user sees red they simply continue cleaning in that area until the light turns green. A green light means they have done the best job they can in cleaning the carpet. Anyone can clean and feel confident in a job well done with the Panasonic Dirt Sensor.

Demonstration is easy. Simply put sand, carpet freshener or any litter on a rug and vacuum with the Dirt Sensor to show how the light changes from green to red and back to green. Let the customer do the vacuuming so they can see the positive results for themselves.

Customers will be anxious to use the Dirt Sensor but you need to coach them on two issues before they leave your store. First, cleaning will take them much longer the first couple of times they use the vacuum. The sensor will find the dirt that has been hiding for years and the red light will be on a long time. After this hidden dirt has been removed, cleaning time will be the same as before. Second, some users report filling an entire bag before they finish the first cleaning. Make sure the customer has extra bags when they leave your store.

Panasonic offers the Dirt Sensor in the new Platinum Series OptiFlow upright and canister product lines. The upright model is the MC-UG787 (SRP $xxx) and the canister model is the MC-CG985 (SRP $xxx). Both models are available now from the Panasonic Platinum distributor serving your area. For more information call 1-859-238-3428 or visit the Panasonic Web site at www.panasonic.com and check out the vacuums cleaners inside Home Appliance.

Reprinted from Floor Care Professional, December 2008