Have you ever stopped mid-clean and wondered where the name “vacuum cleaner” actually comes from? It might sound obvious now, but the story behind it is surprisingly interesting, and it all starts with a bit of science and a few clever inventors.

The term vacuum cleaner comes from how these machines work. They create a vacuum, an area with lower air pressure, that pulls in air (and all the dust and dirt with it). The “cleaner” part is self-explanatory: it’s a device designed to clean surfaces using suction.

In short:

• “Vacuum” refers to the low-pressure area created inside the device.

• “Cleaner” refers to its job, cleaning your home by removing dust and debris.

So, a vacuum cleaner is quite literally a “cleaner that uses a vacuum.” Simple, right?

A Brief History: From Puffing Billy to Smart Cleaners

Watching one of our TUBO or BVC robotic vacuum cleaners glide quietly around your floor today, it’s hard to imagine a time when carpets had to be beaten by hand. In fact, the vacuum cleaner is a relatively new invention!

The first motorised version was created in 1901 by Hubert Cecil Booth in the UK. Before Booth, there were a few suction-based carpet cleaners in the US, but these were hand-pumped and pretty exhausting to use. Booth’s invention, affectionately named the “Puffing Billy,” was powered by a petrol engine, a real game changer.

Legend has it that Booth got the idea after watching a demonstration of a machine that blew dust away rather than sucking it in. He tested his theory by placing a handkerchief over his mouth and sucking dust off a restaurant chair, and it worked!

Instead of selling his machines, Booth started a cleaning service, driving horse-drawn carts equipped with his heavy vacuums from house to house. Soon after, he switched to electric power and coined the term “vacuum cleaner.”

A few years later, in 1905, Walter Griffiths in Birmingham built the first portable version, though it still relied on hand-operated bellows. Then in 1907, a janitor from Ohio named James Spangler took things further, creating a motorised cleaner with an electric fan, a box, and a pillowcase. He later sold the patent to William Henry Hoover, and, well, that name stuck!

European companies like Fisker and Electrolux refined the design, creating the familiar “canister with a hose” setup. And while technology has evolved, from Dyson’s cyclonic systems to smart robotic cleaners, the basic idea of using suction to remove dirt hasn’t changed much in over a century.

Smart Cleaning, European Style

Fast forward to today, and vacuum technology has gone seriously high-tech.

Our central vacuum systems from TUBO (Italy) and BVC (Germany) are among the most advanced in New Zealand. For example, the TUBO Dynamica power unit is the only system on the market that can be managed through Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you can literally tell your vacuum what to do!

With the AERTECNICA DEVICE App, you can:

• Turn your system on or off remotely

• Adjust suction power

• Reset the unit in case of a malfunction

• Monitor everything from filter saturation to dust container levels, thanks to the Smart Touch Display

It’s European engineering at its finest, powerful, quiet, and connected.

Experience the Future of Clean

If you’d like to learn more about our TUBO and BVC central vacuum systems, or see how they can make your home cleaner, quieter, and smarter, visit eurocentralvacs.co.nz.

Or, get in touch directly:
📧 contactus@eurocentralvacs.co.nz
📞 Tony: +64 27 69 287 00

Experience European excellence in every clean.