ORECK HALO Review and Giveaway!

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My family has been through so many vacuum cleaners.  When my kids were smaller, it  always took a powerful vacuum cleaner to mow through their messes.  The same is true now, but mostly due to our cats.  We have three indoor cats, two of which are long haired.  They shed constantly and leave puffs of fur everywhere.  I sometimes feel like I do nothing else in life but vacuum! I  know that germs and bacteria are present, but until now, I did not know of a way to rid my carpets and floors of these.

I have been familiar with the Oreck name for years, but had never used one until recently, when I was sent the vacuum of vacuums - Oreck Halo - for review.  My previous vacuum was top of the line when we bought it, but I have to say it has disappointed me time and time again. We have had it in the shop more than once for repairs, and I have found that it is no longer doing the job I need it to do.  I realize that is a tall order in this household, but I now have found my dream vacuum.  The vacuum that I speak of does so much more than just clean  - it actually has a feature that actually kills germs, bacteria, mites, flea eggs and more.

The amount of bacteria and germs in our houses is alarming.  Even when you think that you have sanitized everything, these things remain.  Yuck!

So what is the Oreck Halo?

The Oreck® Halo vacuum cleaner is the only vacuum that uses Oreck Halo Ultraviolet Technology to kill many microscopic germs that can live and breed on your carpets and hard floor surfaces.

It's more than a vacuum because it does two things at once: the Oreck Halo cleans the dirt you see on your floors, and, using Oreck Halo Ultraviolet Technology, it can also kill many of the microscopic dust mite eggs, bacteria, viruses, molds, flea eggs and other germs that you cannot see on your floors. It does this all without the use of chemicals, making your life easier because you are vacuuming and killing germs in one step.

Here are some interesting facts and information about the Oreck Halo and it's UV-C technology (from Oreck):

How It Works

-The Oreck Halo uses proprietary UV-C technology – the same technology that safely

and effectively disinfects drinking water and sterilizes operating rooms – to eliminate many of the harmful things you can’t see.

-A high-powered UV-C bulb is housed in a patented light chamber with a durable quartz

glass exterior, and independent tests prove this UV-C light kills more than 99 percent of many common germs it comes in contact with.

-With the Oreck Halo, it’s possible to vacuum and kill germs with no extra effort, no

extra time and no extra cost. This translates to a better, safer and healthier clean – all without damaging or fading carpet, tile or hardwood when used properly.

WERE YOU AWARE THAT:

- There can be more germs on household floor surfaces than on toilet seats, kitchen counters and bathroom tiles combined.

- One square inch of carpet can contain more than 200,000 bacteria particles, compared to 49 bacteria particles found on a household toilet seat.

- Dust mites are one of the leading causes of indoor allergies, in particular asthma.

- Children ages 2-5 can put their fingers in their mouths 42 times per hour after touching household surfaces.

- A child can swallow the amount of dirt on six kitchen floor tiles per day.

- The average American adult spends more than 85 percent of his/her time indoors, which has triggered growing concerns over biological contaminants within the home environment.

How do I know the Oreck Halo UV-C technology is working?

When the Halo Technology is activated on the Oreck Halo, you will see a blue glowing ring on top of the powerhead. You also can see blue light glowing from the edges of the powerhead.

I am very impressed with the UV-C technology of the Oreck Halo. I shudder to think of what bacteria are probably in my rugs and on my floors, especially with cats.  I am not only thrilled with the UV-C feature, but I am ecstatic at how well it cleans all floor surfaces in my house.  According to the Oreck website, the Oreck Halo can be used on all floor surfaces including carpet, hardwood, linoleum and tile. There is a separate brush bar that can be turned on and off to allow for various floor surfaces; because the brush bar uses a separate motor, the suction will not be compromised. In addition, there is a height adjustor that allows you to easily maneuver from one floor surface to another and still achieve peak cleaning performance.

I couldn't wait to try my Oreck Halo. When it arrived, I carefully opened the box and assembled it by myself (which is saying a lot!).  There was not too much assembly required - I just plugged the required parts together, attached handle with the provided tool and I was ready to go. Oh - and let me add that it is sleek and stylish too!

Our carpet is several years old, and unfortunately has flattened quite a bit in high traffic areas.  This is the first vacuum cleaner ever that pulls my carpet back up, making the entire surface look "even". The Oreck Halo has two powerful motors.  The first is roller brush that brings dirt and grime to the surface (and I think this is what helps "pull" my carpet up to it's original state!), and then the second motor picks up everything!   I loved that I didn't have to go back and forth - one swoop did the job perfectly.

I also love the included attachments.  We have stairs and they are frequently covered with fur.  It is usually so hard to clean them. I used the brush attachment on the hose and it was a snap to clean the stairs.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS:  I can honestly say that after using the Oreck Halo, my carpets look better than they have in years. I was "ooohing" and "ahhhing" the whole time I was vacuuming. I am completely in love with my Oreck Halo, and I will tell everyone I know about it. Can you tell I am a proud Oreck owner?  The only thing I would change is the length of the cord...I wish it were a bit longer.  That is a small thing though, as there are so many incredible benefits to this vacuum.

You can order your Oreck Halo online (shipping is free!),  and you can also try it risk-free for 30 days.  You can also use the Oreck store locator to find a retailer near you. The Oreck Halo comes with a three year product warranty and a five-year warranty on the UV-C light. Oreck Halo also includes three free annual tune-ups...gotta like that!

THE GIVEAWAY is now closed!:
One of my very lucky readers will win an Oreck Halo ($599 value) of their very own!

For first (and required) entry, head over to Oreck. Come back and tell me in a comment, one of the bacterias or germs that the Oreck Halo's UV-C light technology will eliminate OR tell me something else you learned about the Oreck Halo (other than  mentioned in post above!)

Please leave email address (or set Blogger profile to public)

Extra entry options:

~Become a fan Oreck on Facebook - 1 entry

~Sign up for Oreck email updates - 2 entries

~Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using this phrase:

"Please RT: Win an ORECK HALO Vacuum Cleaner - U.S. and Canada! @EightyMPHMom! http://www.eightymphmom.com  Ends 12-5"

(can be done once daily)

~Follow me on Blogger/Google Friend Connect - 1 entry

~Subscribe to Eighty MPH Mom via email or RSSFeed - 1 entry
~Become an Eighty MPH Mom fan on Facebook (see bottom of my blog)- 1 entry
~Follow me on Networked blogs (see bottom of my blog)- 1 entry

~Add Eighty MPH Mom to your text blogroll - 2 entries

~Blog about this giveaway -  Make sure you link back to this giveaway AND to Oreck (http://www.oreck.com/). In your comment, leave a link to your blog post - 5 entries

*Don't have a blog? See giveaway rules for alternative method for this entry option.

~Comment on any non-giveaway post (up to three for 3 entries)

Giveaway ends on December 5th at 9:00 (PST). This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada!

Separate comments must be left for each entry, or they will only count as one.

All winners are chosen using Random.org. I will notify you via email if you have won. Winner has 72 hours to respond to winning email notification. If winner hasn't responded in that time frame, a new winner will be chosen (using Random.org).

Please see complete list of Eighty MPH Mom giveaway rules.

Thank you to Oreck for this review and giveaway opportunity!

*Note from Oreck website: The Oreck Halo vacuum cleaner is not intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any diseases or medical condition, including asthma or allergies.
The only compensation received for any review post, is a sample of product. Compensation never has a bearing on the outcome of a review. The opinions expressed herein are those of blog author only. I received compensation for this review/post in the form of the above vacuum to try out and keep. For further information, please refer to my Acknowledgment Policy.