Your vacuum will have several different settings; these will vary depending on your particular model. Here are some guidelines to help you, working around the dial clockwise:

• Minimum and maximum rotary dials - if your vacuum has this type of suction selector with no fixed positions you can choose anywhere between the 2 settings to vacuum. If you have the setting towards the lower setting this is suitable for vacuuming curtains and upholstery. The high settings are good for vacuuming carpets.

To keep your vacuum working efficiently and the suction at its optimum there are some simple maintenance steps to follow. Here are some guidelines to help you achieve this:

• Changing the motor filter regularly - can increase air flow and keeps any dust away from the motor, preventing it getting clogged.
• Changing your filter regularly - will also maintain the performance of your vacuum. Depending on which filter you have in your vacuum will determine how regularly it is advised to be replaced. The super air clean filter should be changed with every fifth dust bag. The active air clean filter and the active HEPA filter should be changed after 50 working hours or every 12 months which ever the sooner.

There are several ways of storing your vacuum, depending on which one suits your needs and cupboard size more. Here are some suggestions:

• Parking your floor head - most Miele vacuums have a parking system for slotting your floor head into the side of the body of the vacuum to make it easy to carry and to keep it secure when storing in a cupboard.
• Space saving - If you are short on space and need to store your vacuum in a small cupboard you could unclip the suction hose, tube and floor head to compact it very easily.

Having the right tool for the right job can make our lives so much easier. Our vacuum come with some on board tools but are we really sure where they would be used best? Here are some hints:

• The crevice tool - is great for getting into those tight little nook and crannies.
• The circular dusting brush - has multiple uses. It is made of acrylic and very hard wearing. It is great for dusting shelves, skirting boards, picture rails, books etc. If you have very fine china or crystal we do have a dusting brush made completely of horsehair, which is very soft and will treat your favourite cherished pieces with the care they deserve, please refer to the accessory list.
• The upholstery brush - is designed specially for your soft furnishings, like chairs and curtains, helping you keep them looking good and fluff free.

The number of those suffering with an allergy is growing. If you or a member of your family suffers with an allergy, you probably want to help ease the discomfort. Miele have a specialist vacuum to help the Allervac sensor 5000 which has some unique features as follows:

• Allergotec floor head - has sensors to detect allergens in the carpet. To advise the user when the carpet is allergen free is has a ‘traffic light’ indicator. The indicator glows red for normal soiling, amber for low soiling and green for hygienically clean. It gives you the peace of mind that your carpet is free from allergens. This floor head is available to buy to fit other vacuums within the S5 range please refer to the accessory section. One thing to keep in mind when using this particular floor head is that you will need to move the floor head in a slower motion across the floor to allow the sensors to work, this will give you the best results.
• Creating a comfortable environment - if you suffer from an allergy whether it is pollen, dust, pet hair or various air born allergies vacuuming can be something you hate. It disturbs the allergens and they can remain in the air for hours after cleaning, making it practically uncomfortable. The Miele HEPA filter retains 99.995% of those disturbed allergens creating a more comfortable environment and leaving the air cleaner from allergens than before vacuuming. The HEPA filter can be purchased to fit various models, please refer to the accessory section.

We have lots of different floor coverings in our homes now and we know they need different kinds of care, which is why we offer several floor heads to suit these different surfaces. Helping you to maintain your floor surface and keep it looking good.

• Caring for solid wood floors - you may feel concerned about using your vacuum on such a delicate surface but we have a parquet floor head specially designed to care for your wooden floor. The bristles are made out of horsehair making it very gentle on your floors. The floor head has a sweeping motion over the surface, brushing dust out of the cracks/joints in your floor. Excellent if you have striped floorboards.
• Caring for your loop pile carpet - loop pile carpet needs special attention to be mindful not to pull your loops free. The perfect floor head for your carpet would be our standard floor head that moves smoothly over the surface.
• Looking after your cut pile carpet - there are different types of cut pile some have twist, some are velour and these tend to have a deeper pile than other carpet types. This is why the turbobrush floor head works well on this type of floor covering. It gives you a deep down clean as it has a roller brush that rotates very quickly when the air is drawn through.
• Cleaning your stone or tiled floor - is made easy with the hard floor brush. It has acrylic bristles that are hard wearing and great on flagstone floors. If you have a gloss-tiled floor you will find a parquet floor head will be more suitable and gentle for your floor (see caring for solid wood floors for more information).

The vacuum cleaner is one of the most used appliances in the home and is sometimes taken for granted. So to keep the performance at its optimum here are some useful tips:

• Always use Miele dustbags - Miele bags are made of a fabric material, which are like a filter in themselves and will never split when you vacuum sharp objects. Our bags also keep the airflow at its optimum, which in turn keeps the suction.
• To avoid blockages - try not to vacuum items that could potentially get wedged in the suction hose.
• Keeping your floor head debris free - will help the airflow and give you greater suction. Most of the floor heads can be opened up for cleaning (please refer to your instruction book for details on your vacuum) this makes it easier and quicker for you to remove items that may have got wound round the bristles, like hair.
• Changing your filters regularly - will give you the peace of mind that you are getting the best out of your vacuum cleaner. The super air clean filter should be changed with every fifth dust bag. The active air clean filter and the active HEPA filter should be changed after 50 working hours or every 12 months which ever the sooner.