Thread Number: 22598
ElectroHygiene
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Post# 252623   10/11/2013 at 18:56 (3,820 days old) by RoyalLover60 ()        

For the man interested in ElectroHygiene uprights....they were a product of Royal vacuums, and are essentially the same...they also came in tank, and cannister models, but were never as popular as Royal. They had a crystal holder that dispensed aroma or fragrance, which supposedly purified the air as you vacuumed, later Royal models had the same option on some. Hope this helps !

Post# 252629 , Reply# 1   10/11/2013 at 20:07 (3,820 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
You're thinking of Jeff Schroff, Sr. aka hygiene903.

BTW, what Electro-Hygiene products do you own presently?

285 - upright (similar to Royal 801)
777 - upright (similar to Royal 602)
903 - upright (similar to Royal 880)
966 - tank (similar to Royal 901, 931)
980 - upright w/ removable head (similar to Royal 888)

~Ben


Post# 252754 , Reply# 2   10/13/2013 at 02:15 (3,819 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Ben,

hygiene903's profile picture
If you're asking me, I have all of the above, plus upright models 880 and 890 (pedecessors of the 903), straight suction models 80, 94 (pre-war) 230, and 2-230 (post-war), and tank models 701 (pony tank) and 950 (predecessor of the 966).
And if you're asking Noel (RoyalLover60), according to his profile he has no Electro-Hygienes, but 3 Royals.

And to Noel, Electro-Hygiene was originally launched in March of 1934 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the P.A.Geier Co.(Royal), then became a company in its own right by incorporating on 8/19/1941, with Arthur R. Frankenfeld as president and headquartered in Dayton, OH. He had been a Royal salesman specializing in the Purifier model, which became the Electro-Hygiene. I was fortunate to have met him when I was selling Electro-Hygienes in 1974.
Jeff


Post# 252789 , Reply# 3   10/13/2013 at 09:30 (3,819 days old) by williamr1248 (USA)        
ElectroHygiene

Jeff,
Thanks for sharing the information about ElectroHygiene. All new information to me. We had a store in Indianapolis that had a beautiful lighted sign that sold only ElectroHygiene. It was around for many, many years, I think they may have sold sewing machines too. I know they did vacuum repair and sold nice rebuilt machines. I always wanted my parents to stop by so I could just even look in the windows. You might know that NEVER happened.
Also interesting that you sold the product. Thanks for sharing!
Rob


Post# 252790 , Reply# 4   10/13/2013 at 09:34 (3,819 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        

dysonman1's profile picture
It's also worth noting, for what it's worth, that Health-Mor (Filter Queen), which started in 1928 selling the Scott and Fetzer Sanitation System (private labeled as a "Health-Mor") jumped ship to Royal in 1930. They sold what was basically a Royal with the crystal dispenser as part of the attachment intake coupling to the machine. From 1930 - late 1939, that's what Health-Mor sold before asking Royal to build the Filter Queen models 200 and 350. After the lawsuit with Lewyt was resolved in Health-Mor's favor, they used the money from the lawsuit judgement to open their own factory - and from 1955 on made Filter Queen's themselves.

Post# 252824 , Reply# 5   10/13/2013 at 14:30 (3,818 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)        
Thakns Tom.

caligula's profile picture
That's something I never knew, and am glad for the info. Please keep these facts coming, as I still have a thirst for vacuum cleaner history.

Bob Alex.


Post# 252849 , Reply# 6   10/13/2013 at 18:50 (3,818 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        

dysonman1's profile picture
The story actually also involves Air-Way. The Callahan family (who started Health-Mor) were friends with the Hill family (T. Russ Hill). Both heads of which sold portraits for the Chicago Portrait Studio in the early 1920's. Hill met with Air-Way's reps in 1926, and by 1928 was the head of operations (sales) for the state of Michigan. Hill showed Callahan the machine, but Callahan didn't want to work for anyone other than himself. The 'new' invention of the Air-Way was the moth control dispenser. The disposable bag was under patent. Scott and Fetzer's Sanitation System used the para crystals for moth control. The first two years of Health-Mor Inc. they sold the private labeled Sanitation System. In fact, Health-Mor was incorporated as "Health-Mor Sanitation Systems Inc.". Meanwhile, Mr. Hill was setting world on fire. Virtually the entire auto industry and most of Michigan owned Air-Way cleaners. HILL LEARNED HOW TO SELL SANITATION, with the Air-Way cellulose bag. This would come in handy in 1935 when Rexair hired him to head up their sales teams and open branches, and become President of the Company.

The Royal Super had been invented, as well as the Purifier. The Royal Purifier model had two 'improvements' over the Super. It featured a floating brush behind the nozzle (exactly like Filter Queen and Royal used on their straight suction rug nozzles) AND they used the moth crystals in an innovative way. They told unsuspecting housewives that sucking up the crystals would 'sterilize' the contents of the cloth bag and 'kill all the germs'. Hence the name "purifier" on a cloth bag straight suction upright. Callahan thought that the Royal was as good as Mr. Hill's Air-Way, but Health-Mor's sales were limited to Chicago and the surrounding states. Air-Way cleaners were sold all over the world by this time.

Health-Mor found they could get the private labeled Royal for less money than Scott and Fetzer was charging, and the Royal version for Health-Mor used the crystals in a unique way as well. By adding the crystals to the hose intake adapter, you can allow 'vapors' from the moth crystals to be inhaled at the same time air from the hose is going through, "killing all the germs and bacteria carried by the dust into the machine". People actually believed this. They also demonstrated how to attach the hose to the blower, and lets you blow the crystals into a closet or under a rug, etc.

Once Air-Way brought out the model 55 tank/canister, and Lux introduced the model XXX, but most importantly, because Mr. Hill (Callahan's friend) was now selling the Rexair (a round canister with no loss of suction), Callahan bought a patent involving single cyclonic separation along with a double cellulose cone shaped filter. He got Royal to design a vacuum cleaner (with a unique motor) for him, and in late 1939, Health-Mor introduced the second round canister bagless vacuum in the world. The model 200. By the late 1940's the Filter Queen had sold over a million machines.

During the war, Lamb Electric (Black and Decker before the war), designed a universal motor that most canister/tank cleaners could use. Health-Mor's designers wanted to use that motor and designed the model 350 around the motor. However, Royal wouldn't build it, claiming to have spent way too much engineering money designing the model 200. Health-Mor's design team went to Lewyt to see if they would make the model 350. Lewyt said NO. Then he copied it, and in 1947 the model 40 Lewyt with cone filter and Lamb motor went on sale. Health-Mor sued, and in 1953 received their judgement from Lewyt, which allowed them to fund their own factory in Cleveland, Ohio.


Post# 252880 , Reply# 7   10/13/2013 at 23:20 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Some Of The Similarities Here Are Amazing!

hygiene903's profile picture
In the same way that Hill learned how to sell SANITATION from AirWay, Art Frankenfeld learned to sell SANITATION from Royal. And not only did he learn it, he embraced it--and could sell the Royal Purifier like no other, which is probably the main reason that when Electro-Hygiene was launched in March of 1934 as a wholly owned subsidiary of P.A. Geier, he was put in charge of it. And when Electro-Hygiene became a company in its own right by incorporating on 8/19/1941, he became president, an office he held for many years. And when I met Art Frankenfeld in 1974, he was every bit as charismatic at 67 years old as he was when he was selling the Purifier!
And in the same way, I also learned how to sell SANITATION when I sold Electro-Hygiene in 1974. God forbid you should call them moth crystals, they were the EXCLUSIVE ELECTRO-HYGIENE SANITIZING CRYSTALINE PREPARATION, and we were to emphasize that in addition to paradichlorobenzine, they also contained 4 tenths of one percent formaldehyde, which "kills the germs in the air that you breath." And while we were doing the presentation, we continued to remind the customer that the sanitizing unit was working to kill the germs while they cleaned.
In fact, sanitation was such an important part of the Electro-Hygiene presentation that even though Royal had started building machines with a revolving brush in the late 30's, Electro-Hygiene remained straight suction until 1954, as they didn't know what to do with the crystal chamber (aka sanitizing unit). A crystal chamber was designed that would snap on in place of the belt cover, and in 1955 the Electro-Hygiene model 285 was introduced, almost identical to the Royal 801. In 1966 the model 880 was introduced with a swing up headlight and the crystal chamber built into the nozzle. This evolved into the 890 in 1969, which evolved into the model 903 in 1973, which was the current model when I was selling Electro-Hygiene. Here are a few pics. The first is the HealthMor Sanitation System that Tom was talking about. I only wish i had the attachments for it.
Jeff


Post# 252881 , Reply# 8   10/13/2013 at 23:29 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Next, The Model 80 Electro-Hygiene

hygiene903's profile picture
This is, to my knowledge, the first model of Electro-Hygiene. You will notice an inline switch on the cord, hooked to the handle. This was so the handle and bag could be replaced with a small handle and bag for use as a hand vac. The crystal chamber (sanitizing unit) can clearly be seen behind the nozzle. This was my first restoration project.

Post# 252882 , Reply# 9   10/13/2013 at 23:39 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Model 94 Electro-Hygiene

hygiene903's profile picture
Also a pre-war machine, this was in improvement over the model 80. The inline switch on the direct wired cord were replaced with a toggle switch on the handle, and a pigtail so that the handle could be unplugged for handvac changeover. This was also the only model with a hammered finish--not hammertone paint, but the metal actually hammered. The bag on this one is a generic bag with a section of the original bag sewed on to give you a glimpse of what it looked like.

Post# 252885 , Reply# 10   10/13/2013 at 23:52 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Model 2-230 Electro-Hygiene

hygiene903's profile picture
Built in 1954, it was the last straight suction Electro-Hygiene. The small bag, handle, and cord with inline switch for hand vac conversion can be seen here. I only wish I had the wands, floor brush, and crevice tool to complete the attachment set!
Jeff


Post# 252886 , Reply# 11   10/13/2013 at 23:57 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Model 285 Electro-Hygiene

hygiene903's profile picture
The first Electro-Hygiene with a revolving brush, introduced in 1955. I do have the snap-on crystal chamber, but didn't think to include it in this pic.

Post# 252887 , Reply# 12   10/14/2013 at 00:02 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Model 903 Electro-Hygiene

hygiene903's profile picture
This was the current upright model when I was selling them in 1974.

Post# 252892 , Reply# 13   10/14/2013 at 00:06 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        

hygiene903's profile picture
And a later model 903, with the attachments and rare extra accessories kit, which included the sprayer, polishing brush, and small handle, bag, and cord for hand vac conversion.

Post# 252899 , Reply# 14   10/14/2013 at 00:11 (3,818 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        

hygiene903's profile picture
And finally, the rare model 980, which had a removable nozzle, similar to Kirby. Wish I had the attachments for this one, or at least the suction coupler so I could use my 903 attachments with it!
Jeff


Post# 255807 , Reply# 15   11/9/2013 at 19:08 (3,791 days old) by vacman1961 (North Babylon, New York)        

WOW, you have a nice collection of Electro Hygiene's there, I remember as a kid my Aunt had the 1954 straight suction model that you have there, I remember the big blue box full of attachments and she also had I guess it was a floor polisher attachment, it had a rotating brush around 6 inches in diameter and 2 wheels mounted on a bracket similar to the rear wheel bracket on the upright, I never sen it operate, to this day I can't imagine how it would operate since there was no belt on the machine, I guess it had something to do with the acorn looking nut on the end of the fan shaft? This machine sure brings back memories, I was born in 1961 and my Mom had a Kirby 518, which I still have and my Aunt had this Electro Hygiene. Good luck with your collection.

Post# 255864 , Reply# 16   11/10/2013 at 07:33 (3,791 days old) by KirbyLux ()        
Electro Hygiene

That is a wonderful Electro Hygiene collection! I didn't know they made them up into the 70's. When I was a kid, I found this while helping a friend clean out her basement. She gave me this motor unit, but never could find anything else to go with it. She went on to say that when her house was being built in '56, someone used it to clean up plaster dust, thus ruining the bag. She said she never knew until she went to use it and the bag was like a rock. I guess that all the parts were discarded long ago. It's a shame as the motor runs perfectly and I haven't had much luck finding anything for it. Anyway, here it is!

Post# 256257 , Reply# 17   11/13/2013 at 21:01 (3,787 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        

hygiene903's profile picture
Thank you Charlie and Kevin, for the compliments.Electro-Hygienes have been a special part of my collection ever since I started collecting for several reasons. Besides having sold them myself, I had two Aunts, and a Great Aunt who owned them, and two Uncles who sold them before I was born--one of which might not have met my Aunt and therefore might not have become my Uncle, if they hadn't been working together at the time. My Uncle Dick became good friends with a salesman named Red, and eventually introduced him to his sister-in-law, my Aunt Mary. As Red and Mary got to know each other they fell in love, got married, and had 50 years together. And besides the family connections and having sold them myself, they are a great vacuum cleaner. And yes, they were made beyond the 70's, into the mid 80's--the newest Electro-Hygiene I have was made in 1983.
Jeff


Post# 256262 , Reply# 18   11/13/2013 at 23:00 (3,787 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Actually, the Electro-Hygiene brand ceased to exist as a whole after 1986, since I had actually, over six months ago, came across on eBay an auction for a 1985-dated 903 (s/n J85F005490 - October 1985) that was located in Temecula, CA. And yes, like all Royal metal uprights of the period, it had the new-design angular fan case.

There actually was some literature included with that machine (and a delivery invoice to the original owner dated February 1986) and one of the forms was dated April 1985.

~Ben



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