Revolutionary £200 vacuum cleaner that turns dirt into 'solid dust'

Household chores often mean having to get your hands dirty – especially when it comes to emptying the vacuum cleaner only for the contents to blow everywhere.

But now help is at hand with the latest in vacuum technology, a machine which turns dust into solid blocks which take up less space and are easier to dispose of.

South Korean electronics company LG is launching the first vacuum cleaner featuring dust compression technology in Britain next month.

The LG Compressor, costing up to £200, claims to suck up three times as much dirt than most rivals and produces five times less dust when emptied.

It has a washable "high efficiency particulate filter" which gathers up dust.

Four levels of filter gradually grind the contents down – the finer particles which cannot be compressed are contained separately and the rest are compressed by a swirling "rotablade".

The dust is gathered in a circular tray and squeezed from both sides by the rotablade until a small, triangle-shaped wedge is left.

The vacuum cleaner will be available in three models – standard, anti-allergy and one designed for pet owners.

The news will be a relief for those who suffer from asthma or other allergies which are made worse by the tiny airborne particles in household dust.

Research from LG found up to three million householders in Britain allow more than 35lb of dust to accumulate in their homes.

More than half – 56 per cent – of adults only vacuum once a month and one in four – 23 per cent – even less.

Wales has the dustiest homes while the cleanest are in the North-West, according to the survey of 1,000 adults.

Dr Ian Burgess, of the Cambridge Entomology Centre, said: "Dust in the home is a massive health issue that should be taken very seriously.

"Asthma and respiratory diseases are on the rise and one of the key causes is household dust." Simona Allan, marketing manager at LG, said: "LG is always trying to make life better for its customers by improving the way household technology works.

"We have listened to customer needs for improved cleaning solutions and allergy care in the home and have created a range of vacuum cleaners that will change the way people view dust cleaning convenience and dust disposal forever."