The Rainbow vacuum cleaner was invented to meet a growing need felt by women around the time of the depression. What was that need? It was simply the need for the American housewife to have a clean house. They wanted a clean house without using the old bag vacuums that were available at that particular time. They knew that bag vacuums would blow dust right back into the air because all vacuum cleaner bags have tiny holes in them.

The unique quality of the Rainbow is that it uses water to catch the dirt instead of a bag. The first Rainbow vacuum was much smaller than the current models you see these days. It was what I would call "dinky". The models that you have seen in the last few years are all made out of plastic. The kind of high impact plastic that they make football helmets with. However, the first Rainbow vacuum cleaner was made out of light weight pot metal and was very easy to move around the house. The current models have a two quart water basin to hold the water, the first Rainbows didn't hold near as much water. I believe it was closer to one quart.

The Rainbow vacuum has evolved greatly over the years but the concept hasn't changed at all. Rexair's motto is still "Wet Dust Doesn't Fly".