In 2017, Cleanstar, the leading wholesale distributor of commercial cleaning equipment, parts and restoration equipment in Australia. turned the cleaning industry on its head, or more poignantly, its vacuum head.
Their invention, known as ACTIV8, is more than a product. It’s the result of vision, resilience and compassion. From a pilot and a pastor in a small Australian warehouse to a world-first cleaning innovation, Cleanstar co-founder Lisa Michalson’s story celebrates domestic ingenuity and the people who make it possible.
From vision to vacuum
Lisa recalls: Eight years ago, my husband Garth, a commercial pilot and dedicated business owner, teamed up with our dear friend Frank Guglielmo, a kind-hearted pastor in the Baptist church, with one shared mission: to lighten the load for the unsung heroes of our communities – the cleaners.
They weren’t engineers by trade. They didn’t have a Silicon Valley budget or a global tech team behind them. But what they did have was vision, determination and a deep respect for the people who keep our spaces clean, often without recognition or support.
And so began the journey of ACTIV8, an invention born from compassion.
The idea was simple: Create a cordless, battery-powered vacuum head that cuts cleaning time in half, while reducing physical strain on the operator. But the process was anything but simple. They spent years designing, testing, failing, reworking and testing again. They poured every spare moment into perfecting something that could revolutionise commercial cleaning. The result?
A dual-brush, 360-degree swivel vacuum head – lightweight, ergonomic and powerful – compatible with backpack vacs, pull-alongs or used as a sweeper with up to three hours battery runtime and the ability to improve posture, comfort and productivity.
ACTIV8 isn’t just a machine. It’s a story of resilience, purpose and two brilliant minds coming together to build something that serves the people who need it most.
Launched through Cleanstar, a family-run business, ACTIV8 has now journeyed from our small island home at the edge of the world to making waves in Europe and the US, proving that even from the bottom of the earth, innovation can reach the very top of the global stage.
To every cleaner, janitor, housekeeper and facility manager: this one’s for you! And to every dreamer out there. This is proof that innovation can come from the most unexpected places.
For a full range of products across various categories, visit the Cleanstar website.
