A vacuum cleaner agitator system comprising: an agitator; an electric motor configured to rotate the agitator; an electric power source (306, 308, 116); an agitator cleaner mounted adjacent the agitator, at least one of the agitator cleaner and the agitator being movable between a first position in which the agitator cleaner is spaced from the agitator and a second position in which the agitator cleaner engages the agitator while the agitator is being rotated by the electric motor to remove debris from the agitator; characterised by that an agitator cleaning detector configured to indicate when the at least one of the agitator cleaner and the agitator is in the second position; and a drive control system operatively connecting the electric motor, electric power source (306, 308, 116) and agitator cleaning detector, the drive control system comprising: a first drive mode in which the drive control system connects the electric power source (306, 308, 116) to the electric motor to drive the electric motor at a first power level, and a second drive mode, activated upon receiving an indication from the agitator cleaning detector that the agitator cleaner is in the second position, in which the drive control system connects the electric power source (306, 308, 116) to the electric motor to drive the electric motor at a second power level, the second power level being greater than the first power level. an agitator; an electric motor configured to rotate the agitator; an electric power source (306, 308, 116); an agitator cleaner mounted adjacent the agitator, at least one of the agitator cleaner and the agitator being movable between a first position in which the agitator cleaner is spaced from the agitator and a second position in which the agitator cleaner engages the agitator while the agitator is being rotated by the electric motor to remove debris from the agitator; characterised by that an agitator cleaning detector configured to indicate when the at least one of the agitator cleaner and the agitator is in the second position; and a drive control system operatively connecting the electric motor, electric power source (306, 308, 116) and agitator cleaning detector, the drive control system comprising: a first drive mode in which the drive control system connects the electric power source (306, 308, 116) to the electric motor to drive the electric motor at a first power level, and a second drive mode, activated upon receiving an indication from the agitator cleaning detector that the agitator cleaner is in the second position, in which the drive control system connects the electric power source (306, 308, 116) to the electric motor to drive the electric motor at a second power level, the second power level being greater than the first power level. a first drive mode in which the drive control system connects the electric power source (306, 308, 116) to the electric motor to drive the electric motor at a first power level, and a second drive mode, activated upon receiving an indication from the agitator cleaning detector that the agitator cleaner is in the second position, in which the drive control system connects the electric power source (306, 308, 116) to the electric motor to drive the electric motor at a second power level, the second power level being greater than the first power level.