Handheld surface cleaner

A cleaning system, comprising:

• a surface cleaner comprising:
• an inlet through which debris and air is configured to be suctioned into the surface cleaner,
• a separator proximal to the inlet, having an outlet opening, having a plurality of holes formed in a sidewall of the separator, and having a plurality of covers, each one of the plurality of covers being associated with at least one of the plurality of holes, and
• a motor configured to drive rotation of the separator;
• wherein the rotation of the separator is configured to:
• cause the plurality of covers to move from a closed position, in which each of the plurality of covers closes the associated at least one of the plurality of holes, to an open position, in which each of the plurality of covers does not close the associated at least one of the plurality of holes,
• separate the debris from the air by directing the debris radially outward through the plurality of holes, and
• direct the air out of the separator through the outlet opening;
• and
• the rotation of the separator stopping is configured to:
• cause the plurality of covers to move from the open position to the closed position.