| Author | Content |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
February 21, 2006
01:31 PM Post #2060775
| I've decided to help myself to cleaner floors by improving my tools. Toward that end I want to get a steam vacuum and maybe a hard-floor vacuum/mop. I've been browsing online and am bewildered by all the choices. Does anyone have any recommendations? I need something lightweight. My standard vacuum does only a so-so job, and I need to deal with pet hair and stains. For the kitchen and bath areas I'm still using bucket/mop and hand&knees for corners. Would something like Swiffer be adequate? Any ideas you can offer will be appreciated. Thanks!
Yuska |
oldpepper
Westminster, CO
(Zone 5a)
February 25, 2006
12:11 PM Post #2070527
|
Yuska,
Stay away from Dyson, please. We bought one, the Animal Unit specificly for pet hair.
We have three puppies, a cat and rats.
We purchased it just before Christmas. By New Years we had already had to have it repaired due to a faulty switch. We are still having trouble as it shocks you when you lower the handle to use the vac.
Just my two pennies.
Good luck.
oldpepper |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
February 25, 2006
02:35 PM Post #2070843
| Thanks for the experienced advice! I had wondered about whether the rather steep price for this highly advertised brand is justified. I tried to research via Consumer Reports but found virtually nothing. Best options right now appear to be with Bissell and/or Dirt Devil - but then deciding on which model (!)
I hope you are able to get the problems with your unit resolved.
Yuska
|
billums
Louise, MS
(Zone 8a)
February 25, 2006
11:05 PM Post #2071937
| Yikes! I love my Dyson. I got it back in 2002 and have never had a moment's trouble aside from my Mom trying to steal it. She has one of those Rainbow water filtered vacuums that are such a pain to use. She borrowed mine and didn't want to give it back.
I was the pround owner of a grey tabby cat and black furniture, so I needed something that was good with pet hair. |
red_princess_71
Lilesville, NC
(Zone 7b)
February 25, 2006
11:06 PM Post #2071938
| About 5 yrs ago I had a salesman come to my door selling vaccum's. They were electrolux ones..I had never heard of them but DH did and said alright for him to come in and sweep and scrub a few carpets...hey why not get it done for free, i say...lol... well anyways my daughter had bad allergies and my current sweeper was not doing the job...so i figured why not try this..I will never regret it...I even maid monthly payment on it till it was paid off...it was like $450 for the sweep and carpet scrubber...a super deal for us. I loved it...dont have the scrubber no more, my mother broke it, but it was not do to the sweeper it was her own fault...and the sweeper still use it about everyday. It has a hepa filter and i swear no dust or whatever you pick is coming thru or out of this bag.
Here is a link to get your started if you wanna look into an electrolux... They have so much more then they did about 5-6 yrs ago... http://www.electroluxusa.com/node138.asp?CategoryID=3094
Hope this helps,
Char |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
February 26, 2006
09:14 AM Post #2072430
| Thanks, billums and Char! More good information. Oldpepper, may your Dyson unit was a fluke - and if your warranty provides for it, perhaps you can get a replacement. The electric shocks might be a short in the wiring somewhere. Electrolux has been around for a long time - I wonder why I hadn't thought of it. Oh, my. Decisions, decisions. Even more to consider, but I really appreciate your input.
Yuska |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
February 26, 2006
08:20 PM Post #2073812
|
I'll be honest with you, I've had vacs from every color of the rainbow,
ranging from $39.95 to the $ - I'm ashamed to admit - $ range. Yes,
I owned a Filter Queen.
Which one outperformed them all? My handy dandy, just over one hundred
dollar Eureka 12 amp The Boss with spin duster. Now keep in mind the spin
duster is as useful as a third elbow, but the vac itself, LOVE IT!
I regularly run this vac across my mattress and am shocked at the creatures
it sucks up. We have multiple pets, two boys and a hubby who just can't get
the hang of "Take your shoes off at the door."
The vac I once spent a fortune on couldn't hold a candle to this vac. And in
the event something happens to it, a hundred bucks comes along much
easier than a few thousand.
Take off the top, dump the cup, bang the filter outdoors and watch the
incredible crud come out of it. Use hubby's compressor to blow it out and
you'll be blowing it for five minutes, amazed at the stuff it can hold.
Call me anal, some days I like to just keep on vacuuming the house over and
over, thinking the cup will no longer gather anything. Wrong.
I just love my Eureka!
|
sbarr
Albany (again), NY
(Zone 5b)
March 04, 2006
04:46 AM Post #2085442
| here's a good site with product reviews: http://www.epinions.com |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
March 04, 2006
09:38 AM Post #2085740
| Many thanks! It is indeed a good site, and I'm bookmarking it. Yuska |
roxroe
Winchester, VA
(Zone 6b)
March 04, 2006
10:28 AM Post #2085837
| I have a miele - cost $600 - but it works every day for 12 years and has double filters so it doesn't throw dust back in the room.
I have worn out the beater bar on the carpet unit...gotta order a new one.
Have a bissel carpet cleaner that cost $200 and works amazingly well on white carpet.
We have two cats - one of whom brings friends home |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
March 04, 2006
11:33 AM Post #2085979
| Thanks! I had never encountered any info about Miele - looks very interesting. And Bissell is a dependable brand. Choices, choices. I may wind up with more than one. |
ardesia
Saint Helena Island, SC
(Zone 9a)
March 08, 2006
02:33 AM Post #2095043
| I have a less expensive, about $250.00, Meile and can't say enough good things about it. Their filter system is amazing, it never smells (and I do have a dog). |
akdebs
Juneau, AK
March 09, 2006
01:28 PM Post #2098923
| I have to also speak up for Dyson. I bought one from one of my real estate clients. She wanted to keep it but the truck was full. She still had the original box even! I've cleaned it out twice in 8 months, changed the HEPA type filter once (you just rinse and dry that) and I love the thing! We have 2 cats and a dog plus two teens. We are not as careful as we should be with shoes in a new house with off-white carpet. We have laminate, slate, and carpet. I love my Dyson. It is still not the perfect machine for stairs but I have yet to find one of them. If it even begins to lose suction the first culprit is the roller bar on the bottom. It is easy to figure out how to access various things on this machine. Pet hair isn't the issue when it comes to clogs, it is MY long and thick hair that seems to fill up the roller. I really, really like this machine and even my husband says it is the best vacuum we have ever had. |
teateacher
Franklin Springs, GA
(Zone 7b)
March 09, 2006
07:35 PM Post #2099828
| akdebs... are you an agent or broker? Sorry to be off topic... but I was just wondering...
I have had the spectrum range on vacuums over the years too, from Kirby (big $$) to Walmart machines... my current Eureka is good but I have to say it does throw some dust back. :o( It's pretty old but I have hard wood & tile... only 3 bedrooms rooms with carpet, so I just deal with it until I can 'decarpet' those rooms... don't really have much advice to add as it seems you have plenty of suggestions already. ;o) sharon
This message was edited Mar 9, 2006 8:37 PM |
patrob
Goldthwaite, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 09, 2006
09:30 PM Post #2100149
| I bought a Hoover bagless Wind Tunnel vacuum a couple of years ago and love it. We have three cats who spend a lot of time inside, and I vacuum up about half a cat's worth of hair every time I use it. We garden and track in mud, etc. too. I bought an extra filter and wash them often. DH did not think they could be washed, but it has worked so far.
I also have a Hoover SteamVac that I use on tile floors and rugs downstairs and carpet upstairs. It was not expensive, but it really does the job. We previously had a Bissell, but when it developed problems, the repairman said trash it and buy a Hoover.
This message was edited Mar 9, 2006 8:37 PM |
akdebs
Juneau, AK
March 10, 2006
12:58 AM Post #2100745
| teateacher, I could be a broker if I wanted... I took the classes, passed the test. I am an Associate Broker. I really do not have the patience or tolerance to be legally responsible for the actions of people who are not under my direct supervision. The way the law reads, a broker is. I prefer to keep doing what I love, helping people, and not having that additional responsibility! Why do you ask? |
teateacher
Franklin Springs, GA
(Zone 7b)
March 12, 2006
08:31 PM Post #2108417
| akdebs, I have an active brokers license in Florida (where we just moved from) and had my own small brokerage there. I'm waiting for a reciprocal license for Georgia but I've been waiting "8 weeks" for my license history to come from Florida. Nobody ever said they were fast! I don't know if I will actively sell here as I'm really enjoying my free time & gardening at this point. My daughter is an agent too and she wants to open an office since we now live here and I could be the broker of record. She is doing a lot of commercial deals and hates splitting that %. It's a good 24 / 7 business if you like excitement and have the energy!
Patrob...a repair tech a good person to get advice from. He probably sees them all. When I'm ready to ditch my old one, I'll have to look closer at the Hoovers. |
kqcrna
Cincinnati, OH
(Zone 6a)
March 29, 2006
06:30 AM Post #2147020
| Look into Oreck. You couldn't give me anything else. I'm on my second one in almost 20 years. There is nothing like it for pet hair (I first had a collie, after he died we got a golden retreiver). The vacuum only weighs 7 lbs and hangs on a wall hook. It sweeps bare floors and carpet equally well.
Karen |
kyjoy
Frankfort, KY
March 29, 2006
10:58 AM Post #2147563
| I love my Oreck too Karen. I particularly like the fact that it is light weight, weighing only 8 lbs., and it self-adjusts going from rug to floor. |
Aguane
Phoenix, AZ
April 02, 2006
12:15 AM Post #2156986
| I have an Electrolux (30 yrs old) AND a Hoover (4 yrs old) and they are both fabulous. |
ViolaAnn
Ottawa, ON
(Zone 5a)
April 02, 2006
07:32 PM Post #2158623
| First time I've looked into this thread. I grew up with Electrolux. My mother had them and my grandmother before her. I brought my mother's old vacuum (about 1982 vintage) to my house when I cleaned out hers in 1993, thinking it was newer than mine, but I found I preferred mine. Gave the old one to the food bank I was running and it did yeoman duty for several years. When the food bank bought an industrial vacuum, we gave the Electrolux to another food program and as fas as I know it is still going.
I bought my first one in 1975 and it's still going at my daughter's in Vancouver. For a long time I resisted getting a new one saying I was bit my bit making the old one into a new machine as I replaced or repaired various bits, but 5 or 6 years ago, I did break down and buy myself a new Electrolux.
Ann |
mlm01
St. Louis, MO
(Zone 5b)
April 03, 2006
12:07 AM Post #2159336
| Boy am I glad I found this thread!
I am wanting a new vacuum type device real bad--I'd like one that can steam clean carpets and dry vacuum, plus clean kitchen and bathroom floors.
I don't know if I'll have to get two devices or if I can find just one to do it all.
I have spent a good amount of time at epinions.com too am I am considering the following:
Hoover F7205900 SteamVac V2 Wet/Dry Vacuum
Hoover Floor mate
Hoover f7425-900 widepath
Bissell ProHeat 7950
Anyone have any opinions on those?
In the meantime, I am going to check out the electrolux site.
Thanks,
Maureen |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
April 03, 2006
10:04 AM Post #2159801
| Hi, Maureen! Even though I started this thread over a month ago I still haven't been able to choose...really unlike me to be so slow to decide. I am about to conclude I will need two machines - a steamer and a standard. I have a Hoover now that is fairly good but not for pet hair (I am owned by some cats.) I did opt for an inexpensive and lightweight "stick" with a battery pack that is quick and easy for "over the top". I need lightweight units because of a mobility/strength problem. The perplexity I'm experiencing results from the selected information in the web sites of the various brands. I can read what the units are reportedly able to do, but little or nothing is said about the limitations. I wonder if I can manage to talk to technical people at the companies, explain my needs and ask for recommendations. Yuska |
ViolaAnn
Ottawa, ON
(Zone 5a)
April 03, 2006
01:01 PM Post #2160208
| Hi again,
Just taking a break from vacuuming. As I mentione above, I've had more than one Electrolux. However, they were not all created equal. Even among the same brand, some followed me around better than others. I would really attempt to give everything you are considering a good try out. If the machine is too heavy or awkward for easy use, you will tend not to use it. And that MIGHT be a really good reason to have two machines rather than one which will do everything but might be hard to use. The only way you will know what feels good to you is to try them out for as long as possible. See if you can try one at home. REALLY try it. Not just watch a salesperson demonstrate it. Or see if you can take a machine on trial. Or ask around of your friends and neighbours. Maybe volunteer to do their vacuuming once or twice. I doubt they would say no. ;-)
Ann |
mlm01
St. Louis, MO
(Zone 5b)
April 03, 2006
02:29 PM Post #2160452
| Hi Yuska,
I'm in the same boat...it's been a couple of months and I still haven't made up my mind. I was trying to save some money but I may need two machines as well.
Based on the reviews I've read I'm leaning heavily towards the hoover widepath. But I still just don't know for sure!
Ann, I will likely take your advice and try to try one out at home before I lay down a few hundred dollars. That Idea about vacuuming someone's house is a great idea--I know my friends wouldn't say no! ☺
Thanks guys,
Maureen |
IceCheerMom
Naperville, IL
May 24, 2006
03:02 PM Post #2313318
| I came to this site for garden advice but couldn't help but stop in at this forum. I am a neat freak married to a sloppy packrat (our child is somewhere in between our 2 extremes) so my life is an ongoing struggle in this particular area. About vacuums- we have 2 dogs and lots of allergies. I bought a Miele canister vacuum a few years ago and I would recommend it highly. |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
May 24, 2006
05:00 PM Post #2313613
| Thanks...I'll look into it...don't know why I've had such a hard time deciding; not like me at all. Except I do know it will have to be two units; the combo steam/dry units are just too cumbersome for arthritic wrists. Any thoughts on the bagless types? I thought that was what I wanted but some one said the very fine dust really flies when they're emptied. Yuska |
kyjoy
Frankfort, KY
May 28, 2006
02:02 PM Post #2325398
| I gave my daughter a Roomba for Christmas. She loves it. Now they've come out with a Scooba that scrubs your floors. |
Gift_of_Reading
Rancho Cordova, CA
(Zone 9b)
May 28, 2006
03:28 PM Post #2325586
| Yuska, I've had both and prefer the bagless. The amount of dust that flies is about the same for both kinds and is limited to the spot where you change the bag or dump the bucket. I like the bagless because I find the bags messy and a nuisance to change. The bucket is click, it's out, click, it's back in. |
DustyDS
Sugar Valley, GA
(Zone 7b)
May 28, 2006
05:55 PM Post #2326056
| I have all white ceramic tile in every room of this soon-to-be-leaving Florida, heading to Ohio house...I do dog rescue, and I have 10 at the moment... 3 are short haired, 1 is a shepherd, and the rest are all non shedders...I vacuum and mop daily, with the sandy soil tracked in, all the dog hair, the dribbled water etc...I finally broke down last month and bought that Hoover Floormate and I LOVE it!! The 6 brushes scrub down into the grout and the crevices in this textured tile...
It looks cleaner than it ever has since I moved here..and Ive tried all kinds of mops..
Yes, I DO still need to use a wet rag in the corners but it does get along the baseboards..It has a cup rather than a bag and does dry vac and then scrubbing, and then it squeegies/vacs almost dry..The other great thing about it is that it is lightweight and simple to use, and can be used on hardwood floors also..
As for my bathroom, since Im over 60 and getting the tub and behind the toilet done is extremely difficult for me, I invested in that new Mr Clean Bathroom scrubber...I figured if it didnt work, it wasnt that expensive...but guess what?? It WORKS!! I can clean the walls, the tub and the entire bathroom floor with it .. Another I Love It product!!
Dusty |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
May 28, 2006
07:11 PM Post #2326259
| Thanks for your ratings based on your experiences, everyone! Much better than going by the advertising copy! |
Gift_of_Reading
Rancho Cordova, CA
(Zone 9b)
May 29, 2006
07:24 PM Post #2329478
| DustyDS,
Thanks for the good words on the Mr. Clean bathroom scrubber. I swear that the floor is getting lower every year and gravity is getting stronger. (LOL) I don't go down to floor level unless I have something nearby that I can pull myself up with. This sounds like just the thing to get to clean the bathrooms here. |
DustyDS
Sugar Valley, GA
(Zone 7b)
May 29, 2006
08:33 PM Post #2329643
| I bought mine on the spur Gift...Then I got a $10 off coupon, so I immediately went and got another one..Just because...
I spray my tub down with Greased Lightening, and do the sink and cabinet/counter/mirror and by the time Im done, the tub is ready to use the scrubber on.. soon as that is done, I swap heads, and hit the floor...Im usually finished in less than 10 minutes total...This is one *Gadget* that definitely gets my vote!! I absolutely cannot get down and scrub behind that potty..If I did, they would have to call the Firemen to come get me up..Ive been scrubbing the tub after I take a bath while Im still in it as the water goes down, then I need the shower to rinse off...This is NOT a good option...I only weigh 123 pounds, so my weight isnt the issue, but its the debilitating arthritis that does me in ..Please do try it ... it definitely brings the floor up to you !! LOL
Dusty |
mlm01
St. Louis, MO
(Zone 5b)
June 02, 2006
02:25 PM Post #2344355
| Hi Dusty,
Thanks for your report on the floormate, it's very helpful. I hate to be a stickler but can you tell us the model number? There are several and when you look at ratings at a place like shopping.com the ratings between models vary alot.
Thanks,
Maureen |
gillibean
Moose Factory, ON
(Zone 2b)
June 20, 2006
10:55 PM Post #2414603
| I don't have a vacuum to recommend, we're now using an ancient one I got from my parents. However, I will say that any Dirt Devils I've used have been VERY LOUD. You need earplugs to run them. I took the ancient Hoover over the fairly new Dirt Devil that my parent's also offered me - I don't want to go deaf. |
alyrics
Beachwood, OH
June 24, 2006
04:40 PM Post #2428712
| I bought 2 Hoover Windtunnel Bagless with HEPA filters this year to replace our older vacuums. They were about $140- $150 and I got one with a free 20 ft hose for using on stairs at Costco. OMG I was stunned when I saw what they pick up compared to my old vacuums. The canister is nearly half full on a once a week vacuuming on each floor of the house. And we do observe the no shoes rule! Even the bedrooms yield so much 'stuff' it made me ill to think of walking on that dirt all this time until I upgraded. I thought at first that it would all clean up and then there would be much less debris in the canister - nope, it picks up just as much each week, and its not carpet fibers either. I even had my ductwork cleaned last year and we don't have a real dusty house.
This time around I didn't go for a more expensive machine, but I researched to some extent and found that there is a marginal change in performance when you get into the more expensive machines. My allergist recommended only that I change to a new vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Hope that helps. I am very satisfied with the vacuum I chose. Maybe the Dyson or one of the other more expensive machines works better, but for the price vs. what it can do, the Hoover does a great job. |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
June 24, 2006
10:03 PM Post #2429606
| At least according to Consumer Reports, Dyson isn't really as good as they claim to be...many other vacs are better at cleaning. I think the Wind Tunnel rated pretty well with them.
As far as vacuuming again and still having a bunch of dirt in the cup...this is why the travelling vacuum cleaner salesman can tell you to vacuum your carpet with your vacuum, then he comes in with his and shows you all the dirt his vacuum got that yours missed which convinces you that his vacuum is better than yours, even when what's really happening is that there's so much dust in there that you could probably vacuum all day and never get rid of all of it. I don't know if there are any of these guys anymore, but I know there used to be.
The problem I have with the bagless ones (I also have a Hoover Wind Tunnel) is that while they clean great and I love that there's no bag to replace, I've found that when you go to empty the can you poof up a ton of dust which sort of defeats the purpose of having the HEPA filter to protect you from dust! |
Wvdaisy
Buffalo, WV
(Zone 7a)
August 15, 2006
12:08 AM Post #2623561
| I purchased a Riccar vacuum several years ago and LOVE it. If you don't want it sucked up you better not get this vacuum near it! We were farming at the time and had several shedding pets in the house and it picked up everything. I think it was several hundred dollars at a local Sewing machine/vacuum place. I did a lot of research online deciding what brand to buy, none of them were Riccar of which I never saw while researching vaccuums online, but the same price bracket. The owner of the shop I went to talked me into trying the Riccar even though he did sell the other brands I was interested in, I liked it much better than the others I tried. Even the ones rated highly in Consumer reports weren't as good. My allergies would not get along well with the bagless vacuums. There's no way to dump dust out of a canister without it sending out dust particles into the air even if you can't see them you can still breathe them. The bag on the Riccar is full at about 3/4 and when you pull it out of the vacuum has a flap to fold over the opening to keep the dust in. So unless you bounce it around after you remove it the dust stays inside.
Lana |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
August 15, 2006
09:19 AM Post #2624174
| Thanks for the input, Lana. I'll try to find a Riccar to try. Is it fairly lightweight? My arthritic wrists can't manuever equipment as well as I'd like. |
Wvdaisy
Buffalo, WV
(Zone 7a)
August 15, 2006
11:22 AM Post #2624524
| lighter than some of the others I tried. I have back problems and it works very well for me.
Lana |
DustyDS
Sugar Valley, GA
(Zone 7b)
August 15, 2006
11:47 AM Post #2624588
| My Hoover Power Drive Vacuum is self propelled with a push/pull handle...I love it!! Until I started to pack to move, I had 5 big oriental rugs down in the house, and it cleaned them beautifully as well as the Outdoor carpet here on the screen porch..It uses a bag, which I prefer..Those bagless vacs cause as much dust when you empty them as they supposedly pick up..I put mine on Freecycle, and bought my Hoover.. Makes a nice compliment to my Floormate..
Dusty |
garden_mermaid
San Francisco Bay Ar, CA
(Zone 9b)
August 18, 2006
06:50 PM Post #2636387
| We finally bought a Miele red star and absolutely love it. Wish we had bought this brand earlier. It's the best we've used on pet hair (we have three cats). I really appreciate how quiet it is compared to other vacuum cleaners. The head on the power head swivels in so many ways that I don't need to move the furniture around much to reach out of the way areas. I especially like the fact that the house doesn't get that "vacuum cleaner" smell after we use it. Miele gives a 5 year warranty and I can get it repaired locally if anything should happen. |
jeri11
Central, LA
(Zone 8b)
August 21, 2006
09:38 AM Post #2643847
| I had a Tri-Star for a hundred years and loved it, but alas it finally died and I was facing the same problems you are having now. I switched to a new brand to me call Sebo and it is nice. It's like a self propelled lawn mower in that it kinda goes by it's self. Try a demonstration on it.
Jeri |
june_nmexico
Albuquerque, NM
(Zone 7a)
August 21, 2006
01:38 PM Post #2644601
| DustyDS, after reading your comments I just broke down and bought a Hoover Floormate. I ordered it from http://www.abtelectronics.com/product/18519.html because they had a $15 coupon (good only through today, 8/21/06) and free shipping. It's the SpinScrub 500 Hard Floor Cleaner, Model:H3030. Total cost with the $15 discount and free shipping was $154.
We have old white embossed vinyl tiles in our big kitchen, laundry room and two bathrooms. The entrance hallway has ceramic tiles. Foot traffic from the yard and the garage goes through the laundry room and the kitchen, so they are the biggest challenge, but everything is hard to keep clean. Mopping just leaves grunge behind, and so does my Eureka Enviro Steamer which was a big disappointment and waste of money. I'm sure hoping the Floormate works! It will be a huge blessing if it does. |
sarahjo80
Loveland, CO
(Zone 5b)
August 22, 2006
12:00 PM Post #2647924
| I have my mom's old Kenmore canister, and I love it. It just keeps on sucking 10 years later. If it ever needs a part (knock on wood) I can order them through the Sears webpage.
I clean my uncle's house weekly. He has a whole house vac. I know these have a bad reputation, but I LOVE it! I love not having to lug the motor around, and it sucks good along with the rest of them. I think they're much better now than 20 years ago when they came out.
I have a more definite opinion when it comes to steam cleaners.
My mom has a Hoover, and I have a Bissell with on-board heater. I HIGHLY recommend getting one with the on-board heater. Having used both of them, I can tell you that the heat makes the difference. Even putting hot water in my mom's, I felt like I was playing "beat the clock" to the water cooling off. :) I can go at my own pace with my machine :)
Sarah |
june_nmexico
Albuquerque, NM
(Zone 7a)
August 30, 2006
02:05 PM Post #2675675
| DustyDS, my Hoover FloorMate arrived and I just love it! Thank you for writing about it. Since I had to use my regular vacuum to do the corners and edges of the kitchen and laundry room, I just vacuumed the entire floor with that. Later I did use the Floor Mate to vacuum our ceramic tiled hallway and it did a very decent job. I doubt it would pick up Cheerios or chunky bits of crackers, but it definitely picked up cat hair, dust bunnies and even bits of cat litter that our cat tracks through the house.
It took a little while to get the proper angle for the "floating" handle. At first, I held it straight down at the end of my arm and it didn't do much. Bringing it more upright did the trick and I could see that it really was scrubbing. I found that you do have to move slowly back and forth for the brushes to do their job. On "inhale" mode, it did indeed suck up virtually all of the cleaning solution and the floor was dry almost immediately. Having just mopped that floor a week ago, I was horrified at the filthy black water in the recovery container. Our vinyl floor tiles are the same width as the FloorMate brush, so I worked in manageable quadrants, first cleaning a section and then using the Wet Pickup. For the first time in five years I have really clean floors, with no sticky residue left behind. Those old embossed floor tiles finally met their match.
I wish I had discovered the FloorMate years ago. It's my new best friend! Today I tackle the two bathroom floors and am actually looking forward to it.
Thanks again. |
Lellie
Anna Maria Island, FL
(Zone 9b)
October 03, 2006
10:56 AM Post #2781899
| Another 'Yes' vote for the Dyson!
I, too, have the 'Animal' model and LOVE IT! |
mlm01
St. Louis, MO
(Zone 5b)
October 05, 2006
05:13 PM Post #2789009
| Yesterday I got a Dyson DC 15 all floors with "the ball." What a great vacuum! I love it and I love the way the ball manuvers. You almost don't need the crevice tool because it is so close to the wall. the ball makes it feel less heavy than other vacuums also. It's more powerful than any vacuum I've ever used. I only wish it had a headlight on the front.
All in all though, I love this thing and I think I will have it a long time.
Maureen |
CricketCreek
Pittsburgh, PA
(Zone 5b)
October 11, 2006
10:20 PM Post #2808899
| Meile all the way here |
sizematters
Perrysburg, OH
January 31, 2007
08:38 PM Post #3143729
| Swifter is ok for about 15 minutes, then it whimps out. Won't pick up a dry Cheerio. I bought a 200 dollar plus hard floor cleaner with the water tanks,solutions, etc. a few years ago. The dang thing applied cleaner to the floor and sucked up nothing, the ammount of cleaning solution cost alot. It left the dirt on the floor with swirl marks from the brushes. I have never in my life found any cleaning utensil better than a good vac and hand mopping. Sponge mops, string mops, as seen on t.v. super picker mops, etc. just smear dirt around. I look at the dirt in a bucket after using a mop and it is almoust clear. I vac and then hand mop my hard surfaces and get a scurvy bucket of water. I don't buy special cleaning products, I follow my mom's old cleaning recipes. Tile and lineolium, fill a bucket with hot water and ammonium. Wood floors fill a bucket with hot water and mild dish soap and white vinegar. Pull the dirt out of the corners towards you, rinse the rag (NOT A SPONGE!) often, and you will have a clean house. I use a straw broom through the week to pick up the big chunks, takes very little time. People are getting lazy and will spend alot of money to be lazy. I have done that and regret it. Products offered don't do a good job. Do it like the Amish do it, save yourself money, time, do it right, and get exercise. It's kind of like using a dishwasher, you rinse 'em off, put 'em in the machine, ... Takes much less water and energy time to just do it. I always hoped there would be a magic product that would do it for me easy, but there isn't. Please don't spend money looking for things that will make promises. I bought a Shark vac, (as seenon t.v.) the dang thing sucked up a fringe on a rug and died the first time I used it. I took it apart to fix it and found a rubber band for a belt. Got on line to order a replacement belt and the belt with shipping cost more than the sweeper. All the crap appliances I bought are in the attic. I do it right now, don't smear dirt, move it around, displace it, etc. I get exercise too. Ummm, maybe it's time for me to get off of my soap box, but I'm 53, been lazy znd done that. |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
January 31, 2007
09:40 PM Post #3143953
| Well, I agree with you that the hands-and-knees method is the best way to clean linoleum, but at age 76 I'm finding the ol' bod is complaining painfully when I attempt it. Got to find a compromise of some sort. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM
(Zone 5a)
March 02, 2007
04:47 PM Post #3241917
| I have a Miele Blue Moon which isn't made anymore. But all the Miele types are about the same. The Blue Moon was just the largest of the line. Miele is expensive but a true engineering marvel. It is made of good sturdy parts, is quiet and picks up dirt and pet hair like mad. I have two long haired dogs and it handles the pet hair situation perfectly. I have heard that Riccar is a similar quality, but I don't see how you can beat a Miele. |
Sallysblooms
South, TX
November 02, 2007
08:35 PM Post #4152009
| I LOVE my Floormate. Nothing else works like it, for me. |
medontdo
Harveyville, KS
November 12, 2007
11:52 AM Post #4185399
| my husband bought me a bissel power track, i really love it!! alot better than my moms dyson, hers was 499 ours was 127. i just love bissel, i even got my mom to switch over to the bissel on the new steam vacumm. :'}} |
threegardeners
North Augusta, ON
(Zone 5a)
November 14, 2007
06:52 PM Post #4193523
| I have to vote for the Electrolux. My Mom still has hers from when she got married (1959)---it still works great. I got one about 10 years ago and have never had a problem with it. |
gavafriend
Los Lunas, NM
June 19, 2009
11:29 AM Post #6710458
| I'm the biggest skin flint of all - I bought the mophead for disposable mop cleaning pads and loved it. But those pads are expensive. And they leave a soap film on the floor - which left streaks on my beautiful new hardwood floors. I quickly found that my old soft cleaning rags ( old towels) would get in the hooks for disposable pads, I could wet them with distilled water, and then throw them in the washer when they had picked up enough dust. It usually took 1/2 dozen little towels to do the den and foyer. (Hard tap water left streaks) Now I have an RO filter and don't have to buy distilled water. I never rinse them in mop water - just get a clean one and always mop with clean water and a clean mom. No residual soap or streaks. |
rubyw
Crozet, VA
June 22, 2009
08:35 AM Post #6722079
| Vacuums are so interesting to me. I know, I know, I am weird. Actually, I stumbled upon Dave's Garden while reading vacuum reviews in the winter months of 2006. The day that I was researching vacuums, I heard many people talking about Dyson's vacs. Since 2006, I am the owner of two Animal versions and a hand held small vac. The past few months I have been thinking about possibly adding another of their products to my household. The "ball" one that is advertised on TV these days. Due to the high cost of Dyson vacs, I hesitate a bit and need to give a bit more thought to it. Almost four years late, I am still amazed at the amount of dog hair that I pick up during one vacuuming session.
I have several complaints about each of the uprights that have, but nothing so bad yet as to make me purchase another brand.
My floors stay in fairly decent condition, despite three sometimes muddy and dirty dogs who use them. Gava, I am envious of all hardwood floors. When I built this house, I installed wall to wall carpeting and have wished so many time for hard wood. Live and learn.
Ruby |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
June 22, 2009
10:15 AM Post #6722535
| That Dyson ball looks good, doesn't it? Wish I knew someone who has used it. I don't have a Dyson (yet) but I'm glad to know that pet hair (cats here) can be conquered. What drawbacks have you encountered with the uprights? How often do you use the handheld? |
JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)
June 22, 2009
10:34 AM Post #6722627
| Two people on my county forum absolutely love their Dyson's. They raved about them and another member that had been asking about them bought one and agreed that it was the best. She chose it as her 1st wedding anniversary present after using one of the other members Dysons. She has large dogs and said that her cleaning is so much easier now. I will probably buy one when this one breaks. |
shuggins
Houston, TX
(Zone 9b)
June 22, 2009
12:18 PM Post #6723136
| I have a Dyson Animal and have had it for several years and still love it. They are pricy, but I guarantee you that I spent more replacing all the cheap ones I bought in previous years. Although I don't recommend it, I will tell you that it will suck up a dryer sheet and keeping going (no, it wasn't me, who did that, but it was my Dyson). |
Sallysblooms
South, TX
June 22, 2009
01:55 PM Post #6723581
| I just used my Animal Dyson. Love it. |
winterrobin
South Dennis, NJ
(Zone 7b)
June 22, 2009
11:54 PM Post #6726177
| This looks like a useful website
http://www.vacuumwizard.com/ |
rubyw
Crozet, VA
June 28, 2009
10:46 AM Post #6749056
| Thank you Robin for the link. It looks as though there is a lot of good information on the site. I will save for later.
Both of my uprights are the purple colored Animal vacuums too. That is what most of my debris is. I have three dogs and I have never in my life seen as much hair as they they shed. When I first bought my vacuum and saw what a great job it was doing picking up the hair and things, I would pull it out for a demonstration for people as they visited. I was that impressed.
Yuska, I have had a few problems with the second one that I bought. I chalk it up to me buying it when it was just being introduced and not all the bugs had been worked out of it yet. This has been a couple or three years ago, so it should have the kinks worked out by now.
We have had to change the belt on it twice already, but the company warranty is fairly decent and I haven't ever paid for anything. Also on the second model, the filter that would only need cleaning sporadically with the first machine becomes dust and dog hair filled after just one session and I have to clean it after every use. Despite these things I still love it.
One good thing about both of the machines is that they send really good instructions and I am able to disassemble and then reassemble the machines with no problem. Dyson also has an 800 customer service number to call with any questions. No not cheap but worth it to me.
As for any likes or dislikes with the hand held one, I hate that it only runs for six minutes before it needs to be recharged again. Six minutes passes very quickly it seems.
Yes, I would buy Dyson again.
Ruby |
Yuska
San Antonio, TX
(Zone 8b)
June 28, 2009
02:20 PM Post #6749798
| Many thanks for sharing your experiences...most helpful. We can't expect any machine to be perfect, but these seem to come close. |
rubyw
Crozet, VA
October 14, 2009
06:06 AM Post #7167246
| Guess what I did yesterday. I ordered a new Dyson Animal Ball vacuum and also the animal hand held vacuum too. Yep, on up there in the bucks, but I am regarding them as my birthday and Christmas present to myself. hahaha I am not sure when they will be delivered, but I can't wait to see how they work.
Just thought I would share this little tidbit with some like minded folk.
Ruby |
treelover3
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4a)
October 14, 2009
10:06 AM Post #7167662
| I purchased a Dyson from Sam's a few months ago and it is AMAZING!
I have hardwood floors throughout most of my house, but do have an area rug in my living room that needs vacuuming and the stuff the Dyson pulls out of the rug is incredible. Well worth the money spent.
Mike
|
Sallysblooms
South, TX
October 14, 2009
11:02 AM Post #7167896
| I wrote above that I love my Dyson Animal but it pulls too hard on area rugs. I can't use it on them. Is there another vacuum that will not pull up the rugs and mess them up on the edges? |
rubyw
Crozet, VA
October 26, 2009
06:31 AM Post #7209177
| Mike, I too was amazed when I bought my first Dyson. I would pull it out whenever some one new came to visit and show them how powerful it was. It is now five Dyson's later for me. Yesterday was my birthday and I ordered the Ball Animal and the Animal hand held vacuum as a gift to myself.
All five machines still work but I am going to give my youngest son the oldest one for his apartment. I like to have another on hand unless there is a problem with the one I am using. I am especially loving the new hand held, for one reason in particular. It runs for ten minutes before needing to re-charge the battery, versus only six minutes for the older one that I have. I found that six minutes running time wasn't enough to vacuum my couches, but ten minutes doesn't even use up the whole charge. I am a happy woman. hahaha
Sally, you may want to call the Dyson hot line and see what they have to say about the vacuum pulling at the rugs. I know that the vacuum has pulled a few of my carpet seams over the years. I had another girl friend say the same thing too. I just live with it because of the other assets of the machine. Let us know if you find out anything regarding the rug pulling please.
Ruby
|
shuggins
Houston, TX
(Zone 9b)
October 26, 2009
08:28 AM Post #7209359
| So for anyone looking for a Dyson these days. We saw the Refurbished models on overstock.com for as low as $269.99 with $1 shipping and no tax for those in Texas anyway. I purchased a refurbished model from Amazon several years ago and have had no problems whatsoever. That is really a good deal! |
rubyw
Crozet, VA
October 26, 2009
08:59 AM Post #7209440
| Yeah shuggins, that is a fantastic price. I didn't think of looking for refurbished ones. I have found Dyson's customer service to be quite helpful and pleasant to work with... ... knock on wood.
Happy vacuuming to all.
Ruby |
Sallysblooms
South, TX
October 26, 2009
01:17 PM Post #7210274
| Thanks Ruby, I need to call them about rugs. |
