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My Hoover Steam Vac has been good to me, but sadly, it
sounds as though it is about to blow. I smell rubber burning
or something, and it makes an incredibly horrible loud sound
every time I use it.
I've been watching the home shopping channels, but sadly, I
missed one a few days ago when the supply exhausted.
Could anyone suggest a good shampooer? I don't want to spend
more than $250.00 if I can help it, and don't really care for the wimpy
$99.00 types, either.
As for power, I'm used to a 12 volt, but would certainly entertain something
more powerful. If it puts water down, I'd like it to suck it back up again, not
leave it on the carpet.
In doing some research, many people say forget the home shampooer, just
rent a machine a few times a year. Hmm.
I'm also thinking of getting a steam rug cleaner and was considering the Hoover Steam Vac. Is there any reason you wouldn't get another one? They seem to be priced under $200 and got good reviews at epinions. com.
I'd just rent a machine except our house is so big that I'd have to keep it for a week! I'd like to be able to just clean what I want to clean when it's convenient for me. White carpeting, black cat, and heavy traffic areas all add up to constant need to do touchup cleaning.
Well, that is the sad part, Hoover has a new and updated version
of my old one, and that is the one that sold out on the television shopping
channel. *Pout*
I considered a rental, but as you mentioned, very handy to have around.
My husband doesn't seem to understand why I take my shoes off at the
door. We have a pig, chickens and well, needless to say, a muddy, mucky,
poopie mess. What does hubby do? Drudge through the muck, then
into the house. Even when I stand there with my hands on my hips, he
looks at me as though he had no idea of the mud on his shoes.
(SLAP!) I keep telling him I am going to buy garden shoes for him, and
that is what he will have to wear and take off before he can come in again.
Maybe I can find the updated Hoover at Lowes? I'll have a look next time
I visit.
Thanks, Karen Marie. I'll do a little more thinking about this. I need to do things when time permits, and dealing with a rental machine would be a pain. Plus I'll need to be able to "go around" big pieces of furniture that I can't move, like desks, dressers, bookcases and the entertainment center. If I had my druthers I'd have hardwood floors throughout but DH thinks they'd make the house colder in winter.
Oh my gosh, June, that is my hubby's complaint, too! My
resolution? Put on your slippers or socks, hub!
I would give anything to rip all the carpet out of this house
and mosaic the floors, but this house was built by a man
(brother in law, cough, cough) who apparently did not own
a level, much less a ruler. Needless to say, the floors are hardly
straight, let alone supportive of a tiled floor, even with concrete
backer board.
He somehow didn't really notice when I began ripping the carpet
out of the bathroom (carpets SO do not belong in a bathroom!) then
the hallway. I painted the floors white and put down area rugs.
I have my eye on the living room floor next. Truly, I would rather mop
and vacuum any day than deal with dirty carpets. Ugh! I want to step
out of the shower and walk barefoot on a nice clean floor!
Looked at shampooers and vacs at Wal Mart today. Needless
to say, I was not overly impressed with anything in stock.
Only suggestion I would make is to make sure it actually HEATS the water. I think there are new ones on the market that do and that helps a lot with stains. With my older model (Hoover) I'd put hot water on the carpet and then suck it up with the machine - because the water in the machine would get cool. Anyway - that's my only suggestion.
And - We've pulled up all the carpet in the downstairs - about a year ago - and have the laminate flooring to put down - but we haven't done it yet...we're living on concrete. We did redo the kitchen which was hard to do - but l LOVE my laminate flooring. With pets - it's a dream to clean. Love it!
The only carpet we'll ever put down again will be carpet squares that can be picked up and washed out or replaced if damaged - and only in the bedrooms. Every where else will be either laminate or tile (except the stairs which are going to be real maple).
If you intend to use a steam carpet cleaner for many years instead of paying for professionals, your best bet is to go to a dealer who sells vacumes and steam cleaners to commercial businesses. Hoover makes commercial equipment you'll never see in department stores and such.
Some of the smaller units are used by cleaning companies who offer full service to apartment houses and office buildings. The units can run upwards of 300 - 400.00 or more, but when you consider the savings its worth it.
I have a Hoover Steam-Vac that has been a work horse for 9 years. I have 5 dogs and a cat, live in the country on pure sand,have horses, goats and hubby walks in one door and out the other. Need I say more? Has cleaned car seats great also. Cleans the tile floors too. With dog hair it will clog up and make a whine sound. Just have to unclog at times. When she goes I will also replace her with a newer model. Just cant live without her! I think we paid 199.00 for her. When she sucks up her last sludge for me I will bury her in my pet cemetary as a family member! LOL
Forgot to update this thread, I ended up buying pretty much the
same shampooer, but an updated version, and I love it.
I've come to the conclusion that I would like to remove all of the
carpet in the house, then just shampoo the area rugs as needed.
Without the padding underneath, they are so easy to clean and dry
so fast.
Hope you don't mind the fine art of copy and paste, I'm too lazy
to type it all over, LOL.
Pasted as follows:
As of today I am on my third Hoover in thirteen years. While that might sound like
much, please know that I have used these machines until they exhaust. Thirteen
years, two machines between, hey, I'll gladly get a new shampooer every six to
seven years, especially when they are so inexpensive.
Three guys in the house, animals and living in the country, I don't want my home to
reflect that. I've used the shampooers in the house, on the porch (outdoor carpet)
and everywhere I can.
The first unit, I'm not sure what happened to it, it's been a while. The second one I've
had for a very long time and it has slowly been dying. It refused to pick up water and
sounded like a dump truck grinding gears. Today I shopped until I dropped and what
did I come home with? Yet another Hoover.
The other machines not only cost twice as much, but the plastic is cheap, the
machines with all the fancy bells and whistles give it just one more thing to break.
Hoover has definitely made improvements to their basic SteamVac. It is lighter and
seems to pick up more water. I even shampooed in my socks as the ultimate test.
Indeed, Hoover, you've done well.
My suggestion? Unless you just have extra cash laying around for the hoity toity name
brands with bright colors and chrome siding, stick with the good stuff. Hoover
SteamVac with heated cleaning, spin scrub and a 12 amp motor.
If it can clean MY carpets, you will be quite pleased. $139.00 at Wal Mart. Yes, I
shopped around. Renting a machine is a pain in the butt, especially living in the
country. When I get on a cleaning whim, I want to pull the Hoover out of the closet
and get the job done, not drive back and forth with rented equipment and such.
It's mine and I'm going to use the ever-lovin' heck out of it. :-)
By the way, did I mention the same model now has a clean surge, for those tough spots?
Mine came with Clean Surge, but some come with a power hand tool or other goody.
I love it. When this one dies, I'll buy yet another.
Karen Marie -- What is the model number of the one you bought? If I can get it at Wal-Mart I'm ready to buy in the next week. It's not in the budget but the cost and hassle of renting steam cleaners isn't in my life plan either. ;-)
So as not to make you regret your purchase, I will let you know that
except for the living room, we have bare floors which I painted and now
use area rugs.
The shampooer works splendidly for this because the rugs do not have
padding; which can often absorb the excess water, leaving that nasty
smell.
Having said that, I love the shampooer and would buy another one in a
heartbeart.
The model is F9515-900, Hoover SteamVac Silver with Bonus Tool.
If your local mart doesn't carry it, you can order it and have it sent to
the store near you:
Thanks, Karen Marie. I wrote it down this time and will stop at Wal-Mart next week. Thanks for the link too. I didn't know you could have things sent to the store.
We do have padding throughout but I just want to clean the heavy traffic areas (which I guess is really most of the house!). I can't move the heavy furniture, entertainment center, etc. If I were able to clean more frequently it wouldn't be such a grunge job. It's a wonder our cat has any hair left on his body since so much of it is on the carpet.
Wuvie-
That's the exact one I was looking at when I asked about the turbo tool. I was just trying to make sure it was the same one you were referring to. They also have one for about $100 at the same site, so I wanted to be sure. Thanks for the info.
Andi, the turbo is not in the hand held. Are you thinking
about something like the Power Paw that some vacs have? Mine
just came with a button that acts like a power boost.
June, isn't that amazing how much fur those critters have? And
to think we have four of 'em!
I, too, went through three Hoover Steam Vacs with my dogs. I am of the opinion that they should be standard equipment for everyone with dogs that live indoors. Couldn't live without it!
I just started branching out from the SW Forum and came across this...I know you already bought your vac but must brag about my day yesterday!! First off, we own a Kirby that shampoos as well as vacs. We've had it for about 3 years now...paid an arm and a leg for it too. I tried to shampoo the carpets several times with it and was only successful the first time. Welllll, with turkey day coming up and knowing I will not get a day without our 2 and 4 year olds I resigned myself to try and clean the carpets one last time. I watched the silly video and then called the help line- turns out all this time there was a small piece that had come out of it's place- popped it back in and I now have clean carpets!!! WooHoo!!! LOL! I did have to refrain from yelling at the kids too much to stay out of the suds when I laid them down for heavy stains...it was fun for all of us once I realized there was no controlling my little ones and I let them have at it!
