Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I was remembering when with my Mother last night.  She is about to celebrate the 75th anniversary of her being on this planet so she has a little history.  In the conversation we were talking about her sweeper, who was a member of the family for many years until his death in a fire.   He was promptly replaced with another (actually by the Kirby company.)

She said in those days the vacuum a woman owned was a status symbol to the others.  In those days the women didn't work outside the home, in fact they though my mother was next to a tramp when she took a job to help out when my dad had his second heart attack.  Anyway, all the women in her circle of friends either had a Kirby or and Electrolux. The main determination was if you liked an upright or a tank.  She said that when the other women came over for coffee, your vacuum was always placed in the corner so others notice which one you had.    The other women, usually those who's husbands didn't work at Boeing bought their vacuums at Macy's, Sears or Wards; they weren't as high up on the food chain.  Mom said she remembered a new girl, newleywed, just moved to the burbs--didn't even own a vacuum.  They usually sent the leftovers home with her--poor thing.

For the most part it was Kirby or Lux, much like the cars in your drive was either a Chevy or a Ford.  There may be the occasional Chrysler, but little variance from the norm in the "Leave it to Beaver crowd."  Mom said this competition continued with not only who had what Vacuum, but how many attachments you had with it until dishwashers became popular.  Then everyone that was anyone had to have a dishwasher. 

I'm just interested if others on this forum has any stories like this of the days gone by.   I am sure those of you in the business could tell some stories.

I would love to hear from you.

Thanks Just, that a great story. 

When I was a kid in upstate New York, the high end vacs were usually those that were sold door-to-door -- Electrolux, Kirby and Air-Way.  RexAir was of course part of the list but were a rarity I assume for the same reason as now -- the maintenance required.  The Compact was around but no match in numbers in comparison to Kirby and/or Electrolux.

Equal in number however was Hoover and I never met any persons ashamed of theirs.  I would mention that I lived in a rural area where people weren't given to extravagance and what mattered was service and durability.  Though you might have encountered a Kirby, Lux or Air-Way but they probably woudn't have been the latest model.

"Happy Birthday," to your Mom.  May she have many more to enjoy.

Venson 

In the early 60's my mother got a Cadillac vacuum.  She drove a Ford but made it a point to tell everyone that she had a Cadillac.

HARDSELL wrote:

Your Mother has good taste in cars and vacuums. [Apparently you did not get the same DNA.  What happened to you?]

Carmine D.

Carmine:  My parents always drove  Chevy.  Most of the other's here in the mid-west drove either Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler. In fact it is still pretty much that way today.   Very, very seldom would you see someone in one of the more "exotic" cars like a VW.  I remember when my sister bought a VW Bug, my father was sure the end of the world was coming.   You see more Toyotas and Hondas on the Kansas roads now, but the domestics still have a foothold here.

Mom said in those days, she thought again because the women didn't work outside the home, anything new for the house was a big deal.  These were the days of Tupperware parties, Jewelery parties, and "come over and see my new dryer" parties.  Today with a house full of appliances as the status quo, it's not that big of a deal to get a new washer, vacuum, or what do they call them things?  OH--an iron.

Venson:  The women were not ashamed of their Hoovers, it just appears that in the early burbs Kirby and E-lux were the more active DTD's.  I do remember an Air-Way man coming to the door once.  Mom sent him quickly packing as she prefered and upright.

You know whats really funny about all of these machines that your talking about is that i still have parts and can service these cleaners,except the cattle barge,I mean cadillac.

Carmine remember when sunbeam had more of the vacuum market and they were known for the mixers,did you ever sell hoovers dryer,i still got one.

The new stuff all looks the same today,reminds be of spec houses........

MOLE

Mole,

My sister had a Hoover spinner washer and compact dryer when she first moved out on her own.   She bought them used in 1979, and used them up until about ten years ago when the washer broke down and the man said parts were just not available any longer.

My mother still has a Hoover blender she got in the late 60's, the Hoover electric knife is long gone though.

mole wrote:
These machines are still going strong some 30, 40, 50 years later.  The new buzz word today is environmentally friendly, well, make something that will last twenty or more years instead of two.  Gee, wouldn't this be an easy way to reduce landfill accumulation?? Speaking of Sunbeam, we still have these appliances that my grandparents bought in the 50's and 60's, try a sunbeam today, or any other brand for that matter and see how long they last today.  At the ripe old age of 42, I still remember the hoover portable spin washer, kick myself that I didn't buy a hoover frying pan a couple of months ago at the salvation army thrift store. 

Vernon

CarmineD wrote:

I drive a Ford.  I would not, however, drive an Explorer,  Where can one find a new Cadillac vacuum.  Not that I want one since they were not so good,

mole wrote:

Mole:

In the late 50's I carried the complete Westinghouse line, vacuums, radios, fans, small appliances.

In the early 60's and beyond I added the complete HOOVER line.  Vacuums, washers, driers, all the kitchen appliances even refrigs and heating plates.  Always carried the HOOVER irons: Aluminum and stainless steel soleplates.  Just as a convenience because customers would ask.

I still have the HOOVER electric coffee pot and pull it out when the coffee maker goes on the blink.  The HOOVER pot is almost 40 years old.  Still works fine.  I replaced the cord and glass top a few times. 

Carmine D.

Carmine,did you hear who got most of the machines from the HOOVER vault,what a score that was.no it was not Jeff P.

MOLE