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jkbmmv


Location: Dickinson, ND
Joined: Oct 11, 2008
Points: 28

Another machine to buy
Original Message   Dec 27, 2011 1:51 am
I am looking for thoughts on a canister type carpet cleaner/extractor.. I was thinking to just use a shop-vac and a spray bottle of mixed solution, but I really would like something I can use in my car so I wouldn't have to pay to have it detailed anymore.. As far as needs. I have area rugs and upholstered furniture and a carpet on the bottom half of the walls in my bedroom that I would like to be able to wash... I started looking around because I was thinking of the little green clean machine but was told those are all crap and they all break... I saw Sanitaire SC6070 and liked that but not really liking the price on it (really can't seem to find a consistent one). I saw http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Bissell-9E01-Xtra-Lift/dp/B0000TZYBG <-- that on amazon but can't find any info on it what so ever so I am not sure. I like the price, and if I can use hand tools with it it'd be perfect, but I can't seem to find anything at all...

Any thoughts or recommendations ?

Joshua
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Venson


Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Points: 1900

Re: Another machine to buy
Reply #9   Jan 2, 2012 7:55 am
Mike_W wrote:
I really do not remember Kenmore marketing a deep cleaning machine called "The Pig".  Ryobi Motor Prod.(Singer) did have a machine called the Turtle.  Kenmore also used this machine under their Kenmore name.  It was called the Turtle, because it has some resemblance to a turtle.


Hi Mike,

Thinking the idea of an all in one machine was cool at the time, I actually bought one because I landed it at a discount.  It turned out to be a white with blue trim hump-backed behemoth (the wheel wells jutted out at the sides) and it roared like the dickens.

The tubing for delivering the cleaning solution was attached to the hose externally but the same suction hose was used for both wet and dry work.  As I said, the noise it created was unbearable and I had to get rid of it not long after I bought it.  More's the mercy, it was also short-lived on the Sears roster.

We're going back thirty years so I had to have acquired it some time during the early part of the 1980s.  I've no idea where it was made but was definitely not akin to the machines Sears had been offering as all-in-ones -- basically round shop vacs that fitted on top of a wheeled holding tank that contained cleaning solution.  Those too were fitted out with attachments for dry vacuuming plus tools and options for wet cleaning. (See pic)  I'll see if I can dig up some pictures of the machine I had.

By the way -- Happy New Year.

This message was modified Jan 2, 2012 by Venson
vacmanuk


Location: Scotland UK
Joined: May 31, 2009
Points: 1162

Re: Another machine to buy
Reply #10   Jan 3, 2012 7:10 pm
Venson wrote:
Hi Mike,

Thinking the idea of an all in one machine was cool at the time, I actually bought one because I landed it at a discount.  It turned out to be a white with blue trim hump-backed behemoth (the wheel wells jutted out at the sides) and it roared like the dickens.

The tubing for delivering the cleaning solution was attached to the hose externally but the same suction hose was used for both wet and dry work.  As I said, the noise it created was unbearable and I had to get rid of it not long after I bought it.  More's the mercy, it was also short-lived on the Sears roster.

We're going back thirty years so I had to have acquired it some time during the early part of the 1980s.  I've no idea where it was made but was definitely not akin to the machines Sears had been offering as all-in-ones -- basically round shop vacs that fitted on top of a wheeled holding tank that contained cleaning solution.  Those too were fitted out with attachments for dry vacuuming plus tools and options for wet cleaning. (See pic)  I'll see if I can dig up some pictures of the machine I had.

By the way -- Happy New Year.


In 1978 Vax entered the UK market with their canister 3 in 1 machine. It spawned quite a few models, but seems to be more popular now in its new country of production, Australia:


We had one and it sounds quite similar to yours, Venson - one bucket at the bottom collects the water, with a bladder recovery bucket in between where water and cleaning solution goes in plus 4 litres of water. Suction and static bar type floor head. Good principle until the machine gets too heavy to lift and can be a back aching experience having to continually drag the floor head across a carpet until it is "squeaky" clean. In dry mode, the Vax design had a tendency to burst the dust bags until they fitted a suction control dial to stop it from happening. The Vax canister really took off in the 1980's to the 1990's with various versions appearing including a squatter/smaller model:















Venson


Joined: Jul 23, 2007
Points: 1900

Re: Another machine to buy
Reply #11   Jan 4, 2012 3:46 am
vacmanuk  wrote:

We had one and it sounds quite similar to yours, Venson - one bucket at the bottom collects the water, with a bladder recovery bucket in between where water and cleaning solution goes in plus 4 litres of water. Suction and static bar type floor head. Good principle until the machine gets too heavy to lift and can be a back aching experience having to continually drag the floor head across a carpet until it is "squeaky" clean. In dry mode, the Vax design had a tendency to burst the dust bags until they fitted a suction control dial to stop it from happening. The Vax canister really took off in the 1980's to the 1990's with various versions appearing including a squatter/smaller model:


Hi vacmanuk,

From what I see in you Vax images, they thought to add some flexibility to the cleaning nozzle.  As you can see with the Kenmore, the cleaning head has no pivots and had to be held at specific angle to be effective. 

Venson

hooverman


Joined: Jan 10, 2010
Points: 251

Re: Another machine to buy
Reply #12   Jan 4, 2012 6:02 pm
Has anyone tried the Bissell Big Green Powerbrush canister?  I had one & it did nice job washing carpets.

Bissell Big Green Powerbrush 1680

The following machine(s) are from eBay:

Rug Doctor R-40

Vibra Vac (by Rug Doctor)

Rug Rover (I have NEVER seen this one before) w/RovaMatic power brush

Thermax

Rinse N' Vac (were they by Thermax?)

Maybe I might buy/rent any of the above soon (I already own the Bissell); & see which one gets the dirtiest carpets clean.

This message was modified Jan 4, 2012 by hooverman
edman


Joined: Jul 28, 2012
Points: 19

Re: Another machine to buy
Reply #13   Jul 28, 2012 1:15 pm
There is one vacuum you can convert from an upright to a canister and shampoo in either position. I own a 20 year old Kirby that still works like new. They are heavy because they are made out of metal, but isn't it best to buy once and to buy right? They are so easy to push I let my daughter ride it while I clean, check out the video of it: http://youtu.be/PnviK0WSfEs . If there is a better vacuum I would like to know what.
vacmanuk


Location: Scotland UK
Joined: May 31, 2009
Points: 1162

Re: Another machine to buy
Reply #14   Jul 28, 2012 11:04 pm
edman - I think you've gone overboard with your persistence with a Kirby. It's not the perfect upright vacuum for all and thus, each to their own. Kirby are too big for the UK, most consumers baulk at the prices and they're far too heavy. I have tried them though and I do like them in commercial cleaning areas - but if I was going to buy an American vacuum I think it would be the Sanitaire uprights - well designed and so robust. We had them in the UK for a very short time.
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