Best Vacuum for High Pile Carpets

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westtexman

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Hello All!

I finally pulled the plug and hired a person to clean my house every two weeks. I have hesitated in doing this for years as I'm a bit OCD and there just aren't many people out there who clean as well as I think I clean! These days, however, I'm finding it very difficult to manage a house, the yard, running a growing business that requires some travel, the laundry, maintaining a vehicle and general home maintenance, maintaining somewhat of a social life all while keeping the house as clean as I like. The lady I've hired is great, and she also works for some friends of mine so she came highly recommended.

After her first cleaning this week, she let me know that she struggled a bit with my vacuum cleaner as I have very thick, plush carpet and the vacuum cleaner is difficult to move across the carpet. I have a Shark upright, which is really a great vacuum, but it is a chore to move it across the carpet. It really is quite a workout. She offered to bring her Dyson, which is adjustable (must be an early model), but I have a thing about people brining foreign vacuums onto my carpets. I know that I can adjust the suction on the Shark, which should theoretically make it easier to move about the room, but the lower suction makes me think that the carpet will not get as clean.

Therefore, I am considering getting a new vacuum that will be easy for her to use. Any recommendations?
 
Don't know...

If they're that widely available in North America, but I have a Miele Upright vacuum, and that deals well with my carpets - which are very thick.
 
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May I respectfully suggest you consider this Blueline Sanitaire.
The Royals are great but are not as straightforward a vacuum as this one.
This Sanitaire is quieter, offers an easier belt change, an enormous top fill bag, much more comfortable handle...really an all around superior machine and much preferred by my mother's maid over any other vacuum. I collect vacuums and have dozens around my mother's home and this vacuum has been the go to vac, not the Royal seen above which I also own...as good as they are.
I link to a great deal below, much less than you will find on any metal Royal.
Other than this Sanitaire, on deep pile carpet I might suggest a self-propelled Hoover WindTunnel bagged vacuum, available on Hoover's website.

The key info you provided was "maid" and "deep pile carpeting". Not a lot of options make as much sense as this. [this post was last edited: 10/5/2016-23:38]

http://www.vcdiscounter.com/sanitai...A_7YQO66nq91SF-AxV-eIFaxoCaq_w_wcB&fullSite=1
stricklybojack++10-5-2016-19-12-15.jpg
 
I second the suggestion for a blue line Sanitaire. I wouldn't trust a cleaning lady (or anyone else for that matter) with anything else and not have them destroy it somehow. Sanitaires are indestructible, and if the rare case of one getting destroyed does happen, all parts are easily replaceable. Oh and not to mention they clean very well.
 
I third the vote for the Sanitaire S675. I would be lost without mine and the matching straight suction canister. It's a FANTASTIC vacuum cleaner, indestructible, and works beautifully.
 
Though I collect vacuums, and mine is a Kirby House. If you are having a cleaning person using the machine I would vote the Sanitaire as well. Good filtration, easily and inexpensively repaired. Very good overall carpet cleaner. I would recommend the disposable bag system. Easier, and cleaner to maintain.

You can go high tech, and way more expensive, but your cleaning lady won't treat it any nicer.
 
I've got a couple of self propelled Kirby's and am always impressed with how easy they move on my thick carpet.  Of course I did not buy them new, but gave them a good scrubbing before they went into service on the main and second floor of my house.
 
On the note about cleaning ladies with Sanitaires, my great aunt and uncles cleaning lady uses a dirt cup Sanitaire. Not only was she using a decent vacuum but left perfect carpet lines, and not to mention the rest of the house was spotless. I want a cleaning lady like that (she's too far away)

Oh and she looked like a younger Rosario.
 
The hardwood floor craze has made many G series Kirby's available on Craigslist and Ebay very affordable.   Kirby's excel at zipping through wide open heavy traffic area's.   That said, a good canister with a motorized brush is needed for under beds and low furniture.
 
Kirby

I also have a couple of self propelled Kirby vacuums. A G5 and an Ultimate G. They both are very easy to run and do an excellent job at cleaning carpet. I think that probably any self propelled vacuum would solve the problem.
 
Ditto Kirby

self-propelled all the way!  I bought one for my mother too, she loves it as long as she doesn't have to pick it up haha.  But very easy to push and pull.  I've always wanted to try a Royal but haven't had the chance.
 
My mum had similar problems

Her dyson was actually too heavy and powerful so we got a sebo x5 this has an electronic system that checks the speed of beater bar and raises or lower front wheels automatically as the machine moves from carpet to hard floors etc. It's a very good machine in other aspects too.

Richard

 
my experience with commercial vacuums is they don't have a great beater bar as home models do....they have 2 at most, where as home models have a quadraflex 4....

I have several vacuums....even a Kirby G5 with every attachment they make.....not as great as you would think.....the power drive is nice, and that's about it.....I don't even want to lug around all the tools, not to mention changing the machine over for them to fit.....I can't imagine a cleaning person wanting to mess with all of that......

time is money.....something with on board tools would be better.....

a few suggestions......Hoover Windtunnel with powerdrive and on board tools.....or as mentioned, any machine with powerdrive.....

Shark Rotator Pro....finding them to be a powerful machines, easy to clean, and plenty of tools for any surface.....in fact, the new lift-aways are beyond convenient to use, especially the powerhead that fits under furniture

best of anything, buy a few for trial and error......keep what fits you best, and return the others....
 
Vacuums.

My mother has had a Royal upright since 1984. It's a great machine that cleans well and is tough as nails. It's a bit crude, however. The attachments are a huge pain to use and removing and re-installing the belt is tough, even with the included tool. It has a low amperage draw, however, and it shows just how effective a well-engineered machine can be, without need to use a ton of power.

A Kirby is more complex than a Royal, but is much easier to use. Kirbys are easy to set up properly, and once set up, they can clean carpet like nobody's business! It's far easier to use attachments on a Kirby than on a Royal. I like Kirbys from the 1980s for ease of use, simplicity, and performance. Kirbys from the 1990s and newer are self propelled and might be just what you're looking for. The self-propulsion can be a real treat on thick carpeting. I sometimes use my grandparents' 1965 Kirby DS-50 and it will give any modern upright some stiff competition in terms of getting the carpet clean.

I really prefer using a canister vacuum on a daily basis. Old metal-body Electrolux vacuums are my gold standard. The bags are super-easy to change, performance is quite good, and they are easy to keep running. That being said, a Filter Queen is really a vastly superior machine. If you have concerns about filtration, get a Filter Queen.

If you want an upright, I'd go with a G-Series Kirby. For the best versatility and filtration, I'd go with a Filter Queen.

Just my two cents, your mileage may vary,
Dave
 
In my opinion the best deep cleaner for deep pile carpets was the Hoover Concept, sadly they haven't been made since 1992, however once in a blue moon you can find an unused one out there.

However for a new vacuum I'd say a self propelled Hoover Windtunnel bagged upright is a great choice.

xraytech-2016100611155306146_1.jpg
 
Problem Solved (Hopefully)

I went onto Craigslist and found a Kirby Avalir that was used only a handful of times. It is in a town about 100 miles away from me, but I have a large client there and travel there twice per month for work. The seller was asking $475.00, but I offered $350.00 and she accepted. It turns out she is a former employee of my client and we know each other! Small world.

I have wanted a Kirby for quite some time, but have never wanted to pay the crazy-high prices for a new one. My mom had one growing up that she used for years, which I believe she inherited from my great-grandmother. I live just over 100 miles from the Kirby West manufacturing facility. When I worked for a large health system years ago, one of our doctors and I toured the facility to observe the manufacturing process to have a better understanding of how to treat workers who sustain workplace injuries at the plant. It was pretty cool to watch the manufacturing process from start to finish.

I considered the Hoover Anniversary WindTunnel self-propelled, but the reviews all seemed to be pretty poor. I had WindTunnel back in the 90's that was a great machine, but it seems like their quality has diminished over the years.

I think I will keep my Shark Rotator Pro, which comes with a separate base on which to rest the canister when you lift it away from the brush head. It has all of the attachments I use to clean my hardwood floors, shutters, windows, etc. I suspect this will be much easier than fiddling with the Kirby attachments - though I do plan on trying them all just for fun!

Thanks for your help everyone! I can't wait to pick up my new Kirby on Tuesday!

http://clovis.craigslist.org/app/5761670304.html
 
All good suggestions, but I'd start from the other end.

What is your carpet, fiber, etc and what does the manufacturer suggest?

I ask because a lot of people on the net have been complaining in the last 5 years or so because some new carpets, particularly the new frieze (similar to shag carpeting) made of microfibers, make the vacuum cleaner very hard to push because the fibers loop around some of the power brushes and slow them down -- the combination of brush speed and diameter seem to matter more than brand of vacuums.

Some manufacturers, for example Mohawk, who makes some of their carpeting with the DuPont Sorona / SmartStrand / Triexta, had to put up web pages with recommended vacuum cleaners for their carpeting, but I'm pretty sure I've seen people complain about other brands too, it's just that SmartStrand was a fairly popular choice in the last few years.

For example, see https://www.mohawkflooring.com/flooring/carpet/guides/carpet-care-maintenance and the link below.

Either way, I wouldn't change the carpeting to keep the vacuum, just get a vacuum that can clean the carpeting if you have SmartStrand or similar -- the carpet is really very nice and soft and the fiber is very stain resistant and easy to clean. My next carpet will be made with it (I've bought a few rugs made with it to test, it's very nice, but some vacuum cleaners are harder to use than others).

Cheers,
-- Paulo.

http://https//www.mohawkflooring.com/assets/files/selectingvacuum21413.pdf
 
Kirby is my first love

So you made a good choice. 

What I would suggest, depending upon how much you trust your cleaning person.  Demonstrate the way you use the machine: adjusting the height, turning the tech drive on and off.  Making sure that Tech Drive is turned off if the motor is off. 

 

A Kirby will last a lifetime if treated right, otherwise it's like a Rolls-Royce that you took swimming.  It won't last too long.

 
 
.
I didn't mention Kirby because i didnt't think you would accept a used machine.
So ya, you done good! A lightly used Kirby or Riccar/Simplicity vacuum at a good price represents for most a great value vacuum purchase. A slight learning cure, don't park it with the brush bar lowered, read owners manual regarding puting the vacuum in and out of self propelled mode etc. and you are good to go. I believe they also offer a pet hair brushroll and a soft bristle one for delicate carpets.
 
I have the Kirby my Aunt Doris used from the time she got it as a first anniversary gift from Uncle Joe in 1950. She used it until she had to go to assisted living after her stroke in '09. She never had much trouble from it, and sent it in to the Kirby place to have it reconditioned every few years. I still have it packed up at the present.

I have a Sanitaire upright (red with dirt cup) I've had since '97, and always pleased with it. I've not used it recently as I want to get a new bag for it due to mold getting in it. I've been using the Kent Euroclean canister with power nozzle (Eureka VibraGroomer) in the meantime, which works well.

My carpet is all low pile, as I do not like thick carpet due to allergy issues. I would never buy residential grade carpet as it doesn't hold up well for many years, unless it's very expensive. My mom got Lee's commercial multi-level loop carpet (Nylon) put in the house in '68, and it stayed until '05 when I took it up. Some fading, but no bad wear. Some neighbors had to get new carpet three times in that length of time.
 
Westtexman, I am glad you found a Kirby.  Let us know how the housekeeper likes it.  Have always been pleased with mine, I hope You will too. 
 
I'm sure the best, most rugged vacuums disappeared as carpet & rugs were no longer mile-high shags... But I actually broke down & bought a Hoover Dirt Devil carpet scrubber for my den & have plans if I can ever levitate stuff off the basement & kid's room floors to use it in those only carpeted rooms...

 

My vacuum is just an ordinary Kenmore canister... To me, the worst dirt (said to be a pound, per every sq. in.) is what needs scrubbing to get out if I can't get around to vacuuming regularly...

 

 

-- Dave
 
Kirbys,Royals,Metal uprights,Sanitaires.another good contender is the Tacony tandem air uprights-Ie a direct air motor combined with a clean air one.All of these use bags-better choice for clean-and long machine life.So much easier and cleaner to replace bags in any of these!Try to use synthetic Filtrete bags if you can.Other choices--Simplicity-Riccar lightweight "Freedom" line uprights.These handle like Orecks but are MUCH more powerful!And just out a CORDLESS Simplicity Freedom upright.The run time is about 45 min.LOVE this machine-just got it yesterday.It has the upgraded higher power motor.Bet a maid would like this-No cord to fuss with and find an outlet for.Another cordless machine I like is the Volt cordless powernozzle.You can use it with just about any central vacuum or canister one.For fun--even used my Volt with my Kirby set to hose mode!Run time on this is about an hour.You can use the Volt with any hose end that fits the Volts wand-and the hose doesn't have to be electrified.
 
I'm intrigued by the idea of a cordless vacuum! Does the power of the suction stay consistent for the entire 45 minutes to an hour of the battery charge, or does it slowly diminish as the battery runs down?

Bryan
 
Yes the power stays constant until the battery pack runs down.Uses a lithium battery pack.The charge time is about an hour.This generation of cordless Simplicity vacuum uses a motor that runs faster than the first machine that came out.Thus slightly shorter run time.With the older motor the vacuum could last an hour.
 

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