Kirby Carpet Shampooer

[autowasherfreak]

I have the shampooer attachment for my Kirby Legend II, and I was thinking of using it for the first time. What do you think of the shampooer attachment, does it go a good job?

 

[washernoob]

Not the best

Its not the greatest thing ever made. It does to a good job for a short time effect. But wont clean like a steam vac. Its fun to use though.

 

[amyswasher]

It's a spruce up and a real clean.

 

[jaxsunst]

I like mine on the G4. It's not fast, it's the old fashioned scrub it in, wait for it to dry and vacuum it up. But it works well.

 

[tlee618]

IMHO it does a great job if you then go over the carpet with a steam vac using just clear water as a rinse.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I am a big Kirby fan. I learned to walk pushing a Kirby. With that said, I don't care for their shampoo/Renovator system. My experience is that it leave a sticky residue on the carpet and the carpet resoils twice as fast and looks twice as bad as before.

Like others have said, if you want to do a quick touch up, or scrub in cleaner on a carpet that you plan to steam afterwards, use the Kirby. CAUTION: When using a steam cleaner after using the Kirby Instant Suds. Put a few drops of fabric softner in the recovery tank. Otherwise the suds will look like a Brady Bunch Episode.

 

[DysonAnimal]

The feedback I've got from engineers at two UK-based floorcare manufacturers, who have conducted extensive research into carpet washing, including analysis of competitors' machines, is that the Kirby system is ineffectual at removing dirt, and does indeed leave behind a residue that attracts further soiling.

I have to ask: if, after going through the process of setting up the Kirby to work as a shampooer, then shampooing the carpet, you then have to drag out, set up and use a carpet washer - the term 'steam vac' is inaccurate, they don't use steam to clean - why not just use the carpet washer to begin with? That doesn't make any sense to me!

 

[gmmcnair]

Kirby Wash/Steam Vac Rinse

"I have to ask: if, after going through the process of setting up the Kirby to work as a shampooer, then shampooing the carpet, you then have to drag out, set up and use a carpet washer - the term 'steam vac' is inaccurate, they don't use steam to clean - why not just use the carpet washer to begin with? That doesn't make any sense to me!"

It makes a big difference on a very dirty carpet. It gives carpet a chance to have the solution loosen more. The clean water rinse in the steam vac sucks out the loosened dirt and solution that makes things sticky.

In the janitorial world, first shampooing and then rinse extracting a carpet is called the "showcasing method" and it really works better than either alone.

 

[whirlcool]

I have found that "rinsing" the carpet with hot water after using our steam cleaner on it results in a much softer and cleaner looking carpet in the end.

 

[gmmcnair]

Method I Like to Use

I like to grab one of the gallon sized pump up sprayers and mix my cleaning solution in that. I hit the spots first, and then spray the area I want to clean, giving heavy traffic areas high priority.

Then I work the spray in carefully with my angle broom (I intend on getting a rubber carpet rake one of these years).

Finally, I rinse with the Hoover Steam vac with hot water. I use a water soluable deodorant in that.

Leaves the carpets very fresh and nice.

 

[DysonAnimal]

I appreciate what the rinsing actually does; what I'm questioning is the logic of using first the Kirby for shampooing, then a carpet washer for rinsing, when you could simplify the whole process (and save times!) by just using the carpet washer alone - for both washing and rinsing?

As a side-note, people in the UK and the US will find the process slightly different; the detergent supplied for the UK is a slightly different formulation than detergent supplied for the same machines in the US; in the UK, rinsing is not necessary every time, although it is 'recommended'. In the US, where the detergent is stronger, it's much more important to rinse.

 

[mrcleanjeans]

Because the Kirby has a cylinderical drum-brush that LIFTS the nap and the shampoo can sit in the rug, working for a long time, then you rinse. By using the Hoover SteamVac for everything, you'll wet the carpet way more and it won't work as well. BTW, a little whie vinegar, 1/4 cup per tank in the Hoover rinse water will deodorize and cut soap film!

 

[DysonAnimal]

Well I disagree on a couple of those points, but thanks for the explanation!

 

[tlee618]

I agree David, it seems to me that the Kirby does a much more aggressive job of lifting and cleaning. Yes, I know it's more work but it really does do a great job by using both.

 

[xraytech]

I have not been impressed with the Rug Renovator, when I have used it I have always had to go over the carpet again with the Hoover Steam vac for a thourough rinse. I use 2 cups of white vinegar mixed with hot water in the tank to rinse and I also put a few splashes of vinegar in the return tank as a defoamer otherwise there is so much foam from the Kirby the tank fills in 2 passes

 

[amyswasher]

sorry

I meant a spruce up and NOT a real clean. It's useless on my Berber carpet!

 

[autowasherfreak]

I usually use this to clean my carpets, I had it when we live in our apartment there wasn't a lot of carpeting so it worked pretty good. I could use the Kirby, then rinse with the Quick Steamer. Now that the 90% of the house has carpeting, I should look into something a bit bigger

Any suggestions on what to get and what not get?

 

[xraytech]

Well, here is my suggestion to what you can get to upgrade from your current shampooer.It is the Hoover SteamVac Silver.
I have this same model, have had it for 4 years now and it gets heavily used here at home plus I loan it to grandma and my aunt also. It is a very good machine for the price only $140

Here is the link to it at walmart.com

Robot or human?

 

[autowasherfreak]

Thanks Sam, I'm going to Wal-Mart tomorrow, and will check it out. It will be nice to have one that I can use on upholstery, and stairs.