It really works!
Written: Jul 17 '02 (Updated Jul 17 '02)
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Pros: Very good documentation, easy to use and IT WORKS!
Cons: Price, limited fluid capacity results in need for frequent refills
The Bottom Line: Steam cleaning whenever you need it!
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| sneddren's Full Review: Hoover F6030-900 Wet/Dry Vacuum |
Ever since we got a dog in the house the carpets have taken a beating and we were about to have one of the carpet cleaning companies come over to soak us for $300 or so. On a lark, we looked into the current crop of home steam cleaners and were surprised that so many of them were well regarded. We don't have a lot of carpeting in the house but given the high cost of hiring a carpet cleaning company, we realized that we could pay for buying our own cleaner after one use. We bought ours through Amazon for $295 (free shipping too!) and have been very pleased with the results.
The first nice surprise was the assembly of the cleaner. Hoover outdid itself with clear and easy to follow instructions and design...it's virtually impossible to mess up the assembly and you can tell that the design of this cleaner was very well thought out. It should get an industrial design award.
I was able to start using the cleaner within 10 minutes of opening the box. The cleaner came with 16 oz of detergent and you add about 5 oz of it to about a gallon of hot water. The cleaner is a bit heavy, but it really is very easy to move around and I was able to clean the first carpet in about 1/2 hour. The cleaner works by means of a trigger that is used to discharge the detergent solution on one stroke and then you go over that spot again without the trigger depressed to suck up the solution from the carpet. It seems to work best if you make a few passes with the trigger on (and there is a special trigger for heavily soiled areas that seems to put out a heavy dose of detergent). The only problem I had was that it seemed to leave a bit too much of the solution in the carpet (i.e., it left the carpet wet), but it is a minor problem given the superb results. Our carpet, which hadn't been cleaned in close to a year, looked like new! It was amazing.
The problems with the cleaner are minor, but worth noting. For a standard sized room, I had to refill the detergent solution 4 or 5 times. That's annoying, since you have to remove the solution bucket, go to the sink for hot water and then reinstall it (not difficult, but it does take time). I wish there was a way to have a bigger container. And the detergent isn't free (though it isn't expensive either, I've seen 3 64 oz bottles being sold for $30 or so). I'd guess that you can do one room with about half a bottle of detergent if you are careful with the trigger.
Overall, though, it's a small price to pay for the convenience and efficiency of having a steam cleaner in the house. We can now clean the carpets as they get soiled, which is not only a more efficient way of cleaning, it also keeps the dirt from being ground in. The cleaner has a nice wide cleaning surface (wider than most cleaners) and I really liked the clear plastic that allows you to see the dirty solution being drawn up out of the carpet. The cleaner comes with several attachments as well, all of which work very well...there's a small attachment for reaching into tight spaces and a stair attachment that hooks up to the hose so you can clean stairs without having to lift the entire unit. They are well designed (and even have rotating scrubs, just like the main cleaner).
The only thing that I am in the air about with this cleaner is what Hoover meant by saying that the cleaner could be used on "hard surfaces". I know that this means linoleum, but does it also mean hardwood floors? So far I haven't been able to find out, and it would be great if that were one use for this cleaner. Otherwise, though, this is a great purchase for anyone who has carpets. You really save a lot by buying this.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 295
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Epinions.com ID:
sneddren
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Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 6 members
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