Hoover SteamVac: "This Big Boy Can Purr & Suck!"
Written: Jul 05 '02 (Updated Jul 05 '02)
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Pros: Good maintenance deep cleaner, really sucks dirt out, carpet is not soaking wet after
Cons: Gets heavy to push, not stair friendly, noisy
The Bottom Line: If you have children or pets, this machine is a must to keep your carpets looking in tip top shape.
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| groverchick's Full Review: Hoover Steamvac F5860-900 Vacuum |
With five cats running around the house we have a big carpet problem! I shampoo my carpets at least once every two months and spot clean all the time. Lucky, my oldest long hair cat, gets tons of hairballs and yacks here and there. Boxer loves to leave her *treasures* around for me to find since she hates dirty litter boxes. All of the cats do as they please and venture inside and outside tracking lots of dirt into the house. Without the help of my Hoover SteamVac Deluxe, my carpet would be shot!
I purchased my Hoover Steam VacDeluxe model #F5866-900 at Target last year for $199 because my Bissell Powersteamer ProHeat Plus Heated Solution Deep Cleaner broke down on me a little over a year after I purchased it. I was quite saddened since the one-year warranty had just expired so I refused to buy another Bissell and opted for a Hoover and have been very happy with that decision. After looking at all the features and comparing the line of Hoover SteamVacs, I opted for one of their lower end models. The way I see it is the simpler the machine, the less things go wrong!
Why should I buy a steam cleaner?
Many people don't realize that carpet retains more soil than any other flooring surface because the soil hides in the carpet fibers. By the time you actually see the dirt in your carpet, it may be too late to maintain using a "home" machine and you will most likely have to call a professional.
By buying a steam cleaner you can make your carpet last a lot longer by maintaining it every now and then. You can also pick up after spills/accidents right after they happen when they are easily taken care of.
What's so great about this "Big Boy"?
~Upright Deep Cleaner
~5 SpinScrub Removable Rotating Brushes
~12 amp motor
~8-ft. attached hose with stair tool
~24-ft. cord
~Toe-operated on/off switch, and handle release
~Standard hand tool storage
~Cleaning mode indicator
~Brush speed selector (Hi/Lo or Off)
~12-inch cleaning path
~Automatic tool conversion
~Deep cleans carpet fibers by applying hot tap water and cleaning solution
~NO belts to deal with!
~Full One Year Warranty
As you can see, the Hoover SteamVac Deluxe comes with enough features to satisfy the average person. The only feature that I wish the Hoover SteamVac Deluxe had is added heat to the solution while you are cleaning, but then the machine would cost $100 more. That's the only thing I liked about the Bissell ProHeat Plus! The 5 SpinScrub Brushes are easy to remove and clean. You should clean them out each time you are done using the machine. The stair/upholstery tool is great for spot cleaning and not so great on stairs since the machine is bulky and heavy.
Taking it Out of the Box
Parts
~Deep Cleaner
~2 Transluscent tanks (solution & recovery)
~Upper Handle
~Nuts(2) & Bolts(3)
~Hose
~Stair/Upholstery Tool
~Hose Rack, screw, clips
~16 oz. sample of carpet detergent to get you started
Assembly was a cinch! If I can do it anyone can. For assembly you will need a Phillips screw driver. The Hoover SteamVac comes partially assembled so that it can fit nicely into the box. To asssemble the "big boy" just just attach the upper handle to the deep cleaner and screw in some nuts and bolts. Then attach the hose clips and hose rack and presto! You are ready to start this "big boy" up! It's easy and should take you anywhere from 5 - 10 minutes. My other half was quite surprised when the Hoover actually started up because I had assembled it.
Checklist Before You Start
1. Make sure that the area(s) you want to clean are vaccuumed thoroughly. The Hoover SteamVac should never be used as a dry vaccuum cleaner.
2. Pretreat all spots and heavy traffic areas with spot cleaner or pre-cleaner.
3. Use plastic or aluminum foil to protect wood or metal surfaces from possible water spray.
4. If you are cleaning upholstery, check to make sure that the fabric is not "dry clean only" and always test a small spot first.
Ok, Let's Start the Big Boy Up!
To use the Hoover SteamVac fill up the solution tank (which has a measuring cup) with recommended amount of solution and hot water. The tank holds 1 gallon of water. Pop the solution tank back into its slot. Push the ON/OFF pedal at the lower left of the machine, then push the RELEASE HANDLE pedal at the lower right of the machine and your Hoover SteamVac should be purrin' away! (Always make sure that you have an exit path when you clean a room, start in the inner corner and work out towards the door.)
To start cleaning, just push forward while holding down the trigger on the upper handle to release solution, stop, and pull the machine back towards you and watch it suck the water out. I like to go over the same spot at least two or three times before moving onto to the next spot. The machine might feel a little heavy to push and pull (my arm was sore the first time I used it), but it's a great workout! One solution tank of water gets me through a normal sized room. The machine will warn you when the "recovery" tank gets full and a red plastic ball will pop up and the machine will stop sucking out water. Just turn off the machine and empty out the "recovery" tank.
For cleaning tougher spots, put your Hoover SteamVac in the upright position and attach your hand tool to the hose. The hand tool might look a little useless, but it works great on stains. I do not recommend using this machine to clean stairs as the machine is quite heavy and wide. When I do decide to clean my stairs, the other half has to help me by holding the machine while I scrub away with the hand tool. This gets very tiring.
This machine was quite impressive to me as it sucked out a grip of dirt hidden in between the fibers of my carpet. When I was done with round one of the family room the water in the "recovery" tank was pitch black and had some grime in it. Yummy! This was all I needed to see to know that the Hoover SteamVac worked. If your carpet is really dirty, you might want to run a final rinse of just hot water through your carpet.
After you are done cleaning allow your carpet/upholstery to dry. In the summer months, my carpet is usually dry in about 4 hours. During the winter, it can take up to 12 hours. Try not to walk on the carpet while it is still wet. If you must, lay some towels down on the wet carpet.
Putting the "Big Boy" Away
Make sure that the solution tank is empty and clean. Put the solution tank back on the machine and turn your machine back on. Squeeze the trigger and make sure that you have all the water of the machine before storing. Clean out the recovery tank and place that back on the machine. Remove the 5 SpinScrub brushes and give those a rinse too. After everything is dry, store it away in a closet (or wherever your storage is). Give yourself a pat on the back. You mentally finished cleaning your carpet!
Groverchick's Tips
Even though it is recommended to only use Hoover cleaning detergent to assure proper performance for this machine, I'm telling you that's it ok to use other cleaning solutions. They only say this to make you buy their products!!!! I love to use Quick & Brite and Oxi Clean with my machine and the carpet turns out looking great. I've even ran non-commercial brands of cleaner through my machine before and my machine is still going. Non-commercial brands are hard to locate, but if you have a friend in the carpet business, give them a call!
If you notice streaking on the carpet, it could be because of the cleaner you are using. I have a room with white carpeting and when I used the Hoover solution on it, there was streaking. When I switched to a non-commercial brand, the streaking went away. Oxi Clean works great with white carpets.
For a good spot cleaner (when I run out of my Resolve) I sometimes use a small(a little goes a long way) amount of Shout or Spray and Wash on the carpet with a rag. Make sure that you do not use too much because it can get hard to pick up because they are sudsy. I have found that these treat carpet stains just as well as they treat clothing stains. I would NOT recommend using these solutions with your machine (in the solution tank), but you can use the hand tool to pick up the spot after you have rinsed the treated stain at least twice.
I hope these little tips help you out!
Who do I recommend this product for?
I am recommending this product for:
~People with children.
~People with pets.
~People who smoke.
~People who want to maintain their carpet.
How often should I clean my carpet?
If you have children or pets, I recommend giving your carpet a shampoo every 4 months or so. I'm constanting cleaning my carpet because I do have a big family of cats living here. If you are just a normal family, I recommend giving your carpet a shampoo at least once a year. It just depends on your living situation!
The Nitty Gritty
Through experience, I truly recommend the Hoover brand over the Bissell brand. Hoover SteamVacs seem more powerful and sturdier than Bissell's and plus my old Bissell broke down on me. It just doesn't suck up any more water. I haven't bothered to take it in since the warranty expired on that steam cleaner and would probably cost a grip to fix anyway.
If you don't own a steam cleaner already, consider checking out the Hoover Steam VacDeluxe. It's really worth the money you pay for it and your carpet will thank you in the end by lasting longer.
If that's enough to get you to try one of these, Hoover raves that their SteamVacs are "America's best selling full size hot water extractors!"
If you should have any other tips for spot cleaning, please let me know as I always have stains from the kitties. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks for reading. =)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199
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groverchick
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Location: San Gabriel Valley, Southern California
Reviews written: 49
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Been really busy lately, will catch up soon!
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