OK, the first one? Or are you saying that one is too chippy too?

I'm not going to look until Sunday. :-)

The first one looked good.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

The steamer is something I want. I hope folks might suggest good (not too spendy) types of carpet steamers. Maybe not too heavy to lift and lug ....

Several years ago, I bought a Hoover SteamVac. I'm quite happy with it, can't imagine not having one now. There's something strangely satisfying about using it and seeing it suck up all that dirty water.

Can't remember the exact price, but it was well under $200. It takes up maybe a bit more space than my full-size Simplicity vacuum cleaner. Weight-wise, it's comparable to the vacuum.

The only down side, for me, is that dog hair does get tangled up in the brushes, and it can be a time-consuming task to get it all cleaned out afterwards, but I can live with that.

 Quote: Tracy Collins

The first one looked good.

Gotcha. Thanks! I know they do have that exact one.

Thanks, Cheri ..... I'm gonna find those online.

Thanks!

Are these steamers something you use on a bare floor? Then, do you have to dry it after?

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

Are these steamers something you use on a bare floor? Then, do you have to dry it after?

I believe some models come with the tool for bare floors, some do not. I don't think mine has it; I've only used mine on carpet. I believe this is the one I have:

http://www.amazon.com/Hoover-SteamVac-Carpet-Washer-F5914900/dp/B00009R66F/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1391218493&sr=8-2&keywords=Hoover+carpet+cleaner

I would say if you're interested in getting one, read the reviews on Amazon, and if you buy one, read the instructions thoroughly. It did take a couple times for me to get used to the way it works and to be completely comfortable with it, but I had never owned one of these before. (I see Amazon has put a hold on them; not sure what that's about.)

I think calling it a steam vac is a bit misleading. You use hot tap water, and I know my tap water isn't hot enough to create steam with this machine. But like I said, I'm still pretty happy with the job it does. It's not as good as having your carpets professionally cleaned, but when you have dogs bringing the great outdoors into your house, I think it does a pretty darn good job.

The carpets will be damp afterwards, but I learned to do a few extra passes with the extraction feature to be sure you have sucked up every drop of water you possibly can. Then I position fans all around the house, and it will be dry in just a few hours.

eta: I was just looking at my owner's manual, and I should note it says not to use them on hardwood floors. So I don't know if that's what you were asking about, Betty, when you said bare floors. So no hardwoods, but I'm assuming tile or linoleum would be fine.

Edited by Cheri Grissom (01/31/2014 08:03 PM)
Edit reason: eta

My main room is hardwood, cherry from our farm. It WAS beautiful, but it needs to be refinished now.
I don't have any carpets where dogs are allowed any more, carpet is all upstairs.

Still, the mess from hair, dust from the woodstove and dirt from my cattle activities accumulates.

Every so often I rent one of those "Rug Doctor" machines at the grocery store and use it sorta like this. No soap, just hottest tap water, and it does a very good job of picking up grime on carpets and extracting out the hot water. I've often thought I should own one. But renting it is pretty easy and cheap.

I read some of the reviews and I think it's probably what I want. An inexpensive, pretty good, hot-water carpet cleaner that looks easy to use if you follow the directions carefully.

I agree with you, Cheri, that we have to read the reviews. Top reviews (the "most helpful" 5-star and the "most helpful" 3-star) .... both right at the top as being the most helpful ... explain about the leak that some people had and about the bare-floor issue.

Weighing the reviews and the price, I want it. All I'm going to wait for is whatever Amazon's hold issue is. (My experience with Amazon is that they are quick to resolve these hold issues .... quick as in several days, not months.)



I totally agree with Tracy that the ones you rent are great. But IME with the ones at the place nearby (probably similar), they are heavy.


ETA
I guess my next step is to find out if this one is the same weight as the Rug Doctor rentable one. Duh.


Edited by Connie Sutherland (01/31/2014 08:30 PM)
Edit reason: eta