Thread Number: 13147
getting a hoover floormate tomorrow
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Post# 139996   6/16/2011 at 22:23 (4,669 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Hey guys.... I'm getting something tomorrow that I've wanted for a long time now.... a current Hoover Floormate. I don't have any bare floor cleaners, and after having been so disappointed by the Shark Steamer that I returned it, I've been wanting something easier. I only have experience with the first generation Floormates because they same out when I sold vacs at Sears, so I've never really played with a "new one". I'm excited!

Questions.... this one doesn't come with any attachments, can I buy them separately and still use them with this machine? I don't know how they hook up, I've never seen one with the hose hooked up.

What do you use in the solution tank instead of Hoover solution? Vinegar?

Here's a pic that the guy sent me... not bad for 35 dollars!



Post# 140021 , Reply# 1   6/17/2011 at 07:42 (4,668 days old) by timborow (Georgia)        
Floormate

I use mine about twice a month on hardwoods. You will be surprised at how dirty the water is. I use the floor to floor cleaner by Hoover, but plain warm water works just fine. The brushes work so well. Happy cleaning.
Tim


Post# 140024 , Reply# 2   6/17/2011 at 09:46 (4,668 days old) by sanimatic ()        

That pic looks very similar to mine, other than mine is green in color. From the angle of the pic, I can't see if it has the port and trap door for the attachments. If it does, it would be on the bottom on the side of the floor mate that we can't see in that pic.

They either come with the attachment port or without it, so if this does not have that you won't be able to use attachments. I do have them and find them quite useful for tight corners and areas where the Floor Mate nozzle is too large to fit in.

Chris


Post# 140049 , Reply# 3   6/17/2011 at 21:45 (4,668 days old) by fairfax88 (Orlando, FL)        

Bobby,just make sure that the wheel base is NOT cracked!!,otherwise you will have problems....
~David


Post# 140061 , Reply# 4   6/17/2011 at 22:20 (4,668 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        
Got it!

OK, I got it! It is a really pretty color! It does not have the attachment port, but from the reviews I've read, the attachments aren't great anyway.... I still would have liked to have had them for doing around the toilet and such things.

It came with the book, the regular brush, and the grout brush. The only problem is that the detergent tank cap is chipped, but it doesn't affect the way it works.

I like that the handle is big enough that I can fit my whole hand inside it without touching the trigger.... the handle is really beefy and comfortable, and the power switch is perfectly placed. I just used it on my kitchen floor which was relatively clean to begin with (I use the Rubbermaid Reveal spray mop daily) but the water in the recovery tank was gray. I just used plain water. I did have a spot of BBQ sauce on the floor and it got it up but I had to go over it several times and go slow. One thing that I don't like is that because of the way the squeegee is designed, it snowplows larger debris when using it as a dry vac. Still, for 35 dollars, I'm happy with it. I've wanted one for so long! Definitely looks better than the first generation and I'm glad they got rid of all those confusing pedals and moved the switch to where it should be. One thing I liked better on the original version is the shape of the solution tank. It was taller and skinner and easier to get hold of.... this one is short and fat and really hard to grasp. It sounds almost like my Hoover Steamvacs... do they use the same motor?

One thing I noticed is sometimes, the suction cut off float will activate even when there is no water in the tank.... anyone else noticed that or know of a possible reason?

I'll probably make a video later this week...



Post# 140067 , Reply# 5   6/17/2011 at 23:01 (4,668 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

suckolux's profile picture
I love my Dual V shampooer, think that would be a nice toy to add also. Hope it works out for you.

Post# 140078 , Reply# 6   6/18/2011 at 06:20 (4,667 days old) by sanimatic ()        

My suction cut off float occasionally does that too. It seems to occur when you move it too forcefully or abruptly. I totally agree with your assessment and I wish they used that handle on their other products. I do usually use another vacuum to dry vac the floor before I use the Floor Mate. The dry vac feature was never its strongest feature.

Post# 140133 , Reply# 7   6/18/2011 at 16:42 (4,667 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        
FloorMATE

I love mine (H3000) it works very well, even on the dirtiest floors. One trick I do is remove the squeegee nozzle (when brush switch is on "Wet Scrub") when I have to scrub off sticky dirt, then I re-install the nozzle & slide the switch to "Wet/Dry Pick-up." Sometimes I also use the Steam Vac (when I have to wash carpets & tile) or the good ol' Floor-A-Matic (gets the scuff marks off better) Now I'm hoping to buy a FH40030 or H3060 FloorMATE (both have tools) to get around tight spaces; but I wish it had a SpinScrub hand tool.

Here's a pic of my FM.


Post# 140193 , Reply# 8   6/19/2011 at 01:33 (4,666 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Erik, I remember that one well... that's the one I sold... the new one seems to look more like a toy than the first one... the brushes were definitely easier to release from the machine on the first generation.

What does the machine do differently when you switch from dry pickup to wet pickup?

I have also thought about removing the squeegee nozzle when I want to really scrub just so the suction doesn't remove the water too fast!

I gave my new baby a workout tonight! Since I have a very small apartment, I wanted to really put this thing through its paces, so I brought it to work. After we closed at 11, I got it out of the car and went to town. I work in a huge timeshare office in a hotel and the hotel janitors are supposed to come clean, but all they do is change the garbage as soon as we throw one piece of paper in it... they spot sweep, but that's about it. We have a tan colored tile that is textured, semi gloss... grey grout. I used it as a dry vac first... but I accidentally had it on "wet pickup" for about the first 15 minutes.... once I realized that and changed the setting to "dry pickup" it was easier to push and worked much better. It really did a good job at sucking up all the dust balls and staples and hole punch pieces and rubber bands... I had to empty the dirt cup 5 times... it didn't get full, but the round screen under the filter kept getting clogged with dust and I kept losing suction. Then the machine just turned off right while I was in the middle of vacuuming. I got so mad! I messed with the buttons and still nothing. I thought maybe it overheated or something. Then I unplugged it from the orange 50 foot extension cord and plugged it right in the wall and it started working. I've never had an extension cord die on me before, but this one did! I threw that sucker in the trash. I've had the cord for 4 years and have only used it a handful of times. We had enough plugs that I was still able to get the job done after a lot of re-plugging. The machine didn't blow the dirt out of the way before it got to it. This was the closest I've ever come to feeling like I was really vacuuming on a bare floor... usually, you use a canister on a bare floor, and I know a canister would have worked better, but I'm used to uprights, so this gave me that upright feeling and it was nice. I went a little too fast several times and the silly float thing stopped the suction... I figured out how to quickly get the machine back in working order.... I just released the "dirty" tank with the machine still running, and then replaced it and remembered go go slow for the next few minutes (until I forgot again!).... I guess I could have just turned the machine off and waited for the float to fall back down, but I didn't. That really seems like a design flaw. I just used hot water when I cleaned the floor, no solution. It really got the dirt up, and left the floor dry with no streaks. There were several black spots and there was even some gum on the floor and it did a pretty good job... some of the black spots (I have no clue what they were) didn't come up, but most did. I must have emptied and refilled about 10 times.... it took me 2 hours to do the whole office. That's the cleanest that floor has been since the place was remodeled 3 years ago and the tiles were put down! In some places, I had to kind of scrub with the machine and in some places, I had to just leave it still for several seconds and let the brushes work on the mess. The water was black every time I dumped it... it did not touch the grout, but in the machine's defense, I didn't use the grout brushes or solution. The handle is quite heavy and after using the machine for such a long time, my hand and wrist both became fatigued. Still it was fun and really did a good job. I wonder if anyone at work will notice tomorrow!


Post# 140212 , Reply# 9   6/19/2011 at 09:50 (4,666 days old) by kenmore81 (Warwick, RI)        

kenmore81's profile picture

Congratulations Bobby, I know you have been wanting one for a long time. I want one to. A few years ago I got the Kenmore Evo (aks. DirtDevil floor cleaner) because it was on sale for 80 bucks, Its similar to the FM but the brushes arn't as good. Its about 8 years old so as soon as I get some $$$ Ill get a floor Mate.

Happy scrubbing =)


Post# 140486 , Reply# 10   6/21/2011 at 16:54 (4,664 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

Bobby,

I never use the FloorMate for dry pick-up; I use the TriStar to sweep, Then I get the FM out.

I now have a FH40010 FloorMATE (paid $100 at Walmart) which does MUCH better job on uneven floors. The new FM's brushes REALLY touch every 'curve' of the floor surface; unlike the H3000 FloorMATE's brushes that scrub only the "highs" & don't scrub the "lows" of the surface. I usually use Fabuloso or Mr. Clean detergents (they smell really good)

When I have enough to buy the FH40030 (w/tools) I'll probably sell the FH40010 (BOL, no extra detergents/wipes)


Post# 140642 , Reply# 11   6/22/2011 at 21:29 (4,663 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Kenny, thanks... I still have a Singer vacuum and a Hoover Quadraflex power nozzle to send you.... nobody can say I don't procrastinate well :o) I think I will have your address if you still live in the same place by now... I haven't forgotten LOL

Erik, what is different about the newer brushes? I have heard that the older ones could not do uneven floors well, so that's great they fixed the issue.

I honestly can't tell the difference between which cleans better... the standard white brushes or the grout brushes.... they seem to be the same stiffness and length, with the only obvious differences being that the grout brushes are a different color and don't have bristles in the middle....


Post# 140713 , Reply# 12   6/23/2011 at 15:42 (4,662 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        
New FloorMate

The new style green SpinScrub brushes are thicker, have twice the # of bristles & longer. I don't know if the green brushes will fit the H3000 (which I no longer have) but the FH40010 & FH40030 have the improved green bristles.

btw, before I sold the H3000 FM, I used it one last time; impressive dirty water. After I got the FH40010 FM, I immediately ran it & the water was still gray. So I noticed that the FH40010's SpinScrub brushes are FAR better than the H3000's


Post# 140714 , Reply# 13   6/23/2011 at 15:44 (4,662 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        
Brushes

Here's the new, improved SpinScrub brushes of the FH400xx.

Post# 143501 , Reply# 14   7/16/2011 at 16:54 (4,639 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        
FloorMate w/tools

Here's a link on how the tools are used (from HSN)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO floor-a-matic's LINK


Post# 146253 , Reply# 15   8/7/2011 at 21:59 (4,617 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I may be getting a FloorMate w/tools sometime this wk.

Post# 146271 , Reply# 16   8/8/2011 at 05:08 (4,616 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

And not to be left out, those of us in the UK can get the same thing under the Vax name, and looking at their website they have it at £99.99, £50 off the regular price of £149.99:



CLICK HERE TO GO TO twocvbloke's LINK


Post# 146357 , Reply# 17   8/8/2011 at 18:19 (4,616 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

Its incredible only USA Hoover FloorMates have tools but why not UK Vax's FloorMates?

Post# 146397 , Reply# 18   8/9/2011 at 04:55 (4,615 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Probably because of the same reason why we don't have Power Nozzles on cylinder vacs, nobody would understand them in order to use them... :\

(And the only vac I've seen so far with a proper PN recently is an LG Cyking, with what looks to be a Centec based PN, but at £79, used, I wouldn't have it... :P )


Post# 146440 , Reply# 19   8/9/2011 at 16:32 (4,615 days old) by SeamusUK (Dover Kent UK)        
Before the Vax.....

Hey Guys

I have the Maytag version(from when Hoover was Maytag owned obviously....)

Seamus


CLICK HERE TO GO TO SeamusUK's LINK on eBay


Post# 146449 , Reply# 20   8/9/2011 at 18:05 (4,615 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

I've seen very few Maytag products in the UK to date, infact, I think I've only seen 3 (that I recall)!!! The Maytag Satellite (aka, Hoover Constellation), the above floormate thing, and some weird gadget which cooled drinks cans with water or something, which I saw in the Burnley branch of the British Heart Foundation... :S

I'm actually feeling some interest in getting a Floormate, I really hate using a mop & bucket to clean the hard floors, mainly cos I'm rubbish at doing it, so something like that would probably do me quite well actually... :)


Post# 146471 , Reply# 21   8/9/2011 at 20:49 (4,615 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

Flooramatic, did you ever get your floormate?


When I used the floormate the other day the stupid float cut off the suction prematurely like 3 times.... it made me so mad that I'm considering trying to remove it.... would that be possible?


Post# 146543 , Reply# 22   8/10/2011 at 18:43 (4,614 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I had a FH40010B (rec'd as Xmas gift last yr) but my mother took it, so now I'm w/o a FloorMate:(

Mother's now 100% happy b/c she doesn't have to use the "outdated" mop.

My FH40010B in action (see link)

All I have to do is save some $ & I'll buy the FH40030 later.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO floor-a-matic's LINK


Post# 147569 , Reply# 23   8/17/2011 at 20:13 (4,607 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        
H3000 FloorMATE

In action


CLICK HERE TO GO TO floor-a-matic's LINK


Post# 147924 , Reply# 24   8/19/2011 at 20:50 (4,605 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        
HOORAY!

I won a H3060 on eBay & should be on its way to my door by next Friday. I'll post updates (pics, YT vid) once the FloorMATE gets here.

Post# 147931 , Reply# 25   8/19/2011 at 20:59 (4,605 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
neat tool caddy

gottahaveahoove's profile picture

nice colors, too.  Best of luck with that.


Post# 147975 , Reply# 26   8/20/2011 at 06:09 (4,604 days old) by sanimatic ()        

I have that exact Floor Mate with the same Tool caddy and the tools are actually pretty handy. They don't have tons of suction but adequate to suck up the water and solution. Very good for using in tight spaces like between the toilet and the wall. You can spritz the solution on the floor, scrub it with the brush and it does get up the water. Very useful since the nozzle of the main unit is too wide to fit in that space.

Post# 148065 , Reply# 27   8/20/2011 at 22:20 (4,604 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        

I wonder why they don't have a SpinScrub tool for those tight spaces? Hoover should make them, & it'd be nice.

Post# 148548 , Reply# 28   8/24/2011 at 06:29 (4,600 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
I found a floormate lavender and white model model no h3030 220volt on Ebay and bought it as we don't get it in SA, Strange as the majority of houses have more tiles than carpeting but mine is a non tools model and I wish I could get one with attachments , I use it every day. its fantastic

Post# 148980 , Reply# 29   8/26/2011 at 20:05 (4,598 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
Good News!

It came to my door today! I'll be posting pics (of my unit, this one is a stock photo) soon.

Not bad of a deal for just $1 & free S/H:)


Post# 149437 , Reply# 30   8/29/2011 at 16:04 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
Pic 1

Box where FloorMate came in

Post# 149438 , Reply# 31   8/29/2011 at 16:05 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
2

FloorMate H3060 w/tools & tool caddy

Post# 149439 , Reply# 32   8/29/2011 at 16:06 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
3

Tools, caddy & main unit side-by-side

Post# 149440 , Reply# 33   8/29/2011 at 16:07 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
4

Close-up of recovery tank & logos

Post# 149441 , Reply# 34   8/29/2011 at 16:07 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
5

Close-up of tool caddy

Post# 149442 , Reply# 35   8/29/2011 at 16:16 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
6

Data sticker plate (Sorry, my cell phone camera images not too good)

HOOVER
www.hoover.com...
Floor Finishing Machine/Machine de finition pour plancher
Model #H3060
120V 60Hz 6.0A
Series AM6.1
Hoover Co., Glenwillow OH 44139
Made in China/Hecho en China/Fabrique en Chine
Serial #031000089139

I think this machine was manufactured in March 2010?


Post# 149443 , Reply# 36   8/29/2011 at 16:17 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
7

Dirty water after washing bedroom floor.

Post# 149444 , Reply# 37   8/29/2011 at 16:21 (4,595 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
8

Close-up of dirty water picked up from bedroom floor. GROSS!

I forgot to do a YT vid, but will post one later.

Yes, the tools DO work!

So, this FloorMATE is worth every $ spent (I paid only $1 from eBay)

The only problem is, the solution control rod is broken/missing, so I had to wedge a coin under the upper handle to dispense water onto floor.


Post# 149584 , Reply# 38   8/30/2011 at 13:08 (4,594 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        
Yes, I know

Its another TTI Hoover product I own now, I also have a WindTunnel MAX bagged & a WT MAX multi-cyclonic.

Only those 3 vacs (TTI-era) in my collection.

When will TTI stop messing with Hoover? Before the TTI takeover, nearly all the Hoover floor care products were perfectly fine. The ONLY ones still good are the FloorMate SpinScrub, Steam Vac SpinScrub classic, & the Tempo U5140-900 & original non-Self-propelled WindTunnel upright & bagless WT canister.

Now can I have a SpinScrub hand tool for the FM?


Post# 149738 , Reply# 39   8/31/2011 at 13:17 (4,593 days old) by Floor-A-Matic (somewhere)        

I also use the swivel nozzle to wash windows & mirrors; no more Windex spray bottle & paper towel or rags! (I can't reach the skyview windows; [unless I have a platform] because the hose is too short & only reaches up to 8ft when wand is fully extended)

Post# 151076 , Reply# 40   9/9/2011 at 20:56 (4,584 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

It takes a while to get used to using the FloorMate's tools since U have to tip up the swivel nozzle to vacuum the water from floor or mirror; & doesn't dry as good as the main nozzle.

Post# 151099 , Reply# 41   9/10/2011 at 07:04 (4,583 days old) by sanimatic ()        
Tools

Yes. I was going to offer that suggestion of just slightly tipping the tool forward to get the water picked up, but it does work pretty good. At my house for around the toilet where the main nozzle does not fit, I am glad to have the tools.


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