Thread Number: 18470
Vintage rental carpet shampooers
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Post# 202970   10/7/2012 at 17:00 (4,189 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

Is this the very first steam cleaning machines that were available to rent?

Rug Doctor R-40

I don't know if this is the first model; all I know is that it has 1982 stamped on top of unit


Post# 202975 , Reply# 1   10/7/2012 at 19:41 (4,189 days old) by xraytech ()        

I dont think so.

My grandparents used to rent Rinse-N-Vac carpet shampooers from their appliance store, and continued to from home for nearly 20 more years after they closed.

From my recollection their oldest unit was from the mid 70s, they had an early 80s one and an early 90s model


Post# 202981 , Reply# 2   10/7/2012 at 21:39 (4,189 days old) by goadie12 ()        

Wow that's very cool I have never actually seen one of those ones all I have seen is the upright or all in one models thanks. Zach

Post# 202984 , Reply# 3   10/7/2012 at 22:09 (4,189 days old) by electromatik (Taylorsville, North Carolina, U.S.A.)        

I remember seeing that exact same machine in the grocery stores with Mom when I was very young. I believe she rented one. We only shampooed our carpet once in that house. My mom had a strict rule-NO shoes past the front door. She believes, as I do, that wearing shoes on a carpet is the worst thing you can do. No amount of shampooing or vacuuming can make it look decent after years of shoes grinding on it.

Post# 202992 , Reply# 4   10/8/2012 at 00:48 (4,189 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I'm unsure about buying the R-40; it brings memories from when my parents used to rent them.

Sometimes they would also rent Thermax or Rinse N Vac.

Too bad not many places offer the "old-school" canister style machines. The last time I rented the R-40 was back in 2003, when I was living on my own.


Post# 203008 , Reply# 5   10/8/2012 at 06:35 (4,189 days old) by raycarter (Taylor, Michigan)        
Anyone remember Carpet Magic machines?

Years ago, the supermarket where my mother used to shop rented both the Carpet Magic canister-type steam cleaners and rotary-brush shampooers, and also sold the complete line of Carpet Magic vacuum cleaner bags and belts.

Post# 203016 , Reply# 6   10/8/2012 at 08:17 (4,189 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

suckolux's profile picture
My mom picked up the Host in the 60s

Post# 203121 , Reply# 7   10/8/2012 at 20:37 (4,188 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I hope the R-40 on eBay is OK for me to buy; I wanted one to keep, but Rug Doctor says "Red machines are for RENT; & Blue machines are to BUY"

Or the Rinsenvac RV-85 & Power Brush PB-850

Which is better between the two machines?


Post# 203163 , Reply# 8   10/9/2012 at 01:16 (4,188 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)        

kirbylux77's profile picture
Christopher- Electromatik: I like your Mom's rule you learned from her about not wearing shoes in the house! I don't know if I would necessarily agree with her about it being the worst thing you can do for carpet, but it's one less source of dirt to get tracked in & embedded in carpets to have to deep-clean out later on. Plus, if you're a busy person with work, family & friends, like most people these days, less dirt = less time vacuuming. And as much as I like vacuuming, less housework is a GOOD thing in my books! lol

Back when I was a kid, in the 1980's here in Ontario, Canada, I remember seeing the blue Easy Off canister extractors with the power brush most often. There was also another brand called Nautavac, which is still around today but they were less commonly seen. Then, in the 1990's, we stopped seeing the Easy Off extractors & it seems the red Rug Doctor Mighty Pro upright extractors replaced them. That's all I ever see in grocery stores to this day.

Erik: I wouldn't worry about buying the Rug Doctor R-40, if your concern is that RugDoctor says not to buy them because they are stolen rental units (which is what I have heard the explanation is for them saying not to buy the red ones). That one looks pretty old, probably from when they first started out....Chances are pretty good that after a certain age, they sold it off & replaced it with new stock, so their rental equipment lineup remains in good shape & up-to-date for customers. Easy Off had a history of selling off used machines when they were around, so I bet RugDoctor probably does the same. I would bet good money it has probably seen at least a couple of owners, & if this IS on Ebay, of course you would have no way of knowing it's true history....even the seller probably doesn't know :). Having said that, it wouldn't hurt to call RugDoctor & innocently ask if parts are still available for the R-40, so you aren't stuck if it breaks down.

Rob


Post# 203795 , Reply# 9   10/14/2012 at 23:31 (4,182 days old) by Real1 ()        
I used.....

a Rug Doctor type steam cleaner on a carpet back in the middle to late 70's.  There was something wrong with it and I was getting severe electric shock while using it. It was the old issue about trying to get my deposit back from a slumlord in Portland, OR.  He was never around for any of my grievances until I told him when I was moving out....then he became a fixture. I guess he thought I might steal his carpet, his ancient stove or his bathroom fixtures from the 50's.....whatever.Undecided

 

But yeah, it was bright red and I think a Rug Doctor brand cleaner....

 

Rob: they said that about a lot of things like the old U-Haul trucks, cop cars etc. Really, if it was an issue and there was money in it, thieves would just paint the damn things.

 

Kevin


Post# 203798 , Reply# 10   10/14/2012 at 23:51 (4,182 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA)        

durango159's profile picture
Anyone have a picture or leftover the unit of the orange colored canister Carpet Magic machines that were used for rentals in the 80's, 90's. Were they good machines. I think the hoses were yellow.

Post# 203861 , Reply# 11   10/15/2012 at 17:56 (4,181 days old) by kirby519 (Wisconsin)        

The hose and wand rug doctor the was a great carpet cleaning machine. I haven't used the self contained machines that Rug Doctor has out now.

I own a commercial box extractor and don't need to rent machines any longer or use the renovator on the kirby. I do however use the renovator to pre clean bad areas then extract with the box extractor.


Post# 203911 , Reply# 12   10/15/2012 at 23:14 (4,181 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)        

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I used to have a blue rinse n vac and it was dated 1976

Post# 203915 , Reply# 13   10/15/2012 at 23:54 (4,181 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I also got my eye on a Rinse N' Vac that is on eBay; I'm having a hard time deciding between the R-40 & the Rinse N' Vac RV-85 with PB-850 power brush.

@real1
Was the Rug Doctor that gave shock the R-40? I didn't experience any problems with them; as far as I remember.


Post# 204134 , Reply# 14   10/18/2012 at 15:32 (4,178 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        
I have

super-sweeper's profile picture
A NOS pack of vacuum bags,I think they where from the 70's,they're burried
In a stock pile of NOS bags,The carpet magic bags are for Eureka F&G,Or as
They hilariously put it 'All bottom-fill uprights except Hoover Convertible'
:D

-Alex.


Post# 205574 , Reply# 15   11/1/2012 at 16:14 (4,164 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        

super-sweeper's profile picture
Forgot to mention,Those are Carpet magic bags i ahev :D

-Alex.


Post# 205583 , Reply# 16   11/1/2012 at 17:54 (4,164 days old) by Real1 ()        

@Erik: I have no idea, but it looked remarkably like the one at the beginning of this thread. I'm not insinuating that they were bad machines. It could have been the house wiring or just a particular machine that someone else busted. But truthfully, it was a hell of a shock standing on a wet rug....might have even killed an older person.Surprised

 

Kevin



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