Help with with the right Kirby attachment...


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Thread Number: 3312
Help with with the right Kirby attachment...

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Post# 37170 4/4/2008 at 13:24 (5,864 days old) by mattshaver ()
Checkrate/Likes Dear All, I have a piece of carpet that is what I would consider high-traffic. To get to the kitchen, one must travel this stretch of carpet. When I obtained the home, the carpet was matted down, dingy. I called a professional carpet cleaner who did a great job of cleaning and resetting the nap of the carpet. That was last July (07). Now, I have used the Kirby carpet shampooer on it twice - once today in fact - and does a great job. I do vacuum it a few times a week. However, it does not take long to look beat down and was curious if the carpet fluffer attachment would help any? My goal is to eventually pull up the carpet in the dining room and the vinyl in the kitchen and lay down hardwood floors while keeping the carpet in the living and bedrooms. The Kirby Sentria does a great job vacuuming it, but I'm curious if I need something a little more evasive there. What do you think? Matt :-)

Post# 37171 , Reply# 1 4/4/2008 at 13:57 (5,864 days old) by kirbysthebest (Midwest)
Checkrate/Likes High traffic areas are difficult with any vacuum. The carpet fluffer does a great job of resetting the nap of the carpet between deep cleanings. I have a saxony plush in my living room, dining and hall and the traffic areas drive me nuts. About once a month I use Miricle-Head, (carpet fluffer) after vacuuming. Then after I fluff, I run the regular upright over it again and try to pull the carpet in different directions. Be careful when using the Miricle Head that you don't set it too low or you risk frizzing the carpet. This can happen to carpets that have twisted fibers. Too much "fluffing" can cause the fibers to unravel. Another trick is to try vacuuming from several different directions pulling it away from the laid down side of the nap. These are just things I do, I am sure others will have other great ideas. I look forward to seeing other suggestions.

Post# 37177 , Reply# 2 4/4/2008 at 15:01 (5,864 days old) by louvac (A)
Checkrate/Likes Unfortunately guys..... there isn't too much one can do because the fibers are tired. This is very similar to what happens if one was to wear a pair of jeans for a week, wash them, put them back on for a week, wash them again, and put them back on again. That "newness" feeling would be much shorter lived each time because the fibers haven't had time to rest. Have you ever worn a pair of jeans, washed them, dryed and put them away for a few weeks? Then put them on and they feel so good for what seems so long throughout the day? There you go! Louis

Post# 37182 , Reply# 3 4/4/2008 at 16:56 (5,863 days old) by mattshaver ()
Checkrate/Likes *I know how you feel...* I wore a pair of underwear for a week, oh no that didn't happen...LOL. I hate it looking all crappy looking and right now it looks great. I just ran the Kirby over it again and it's very clean and fresh looking. Unfortunately, what will happen is that we'll walk all over it, get it dirty and then will look at matted again. The only thing I've been able to do is continue to vacuum it about every other day and shampooing it seems to help. I was curious if the carpet fluffer might help. Would a pict help too? I don't know what type of carpeting it is. Matt :-)

Post# 37183 , Reply# 4 4/4/2008 at 17:37 (5,863 days old) by vinvac (Dubuque IA)
Checkrate/Likes Matt, The miracle head will help a little, but could be a daily thing. Louis is correct, the carpet fibers are tired. The Kirby shampooer will also work as a carpet fluffer if you remove the shampoo tray. Both brushes fit that same head. Truthfully, if you have shampooed that carpet several times, you have taken much of the life out of the carpet. I am not a beleiver in shampooing carpets very often. If necessary once a year or very two years is a great plenty. Regular vacuuming should be all you need. If you clean carpets the dryer you can keep them the better. Just my opinion! Morgan

Post# 37201 , Reply# 5 4/4/2008 at 21:32 (5,863 days old) by normvac (COLUMBUS, OHIO)
Checkrate/Likes Matt It sounds like the grade of the org. carpet fiber has given up. A lot of whats name "builder carpet" have fiber of pure or mixed polyester. Which crushes quickly and dose not recover well. If your useing a Kirby to vacuum and to shampoo the carpet. You can't do much better care then that! So I would assume its the carpet fiber. Norm

Post# 37204 , Reply# 6 4/4/2008 at 21:53 (5,863 days old) by mattshaver ()
Checkrate/Likes *And yet more detail...* Sorry I forgot to mention the carpeting was laid in 2003 and I took possession in 2005 but left during a divorce period only to return back here in 2007 to live. It's a long long story and perhaps will show up as a made for TV movie. However, since I have lived here I know I've had the carpets cleaned once, then two additional times with the Kirby. Personally, I don't like carpeting in dinning rooms but it's just showing wear (dirt and somewhat of a matting down process) on the traffic areas. I'm halfway tempted to use the ITS rebate check and put down something that would cover both the kitchen and dining room. Then I would not have to worry with it as much. The color is a light tan and very thick. I could do what my great grandparents did and purchase those plastic runners...man they made our Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars go really fast...LOL. Matt :-)

Post# 37468 , Reply# 7 4/8/2008 at 16:06 (5,860 days old) by kirbysthebest (Midwest)
Checkrate/Likes A carpet man told me that carpet fibers have a memory, so the more your vacuum the better because it remembers to stay up. I was also told that "deep cleaning" should be done often at least yearly, more often if necessary. The one caution he gave on deep cleaning is that you use the textile's preferred method. Some carpets do better with dry cleaning (Capture, sorb) others do better with a wet method or hot water extraction. Being careful not to exceed water temps much above 140 to 150. I personally, though a Kirby lover, don't care for their system. I always feel the carpets are sticky and resoil quicker. It does do a good job of resetting the carpet nap, however.

Post# 37512 , Reply# 8 4/9/2008 at 00:38 (5,859 days old) by danemodsandy ()
Checkrate/Likes *Grandi-Groom* If you like your carpet fluffy, this is a helpful tool. It looks something like a rake, but it has very finely spaced, flexible nylon teeth. The teeth are optimally spaced for fluffing without untwisting the carpet's tufts. It is extremely useful right after steam cleaning, when the carpet is drying. Use it several times while drying is taking place, to reset the fibres. Here's a link. It's not even expensive: CLICK HERE TO GO TO danemodsandy's LINK

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