"Shampoo and Set"

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~

And here are the results...

When saw the shampoo setup I was somewhat surprised to see that it hasn't changed much since Kirby first introduced it with their 1965 model more than 50 years ago. (I guess, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies!)

So today I decided to put the rug shampooer to the test on our living room rug that was in dire need of being cleaned. I thoroughly vacuumed it first and then shampooed it with Kirby's "Pet Owner's Carpet Shampoo."

I helped speed up the drying time by going over the rug with the warm exhaust from one of my Electroluxes. When it was thoroughly dry I vacuumed it again.

Overall, it did a pretty good job. The rug's colors are more vivid and, as you can see in some of the photos, quite a lot of dirty suds were deposited in the shampooer's tray. However, it didn't get some of the soiled spots, so on a scale of one to ten I'd give it about a seven.

I'm just glad I only paid $35.00 for it and not $1600 -- the average retail price for the current model -- or I would really have been disappointed by its performance.

The Kirby is a good machine but not without drawbacks, no the least of which is its weight. It weighs about 30 pounds and is awkward to schlep around the house. Also, changing from the basic upright to the other functions (canister cleaner, rug shampooer, floor polisher etc.) is rather complicated and can be a pain to figure out. And then there's the price tag...

And that's pretty much the way it's been since the first Kirby hit the market in 1935. I can't tell you how many old, well-used-and-abused Kirbys I've found over the years with mint-condition attachments that look like they were never used. I think in many instances, once the salesman took off and the consumer was left with a pile of bewildering attachments and parts, all that stuff got chucked into the back of a closet, rarely if ever used.

But for someone like me, who could put a Kirby together blindfolded at 10 years of age, it's a fun and beautiful vacuum cleaner to use! It's always been one of my favorites.

Photos... < > Photo 1 of 19 View Full Size


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Post# 376580 8/8/2017 at 20:15 (2,444 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes 2 ~ ~ (Well, shampoo anyway hahaha!) A project for this weekend... Since I found a Kirby Sentria a couple of weeks ago, I decided to give the carpet shampooer a test drive on our living room and also the hallway carpet. Stay tuned for the results! Photos... < > Photo 1 of 5 View Full Size

Post# 376591 , Reply# 1 8/9/2017 at 08:52 (2,443 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Nice! A vac that will get the job done and then some.

Post# 376593 , Reply# 2 8/9/2017 at 09:33 (2,443 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)
Checkrate/Likes I've never had the opportunity to try a Kirby Shampooer. You will have to post some results!

Post# 376816 , Reply# 3 8/14/2017 at 00:05 (2,439 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes 1 ~ ~ And here are the results... When saw the shampoo setup I was somewhat surprised to see that it hasn't changed much since Kirby first introduced it with their 1965 model more than 50 years ago. (I guess, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies!) So today I decided to put the rug shampooer to the test on our living room rug that was in dire need of being cleaned. I thoroughly vacuumed it first and then shampooed it with Kirby's "Pet Owner's Carpet Shampoo." I helped speed up the drying time by going over the rug with the warm exhaust from one of my Electroluxes. When it was thoroughly dry I vacuumed it again. Overall, it did a pretty good job. The rug's colors are more vivid and, as you can see in some of the photos, quite a lot of dirty suds were deposited in the shampooer's tray. However, it didn't get some of the soiled spots, so on a scale of one to ten I'd give it about a seven. I'm just glad I only paid $35.00 for it and not $1600 -- the average retail price for the current model -- or I would really have been disappointed by its performance. The Kirby is a good machine but not without drawbacks, no the least of which is its weight. It weighs about 30 pounds and is awkward to schlep around the house. Also, changing from the basic upright to the other functions (canister cleaner, rug shampooer, floor polisher etc.) is rather complicated and can be a pain to figure out. And then there's the price tag... And that's pretty much the way it's been since the first Kirby hit the market in 1935. I can't tell you how many old, well-used-and-abused Kirbys I've found over the years with mint-condition attachments that look like they were never used. I think in many instances, once the salesman took off and the consumer was left with a pile of bewildering attachments and parts, all that stuff got chucked into the back of a closet, rarely if ever used. But for someone like me, who could put a Kirby together blindfolded at 10 years of age, it's a fun and beautiful vacuum cleaner to use! It's always been one of my favorites. Photos... < > Photo 1 of 19 View Full Size This post was last edited 08/14/2017 at 00:29

Post# 376817 , Reply# 4 8/14/2017 at 01:46 (2,439 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)
Checkrate/Likes 1 I can change my Kirby modes quickly-like changing modes on my Shopsmith power tools.You can use the Kirby as a carpet dryer blower-all you have to do when you are through with the shampooer-convert the Kirby to a blower.Put the long wand on the end of the hose and blow the air into the carpet.In minutes it will be dry!A former Kirby salesman showed me that.The Lux vac can be used as you did-a blower to dry the floor.

Post# 376832 , Reply# 5 8/14/2017 at 10:15 (2,438 days old) by bearwise (Bakersfield, CA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Maybe try a little pre-treatment next time and see if it does better. Some times you have to soften up those tough stains a bit first. :)

Post# 376844 , Reply# 6 8/14/2017 at 12:27 (2,438 days old) by toddk13 (Milwaukee, WI)
Checkrate/Likes *A stain by any other name* Stain removers often have a specific task. The enzyme "pet" stain remover works well on organic contamination and odors. Those types of cleaners won't work on petroleum based stains. They also don't help out colored stains such as coffee or juice. You can get stain removers just for those issues.