Glade Shake n Vac / Carpet Freshener Powder - Your Opinions?

[hi-loswitch98]

Hi there!

I like to use Glade Shake n Vac or any Carpet Fresheners on occasion, or when I feel like freshening up the house, & it's quite cheap to source too. I like to use it on the Bathroom Carpet but I just wanted to know what your opinions were on this type of product.

I do wash the carpets twice a year to flush out any that hasn't been vacuumed up previously & I have heard crazy stuff about it.

Thanks for any replies

 

[sbakerde]

I hate it

I have been telling customers for years that those powders will ruin any vacuum. I have seen fairly new machines come in with burnt up motors from carpet powders that went right through the filters. Due to that I do not honor any warranty on a refurbished machine if carpet powders are used. I also noticed that people who use carpet powders often have the dirtiest carpet because the vacuum can't do its job when its clogged up with powder.

 

[dustin]

I have never had any damage done to a vacuum from using carpet powders, and I maintain my vacuums, so the loss of performance from sucking up the powder is not an issue. I did however notice an issue when our carpet was replaced last year- Even though I vacuum several times a week, usually daily, the stuff had gotten under the carpet and pad and was not being removed with normal vacuuming. I use it maybe a couple times a month just to help with dog odors.

 

[vacuumfreak95]

Don't use powder carpet fresheners.

Powder is so fine that it can go through the bag/filter and coat the motor bearings witch then kills the motor. Use a granule carpet freshener that is NOT a powder.

 

[blackheart]

Hate it!

I hate carpet fresh with a passion i had a friend who only had a handvac and used a lot of carpet fresh. Both my commercial royal and miracle mate vacs were clogged in seconds. I called over to the vac shop and asked him what he'd use to remove carpet fresh i was told "someone else's vacuum".

 

[ultraperformer]

The thing with Shake n Vac is I hate the smell lol the scent is just sort of chemically/overpowering. I use my Polti Steam Cleaner to give the carpets a quick freshen up.

 

[dysondestijl]

Only use it with dirty air machines

 

[parwaz786]

I used it on my DC07 and the bin went cloudy!!! the dust goes to the motor aswell, and it does make a mess and the cyclones become dusty, however the Dysons dont lose suction with it

 

[uksausage]

i love it

I use it every day magnolia and vanilla shake n vac its getting hard to find it now most places only have the citrus or lilly of the valley. many years ago i used to use a Haze carpet freshner that came in a deep pink pot and was called victorian rose i havent seen it for years but that will always be my favorite of all time.
I have never suffered damage to the carpets or to any of my vacuums, i usually use bagged dirty fan machines, so when i go over with a bagless there is hardly anything that they pull out, I totally agree with Mr De-Stijl only use it with a dirty fan vacuum i normally use a Hoover Turbo 1 or Junior sometimes the old 612 or my Kirby G6
I think the shake n vac must work as people come in my house and dont realise we have 6 cats and a dog and both me and Dean smoke, mind you no matter what the weather ive always got windows open

 

[parwaz786]

Shake and vac is an excellent product, but kills vacuums, however in my local pound shops, hey have all the 3 scents orANGE BLOSSOM THINGY, VANILLA AND LILY VALLEYU

 

[paulc]

I read somewhere ( can't remember where ) that Shake n Vac is very bad for pets. They can suffer an allergic reaction if it gets on their paws and is then ingested. Also the overpowering smell is supposed to be bad for their sensitive noses.

 

[uksausage]

pound shop

I usually find mine in a place in eastbourne called E S K Warehouse or in a random little shop round the corner from me they are the only 2 places in eastbourne i can get the vanilla and magnolia

 

[uksausage]

pets

im quite lucky with mine none have had a reaction to it i know my mum cant use it as her dog is highly allergic to it and the same goes for my best friend her 3 dogs are all allergic, but mine all seem to be ok (think they must be so used to it by now they are probably immune to it)

 

[tolivac]

If the sprinkle type carpet deodorizer contains sodium carbonate or bicarbonate--DO NOT USE-it can ruin ANY type of vacuum.These chemicals can corrode metal vacuums or metal parts it contacts-and can "pit" plastic machines or parts.Most vacuum shops will tell you the vacuum warrantee is invalidated if carbonate type carpet fresheners are used.Use the granular types instead-like "Feather Lite"The coarse granules won't clog bags and it doesn't contain any type of carbonates to cause damage."Vac Yum" is OK."Fresh Wave" is OK.And of course Kirby "Oderific" when placed on a cotton ball and put into the bag.

 

[sebo_fan]

Ive never been a fan of Shake n Vac. I like the idea but as so many members on here say, it gets into the motors as well as other parts of the vacuum cleaner leading to damage. Also it just doesn't leave carpets feeling that fresh - okay maybe for an hour if you physically get down on your hands and knees and put your nose to the carpet.

The best alternative I have found are those scented capsules that you can often buy to pop into a bag. A lot of the cheap ones don't last very long - SEBO still make scented capsules and used to be on sale at John Lewis - but their pink ones aren't that nice compared to the dark blue ones that have a sporty fragrance about them - and are old stock available to buy direct from the UK company.

 

[vac-o-matic]

Powder alternative...

I don't know if Oreck cleaning products are available over the pond, but they sell a product called Crystal Aroma carpet and room refresher. It's green safe and pet perfect, but don't know what the ingredients are specifically. It's more like salt crystals than a powder and has a wonderful clean fresh scent. I have a lab, so I use it a couple of times a week. I put it down at night when I go to bed, then vacuum it up the next day. Many of the vacuums that come in are coated on the inside with the store powders and we even have a sign that I made saying "Just Say No to Powders!" We have converted many customers over to this product and they love it. It only comes in the clean fresh scent, so if it' flowers or berries they're looking for, we don't have it. Ours is for people that want the product more for freshening the carpet than to deoderize the air, but does both.

 

[turbo500]

Quite frankly, I wouldn't use it of you paid me. If your carpet smells, you should probably clean it more often. I think the smell is overpowering, the stuff is bad for pets and it knackers up your vacuum. If I want my room to smell nice, I just light a scented candle or open the windows and let some fresh air in

 

[nycwriter]

Amen, Chris!

None of these chemical "fresheners" are good for anyone.

It's sad that so many Americans apparently have such bad cleaning habits that their homes stink so badly they need to have plug-in fresheners, Febreze, rug powders, etc.

Do you know how many of these "fresheners" (most notably Febreze) really work? Their active ingredient is essentially a nerve agent; it "temporarily" kills nerves in the brain that detect foul smells.

 

[rolls_rapide]

I remember the BBC "That's Life!" consumer programme featured a girl who was allergic to the powder "Shake & Vac". It caused contact dermatitis or eczema on the soles of her feet. Same goes for pets too.

Electrolux used to warn of carpet freshening powders dissolving the plastics of the machine.

Also, the powder gets past every filter and into the motor.

So no, do not use!

 

[dysonman1]

Powder Carpet Fresheners are essentially "dirt" to both the rug and the vacuum. You pay three times for the powder, once to buy it, once for the vacuum bag that it clogs prematurely, and once when the agitator bearing grease gets filled with it and you need new bearings. I tell everyone NOT to use it.

 

[spiraclean]

Never liked it myself. Some of them smell OK in the container, but get way too overpowering once sprinkled over the carpet. And even with a clean dust bag, once it's been sat in the cleaner for a few days, the scent seems to alter and becomes rather unpleasant to my nose.

Having only tried it on a few occasions, I couldn't say for sure either way whether or not it damages vacuum cleaners over time, so will trust the judgement of the experts on this one. What I do know is that the brushroll, air paths and bag compartment all get covered in a white, powdery film. Any time I receive a used vacuum in this condition, it gets stripped down fully and scrubbed inside and out to get rid of the mess.

A little scent is OK by me, so I do sometimes use drop-in bag fresheners. Oreck original Fresh Air tabs are my current favourite, and have a pleasant rose scent. Sebo citrus capsules are good if you want something a little stronger. What I really miss though are the little green fragrance capsules Vorwerk used to sell. Smelled fantastic, but I've never been able to find anything even remotely similar since they were discontinued and replaced by the square Dovina chips.

 

[ultimatevacman]

I don't use a powder type carpet freshener, but I do use a granulated type one, it doesn't do much, but the carpet smells fresh for a few hours after vacuuming. I think it's called "Neutradol", I could be wrong though.

 

[hi-loswitch98]

Someone reviewed Shake n Vac on a review site (either Ciao or dooyoo) & they described using Shake n Vac as 'sprinkling money onto the floor'

Before I washed all the carpets / rugs in the house if you went over all the carpeted areas in the house with a bagless upright you could have sucked a bin full of it out the carpets. My sister was literally OBSESSED with using it until I persuaded her to stop.

 

[floor-a-matic]

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Years ago, I used to use Love My Carpet for deodorising problem carpets.  Now I just rub softener sheets onto the carpet & pick up the sheet with the vacuum (using just the hose & wands)  This way the softener sheet cleans the inside of the hose & gets out any remaining dirt stuck inside.</span>

 

[tjhooverman]

I was told by my D2D Salesman who sold me my Filter Queen Majestic never to use carpet powders. It damages the machine. voids your warranty, it hinders vacuum performance. I saw on Kenmore C canister vacuum bags that dust, or fine powders will hinder performance. I don't believe in using powders. I hate them with a vengeance. I'll put air refresher pellets in the bag or dust bin or I can spray liquid scents on a Filter Queen's felt pad. I agree with you all. carpet powders are bad for your lungs, overpowering, and are bad for pets.

 

[mark40511]

This stuff isn't good

for carpets, vacuums, or your health.

I agree all you need are good cleaning habits.

I do like the good smells but essential oils are great for that instead of the nasty chemicals.

I remember seeing a commercial when Fabreeze(S?) first came out and the first thing that went through my mind after seeing them spray it on pillows, dog beds, mattresses, etc - is what kind of chemicals are you introducing to you and your pets? I've NEVER felt comfortable using any of that stuff.

 

[sebo_fan]

One has to bear in mind that when this powder was released on the market, carpet washers were largely unheard of - so at the time one can only imagine that people were using it to freshen up their fibres. Quite how and why it took so long for someone to invent Febreeze for fabrics like curtains and cushions is beyond me, but fits the similar vein of usage.

Granted though, those furnishings can be washed, but if you have ever used Febreeze spray as it is known for, it can leave materials harder to the touch after a period of time. Thus, both carpet freshening powder and fabric refresher spray isn't always suitable for all general fabrics in the home.[this post was last edited: 6/9/2013-07:04]

 

[suckolux]

I think we just sprinkled baking soda? Back in the 60s we had Host carpet cleaner available, that had a lovely smell.

 

[sebo_fan]

I don't think many Brits did that to be honest. I don't think many gave a second thought about carpet stains unless they had one of those manual Bissell shampooer machines (my gran had two of them - they did an okay job to be honest but if you've had them you'll know they have foam rollers, not bristles) or the canisters of foam cleaning with the plastic static bristle heads on them.