Kirby in commercial use

[sheetstyler]

About a year ago the guy that owns this baseball practice place ask me if I had a vacuum that would work good to vacuum this place and I pondered about it and I figured a Kirby would do good. The wide head and big bag would make quick work to vacuum this place. I had a Kirby G6 that I had sitting around for a while so I sold him that. A few months go by and it gets abused, the bag gets filled to the brim in a matter of a day. I had to always keep reminding him to change the bag. He then realized he didn't have time to vacuum this big place so I do it now. After using it a few times I realized it needed a new brushroll but then I go to use it one day and the transmission drive and neutral pedal fell out so I guessed it's time for a tune up. Gave it another new bag and belt and brushroll. Fixed the pedal gave the metal a polish. The guy that owns it was amazed how well it came out. After that a few months go by and it just keeps on digging. I used it today and saw it needed a new belt and it is covered in dust now and could be polished again. I tell the guy that owns to just buy cheap arm n hammer bags because filtration is not important in this place. I personally use cloth micron magic bags in all my kirby's. The Kirby also has to have the brushroll cleaned after every time you use it. You start with it clean then you use it and it is covered because of the type of carpeting it is used on. It gets snagged really easy. Also before the Kirby they used a cheap Dirt Devil. Which they never use now. It is buried now in a closet. I think Kirbys are beast and are good in commercial use. Have any of you guys seen a Kirby in commercial use?

 

[human]

Does a school library count?

When I was in elementary school back in the early '70s, our school had a Kirby Classic Omega to vacuum the library, which was the only carpeted space in the whole school. I remember spotting it in the corner by the fiction books shortly after a Kirby salesman had demonstrated the same model at our house. I was mightily impressed with the demo and really wanted to take that one for a test drive, but of course I never had the opportunity. It would be about 40 years before I finally got my hands on one and the rest is history.

 

[sheetstyler]

WOW

A school library. That certainly surprises me a Kirby would be my last guess of a vacuum that would be used in a school.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Kirby tried to actually sell commercial vacuums over the years. They included:
Kirby Janitronic (1967-1968)
American-Lincoln Super-Sweep (1968-1982)
American-Lincoln SuperVac 180 (1982-1984)
Kirby COMVAC 1300 (1982-1984)
Kirby COMVAC 1600 (1982-1984)

None of these ever sold in the same numbers as the Royal commercial metal uprights or Eureka's Sanitaire brand.

~Ben

 

[sheetstyler]

I have never heard of a Janitronic. If someone has pictures I would love to see. I have seen a Comvac and American-Lincold

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

sheetstyler

Tyler,

Basically, the Janitronic was similar to the later American-Lincoln Super-Sweep, except the main motor parts were copper colored, as was the general trim color. There were even some in rosewood brown with an off-white bag.

~Ben

 

[fanonthefloor]

Our competitor funeral home across town uses one he has had it for years and it runs very strong. We use an oreck forever series gold for carpets and a mighty might for hard floors.

 

[tolivac]

A high rise apartment building I used to live in the janitor there used a Kirby Classic to vacuum the carpeted hall floors.After a few years it was replaced with one of those wide sweep type vacuums.Of all things while closing on my house here-spotted a VERY beat up Kirby Heritage used at the closing lawyers place.

 

[kirby519]

Many business over the years have and still do use Kirby's in commercial applications. A local retirement home used Classic III's in the day. I have seen banks with Omega models in the day. I used a dual sanitronic, Classic omega. to clean office buildings. I had a 519 my mom used to clean a police department. The school district I went to. Had 1 commercial Kirby and 1 classic Kirby that I know of maybe more.

 

[kirby519]

Many business over the years have and still do use Kirby's in commercial applications. A local retirement home used Classic III's in the day. I have seen banks with Omega models in the day. I used a dual sanitronic, Classic omega. to clean office buildings. I had a 519 my mom used to clean a police department. The school district I went to. Had 1 commercial Kirby and 1 classic Kirby that I know of maybe more.