floor-a-matic
Well-known member
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Shop-type vacs are for vacing fireplace ash, plasterboard dust & Love My Carpet</span>
New (sort of) Rainbow
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williamr1248
Well-known member
New (sort of) Rainbow
I agree with you guys. I have NEVER understood why it is such an issue. I only used a vacuum ONE time to pick up just a very small amount of fireplace ash and it RUINED the machine in just a few seconds.
I had cleaned my fireplace with a small broom and used a bagged upright with the hose to just go over and make one last pass. The bag immediately exploded and I had fireplace ash EVERYWHERE from the inside of the outer bag to the underside of the machine and even up into the motor compartment.
Also had a friend who ruined a nice Hoover upright with the carpet powder. It got up into the motor housing, beater bar bearings and both the inner paper bag and outer bag. It was a mess.
I agree with you guys. I have NEVER understood why it is such an issue. I only used a vacuum ONE time to pick up just a very small amount of fireplace ash and it RUINED the machine in just a few seconds.
I had cleaned my fireplace with a small broom and used a bagged upright with the hose to just go over and make one last pass. The bag immediately exploded and I had fireplace ash EVERYWHERE from the inside of the outer bag to the underside of the machine and even up into the motor compartment.
Also had a friend who ruined a nice Hoover upright with the carpet powder. It got up into the motor housing, beater bar bearings and both the inner paper bag and outer bag. It was a mess.
vackid
Active member
I can honestly say as a vac store owner, very few things are worse than a vacuum that has been used to pick up carpet fresh. I absolutely despise seeing them brought in because it always means an extra 20-30 minutes trying to get rid of as much of that powder as possible. That powder sticks to everything and if it's a machine with a bad filtration system ( i.e single cyclone bagless, bagged unit with 1 ply bags) you're guaranteed premature motor failure. Even if it doesn't make it's way into the motor bearings, it will plug the filters causing less air to go through the motor and the less cooling air, the less life the motor will have. I've seen some machines that will be completely coated in the stuff and I've yet to smell any of powdered stuff that actually smells half decent.
We sell a product made by a company called Feather Lite. It's larger granules which helps with 2 things. One, it doesn't hurt the vacuum OR the carpet because of it's larger size and Two, the product hold it's fragrance much better. I've used it in vacuums at home before and even after 3-4 full uses, I can still smell it.
We sell a product made by a company called Feather Lite. It's larger granules which helps with 2 things. One, it doesn't hurt the vacuum OR the carpet because of it's larger size and Two, the product hold it's fragrance much better. I've used it in vacuums at home before and even after 3-4 full uses, I can still smell it.
The carpet fresh powders also bind up rollerbrush bearing-making them shot.The stuff is CORROSIVE to metal and even plastic vacuum parts,erodes fans-esp plastic ones.And another weird thing about that stuff-if it stays unpicked up in the carpet-when you do pick it up with another vacuum-smells HORRIBLE-sort of like dirty socks or feet.When I moved into the house I live in now-the former owner used the stuff-his vacuum must not of been very good-left a lot behind-I picked up like 3 SMELLY bagfuls of the stuff with my Royal metal upright.That was my move in vac-that and the metal Royal canister.My Kirbys were packed for the move.Sure the Kirby would have dug out that stuff as well.
mark40511
Well-known member
A good example
of me being paranoid about picking up non wettable stuff. 99 percent of the time, I don't, but there are a few times that I have run into using my rainbow, I make it to the bathroom to vacuuming the tile floors and notice someone has used Shower to Shower body powder and some of it got on the floor. I'm no chemist, but I would think that would be AS BAD for a vacuum as drywall dust or carpet fresh. So I guess that's why I try to add a little scented oil or jet dry to the water "just in case"..It only take ONE time for that stuff to get into your hepa.
of me being paranoid about picking up non wettable stuff. 99 percent of the time, I don't, but there are a few times that I have run into using my rainbow, I make it to the bathroom to vacuuming the tile floors and notice someone has used Shower to Shower body powder and some of it got on the floor. I'm no chemist, but I would think that would be AS BAD for a vacuum as drywall dust or carpet fresh. So I guess that's why I try to add a little scented oil or jet dry to the water "just in case"..It only take ONE time for that stuff to get into your hepa.
marks_here
Well-known member
I am the one
that started using jet dry in the basin to prevent the clear plastic from clouding up. I put it on a clean paper towel & wipe the entire inside, then I wait until it gets dry then I take a wash cloth & wipe any excess that still might be on there.
Using fabric softer WILL cloud the tank not to mention VOID any warranty because fabric softer is very slippery & the rainbow people know what's been vacuumed up.
You can also ad a drop of bleach to kill any micro-organisms that might be in there and never use dish soap, laundry detergent in there because it will cause the inside of the motor to RUST!!! I have seen it at the Rainbow Store....trust me they know what's been used in there when they take it apart and also how it smells becuase it wasn't stored properly. I have seen what sheet rock dust can do, turns the entire inside white of the motor & into the circuit board so...they know what they are talking about.
You can also clean your basin with Mother's Mag Rim Polish, and it does a wonderful job, make sure you get it all off the inside...makes old bowls look new??!! Ahyhow have a good one! Mark D :}
that started using jet dry in the basin to prevent the clear plastic from clouding up. I put it on a clean paper towel & wipe the entire inside, then I wait until it gets dry then I take a wash cloth & wipe any excess that still might be on there.
Using fabric softer WILL cloud the tank not to mention VOID any warranty because fabric softer is very slippery & the rainbow people know what's been vacuumed up.
You can also ad a drop of bleach to kill any micro-organisms that might be in there and never use dish soap, laundry detergent in there because it will cause the inside of the motor to RUST!!! I have seen it at the Rainbow Store....trust me they know what's been used in there when they take it apart and also how it smells becuase it wasn't stored properly. I have seen what sheet rock dust can do, turns the entire inside white of the motor & into the circuit board so...they know what they are talking about.
You can also clean your basin with Mother's Mag Rim Polish, and it does a wonderful job, make sure you get it all off the inside...makes old bowls look new??!! Ahyhow have a good one! Mark D :}
joshdonnell
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2010
- Messages
- 401
New Rainbow
I wouldn't ever use Bleach in a Rainbow . I hate bleach its toxic in my opinion . I would rather use tree tea oil it will kill anything in the Basin
I wouldn't ever use Bleach in a Rainbow . I hate bleach its toxic in my opinion . I would rather use tree tea oil it will kill anything in the Basin
man114
Well-known member
Ruined many a shop vac with fireplace ash but I'll be darned that I did it hundreds upon hundreds of times with a garbage picked Fantom Thunder and it still works. Only issue is if a large coal jammed the hose.
I wouldn't use the Rainbow for it, and personally I wouldn't recommend many machines for it. There used to be an ash vac attachment to do specifically this, dunno if it is still made.
I don't think rubbing alcohol would be a good idea, while it creates sheeting action it disrupts surface tension of water, which would probably hurt the dirt trapping of water. Jet Dry is more of a water softener. Oil would have its own density and would float above the water (or be stirred in in churning air as you can tell when you add an oil based fragrance to this or their aroma therapy machine)
Now if you think its easy to kill these machines, it may rust the motor, may clog the HEPA, but killing the machine is no easy task. I went to someone's house that used one to suck up drywall dust and did so without water. Machine was a mess but still worked, was a single speed E Series.
There are reasons 30 year old Rainbows are usually still working, just like 30 year old Kirbys, they're built well enough to tolerate quite a bit of abuse. You're going to have to do a lot more to kill it than a $50 department store model.
Really my advice would be don't vacuum up drywall dust and fireplace ash & don't store it on the basin if the basin is not 100% dry. If I vacuum every day with it I put the basin in the basement where I rinse it. If I don't use it for a few days I put it back on when it is thoroughly dry.
Other people forget to clean the seperator, usually you don't run into problems with this unless you vacuum up too much stuff without dumping the water.
If you use a fragrance in the water at least you can eliminate the need for carpet fresh. I'd never use that stuff the grit alone can't possibly be good for the carpet, not many machines could pull it up sufficiently.
Peronsally I bought my E Series from a thrift store for $20 in like new condition. I still take care of it as if I paid a lot, knew the machine going in before I got involved with selling them (and already had a D4, also second hand). I'd get many times what I paid in trade for a new one. Despite all that my HEPA filter is in really good shape. They won't pass much dirt to the HEPA if cared for and used properly and mine still has the old brush motor.
I wouldn't use the Rainbow for it, and personally I wouldn't recommend many machines for it. There used to be an ash vac attachment to do specifically this, dunno if it is still made.
I don't think rubbing alcohol would be a good idea, while it creates sheeting action it disrupts surface tension of water, which would probably hurt the dirt trapping of water. Jet Dry is more of a water softener. Oil would have its own density and would float above the water (or be stirred in in churning air as you can tell when you add an oil based fragrance to this or their aroma therapy machine)
Now if you think its easy to kill these machines, it may rust the motor, may clog the HEPA, but killing the machine is no easy task. I went to someone's house that used one to suck up drywall dust and did so without water. Machine was a mess but still worked, was a single speed E Series.
There are reasons 30 year old Rainbows are usually still working, just like 30 year old Kirbys, they're built well enough to tolerate quite a bit of abuse. You're going to have to do a lot more to kill it than a $50 department store model.
Really my advice would be don't vacuum up drywall dust and fireplace ash & don't store it on the basin if the basin is not 100% dry. If I vacuum every day with it I put the basin in the basement where I rinse it. If I don't use it for a few days I put it back on when it is thoroughly dry.
Other people forget to clean the seperator, usually you don't run into problems with this unless you vacuum up too much stuff without dumping the water.
If you use a fragrance in the water at least you can eliminate the need for carpet fresh. I'd never use that stuff the grit alone can't possibly be good for the carpet, not many machines could pull it up sufficiently.
Peronsally I bought my E Series from a thrift store for $20 in like new condition. I still take care of it as if I paid a lot, knew the machine going in before I got involved with selling them (and already had a D4, also second hand). I'd get many times what I paid in trade for a new one. Despite all that my HEPA filter is in really good shape. They won't pass much dirt to the HEPA if cared for and used properly and mine still has the old brush motor.
I know the rainbow is designed to handle regular household dirt and dust but I have already fired up the woodstove for the season(yes my rainbows never go near the stove) and I get a very fine dust covering everything and I know that some of it is probably ash dust and it just gives me piece of mind to have the jetdry in the water.
mark40511
Well-known member
Making the water wetter
must help in *some* ways, otherwise why would Rexair have made this for those occasions?
This is the stuff I was talking about that I've been told is nothing more than dishwasher rinse aid.........Though I can't be sure.
http://www.goodvac.com/Rainbow_AquaWet_p/r-sup-aqw-r2484.htm
must help in *some* ways, otherwise why would Rexair have made this for those occasions?
This is the stuff I was talking about that I've been told is nothing more than dishwasher rinse aid.........Though I can't be sure.
http://www.goodvac.com/Rainbow_AquaWet_p/r-sup-aqw-r2484.htm
mark40511
Well-known member
I think I posted these a while back
but will all this "Rainbow" talk recently, I'll add to this post.
After having used my Rainbow over 5 years I decided to change the filter. I purchased a "generic filter" on Ebay and I can't tell the difference at all.......
I cut into the hepa and tore it all apart to see what it looked like. It was very hard to tell in the case....It looks worse in the pic than it did in person, but as you can tell, it's not very dirty at all....so perhaps the drop or jetdry helps. The fans aren't dirty either.......
but will all this "Rainbow" talk recently, I'll add to this post.
After having used my Rainbow over 5 years I decided to change the filter. I purchased a "generic filter" on Ebay and I can't tell the difference at all.......
I cut into the hepa and tore it all apart to see what it looked like. It was very hard to tell in the case....It looks worse in the pic than it did in person, but as you can tell, it's not very dirty at all....so perhaps the drop or jetdry helps. The fans aren't dirty either.......
mark40511
Well-known member
fans
with hepa off
with hepa off
kirbylux77
Well-known member
For anybody reading this & wondering about using Jet Dry in the water basin to help make the water more "wettable" & help capture more dust....I just bought a E Series E2 one speed model, & have been experimenting a bit. I have figured out that you can add 1/8 measuring teaspoon of Jet Dry to the water. Using any more than that will cause the water to foam up. Also interesting to note, the shop I bought the Rainbow from says that using 1 tablespoon of Vinegar will also make the water more "wettable" & help reduce the amount of dust that gets passed to the HEPA filter.
Rob
Rob
joshdonnell
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2010
- Messages
- 401
Rainbow
I was wondering is the Hepa filter Moisture resistant?
I was wondering is the Hepa filter Moisture resistant?
rainbowjoel
Well-known member
I use Sugar
I warm up the water so sugar dissolves easier than cold water. I put 3 teaspoons in warm water and stir it. Then I add it to basin and fill up the basin with water. my fans on D4c and E2 still look cleaned. I had bad luck with jet-dry foaming. lol
I warm up the water so sugar dissolves easier than cold water. I put 3 teaspoons in warm water and stir it. Then I add it to basin and fill up the basin with water. my fans on D4c and E2 still look cleaned. I had bad luck with jet-dry foaming. lol
mark40511
Well-known member
vinegar
Hmmmm
I think I remember reading somewhere that vinegar does change the surface tension of water..............too bad I hate the smell
Hmmmm
I think I remember reading somewhere that vinegar does change the surface tension of water..............too bad I hate the smell
rainbowjoel
Well-known member
Eww I hate the smell of vinegar. Lol
