Poor filtration on Shark vacuums

[niclonnic]

Gottahaveahoove, funny thing is, last month, I saw a Shark box in the recycle bin at a traumatic brain injury (TBI) home. Eventually, I saw one of my friends using the Shark, and it looked like it did a great job! The filter wasn't too dirty the last time I saw it.

HVRVACLVR, I do the same thing on my free time occasionally! My sister thinks I'm a weirdo, though. BTW, did you know that you and I have the same first name?

 

[tolivac]

Watched the video about the Shark-not a Shark cleaner fan. Out My way they are stocked at WalMart.Get plenty of Sharks at the Sew&Vac place needing to be unclogged-funny yours got dirt in the bin-users taking them to the vac place--NO dirt in the bin but in the hoses and power nozzle necks.Lift Away Pros.

 

[niclonnic]

How strange!

A similar thing happened at the family center a few months ago. One of my friends was using the Shark Rocket, and she managed to clog it. I could hear a change in the noise of the vacuum. Eventually, I found the culprit: a scrap of paper was stuck in the hose handle! I was able to remove it using a straightened paper clip. After that, the vacuum worked great again.

On a related note, there is a Bissell Lift-Off Floors & More cordless 2-in-1 stick/hand vac at a restaurant which gets clogged CONSTANTLY. This is due to weak suction and narrow openings. I'm the only one who unclogs it, as nobody else really bothers to do it. A lot of the times, I find clogs in the floor nozzle neck. I have to wear gloves, then reach into the floor nozzle opening and unclog the air passageway.

Poor filtration is not only limited to Shark vacuums! The Bissell that I mentioned has TERRIBLE filtration. I am attaching a pic of the Bissell's filter, which got really clogged with cottonwood seeds.

 

[mark40511]

I don't have the powered lift away

I have the non powered lift away. The ONE thing I remember being so shocked about when I first used it was how quickly the foam filter got dirty. And as I'm using the Shark, I'm thinking to myself about all the RAVE reviews on Amazon and I'm thinking WTH?? I do NOT use it in any way other than in upright mode vacuuming carpets. I use it to run through the house daily, and I use my rainbow to clean the shark bin and the filters....they get dirty so quickly!!

Remember the infomercial where they put the Shark in a bin showing how completely sealed it was an nothing leaks? It was some sort of demonstration with flour or baking soda I think, and nothing leaked. But I'm sure the filters were a mess after that demo (of course, they don't tell you that on the infomercial) Then they did the same to another vacuum and it leaked like hell. Unless you keep those filters clean, it will become a crappy vacuum......The one thing is the filters are REALLY super easy to clean as is the bin....It takes no time to clean them...

It's a light vacuum and has great suction as long as you keep everything maintained.....But I hate the canister part of the vacuum and the tools are not that great. I use my Rainbow for dusting and things like that.

IF I had it to do over again, I would NOT buy a Shark vacuum, but instead, a good bagged upright since I need something to run through the house quickly everyday....So when my Shark dies, I won't be getting another one.

 

[niclonnic]

I agree

Going back to the beginning, that was the whole reason I started this thread. I've never watched an entire Shark infomercial, so I can't comment on comparisons with other machines.

The Shark Rotator Lift-Away vacuums include a canister caddy and an abundance of tools! I don't think I would like that aspect of these vacuums. Having to switch between the floor nozzle and the canister caddy looks too complex and inconvenient. Plus, all these pieces would take up a lot of space in my closet! I doubt I would use them all.

I'd rather have an upright with a hose that's always ready to go! On my current vacuums, I just detach the hose, attach my desired tool(s) and vacuum away. Done, put the hose and tool(s) back, and I'm off!

Now, don't get me wrong, but I do like some aspects of Shark vacuums. They're quiet, have great suction and are easy to maneuver, due to swivel steering.

At the end of the day, I probably wouldn't buy a Shark vacuum due to poor filtration and a convoluted attachment system. My ideal vacuum will need to have cyclonic technology consisting of two or more cyclones. Or I could go for a bagged machine.

False advertising...

 

[hepa]

My bagged Oreck

Traps all the pet smells from my tiny Chinese crested and North American short hair cat that my Shark doesn't manage to do. Not sure why, even when sucking up the fresh aroma crystals it seems to still linger until I change the HEPA "Charcoal" bag. Bagged are great though for the capture carpet cleaning powder that just would make a mess of any bagless unit.

Honestly most American's could care less about filtration quality or anything that vacuum enthusiast care about, hence why so many horrid Bissell Helix's and Eureka's fly off the shelf now a days at Wallyworld, and the Aerus shops and local Sew and Vac's are seeing a decline or sometimes going out of business all together.

 

[suckolux]

Quiet may be a bit kind...

 

[niclonnic]

Yes

Bagless vacuums have a tendency to smell bad, especially if you have pets. My Hoover Windtunnel uses a HEPA "charcoal" exhaust filter that traps pet odors. It works pretty well!

Now, carpet cleaning powder is like Kryptonite to bagless vacuums. It is so fine that it gets to the motor and may cause overheating!

 

[tolivac]

Depends on WHAT sprinkle down carpet deodorizer you are using----DO NOT USE the carpet "sprinkles" that contain sodium carbonate or even baking soda.They are the killers of vac motors-the fine powder gets into bearings and destroys them-corrosion and abrasive.Use a carpet sprinkle called "featherlyte" this is so much better-safe for any vacuum.Vac shops usually carry Featherlyte.For some vacuums-the warratees are invalidated if you use the carpet deodorizers that contain baking soda or sodium carbonate.

 

[mark40511]

I remember seeing featherlyte

when I was browsing goodvac.com. I wondered about it. I haven't used carpet powder since, gosh, growing up in the 1980s?

All this talk about shark filters made me wash my 2 filters yesterday. They are really easy to wash. I took a look at the hepa and it doesn't look bad. It looks like mostly carbon dust on it.....which leads me to another question. Does carbon dust clog hepa filters?

 

[sptyks]

It doesn't really matter what carpet fresh powder you use if you have a Direct Air vacuum with a sealed fancase such as Kirby or Royal. The motors on these machines are completely sealed off from the dirty air path. The cloth type HEPA bags are also not as susceptible to getting clogged up as other types of bags. 

 

[sebo_fan]

They may not be susceptible to powder, but I've certainly seen a fair amount of Kirby soft bags with zips clogged with pet hair.

 

[sptyks]

That's because whoever owned that Kirby let the bag get too full and the pet hair and dirt had no where else to go. I'll bet the inside of the permanent outside bag was filthy. That's what happens when folks get too lazy to change the bag when it's full.

 

[sebo_fan]

Yes, probably Stan -but the famiy concerned don't bother with vacuum maintenance, hence the reason for buying the Kirby in the first place. Proof that not vacuums are perfect or maintenance free. Or for that matter in the hands of non-collectors, many owners simply don't bother until something breaks.

 

[niclonnic]

Sebo_fan

That's exactly why I started this thread. We're not perfect. Vacuums aren't perfect. It's a challenge for the whole industry. Vacuum manufacturers do the best they can to design a good vacuum cleaner. But every machine has weaknesses, in addition to regular maintenance. Owner's manuals have a troubleshooting section near the end. It lists common problems, along with possible causes and solutions. So the average owner should keep that in mind if they have an issue with their vacuum.

Most of the time, I will only use one vacuum until something breaks on it. I'm kinda picky about what I use.

 

[suckolux]

Most I have spoken to have no idea where the owners manual is or if it had one! People just don't seem to take great care of things

 

[sebo_fan]

Well Nick, your initial post to this thread doesn't highlight that vacuums aren't perfect.

Perfection cannot be defined as there are too many variables to what perfection means.

Poor Filtration on Shark vacuums doesn't mean the vacuum is completely imperfect.

For example when I was little, my parents were happy with their metal bodied Hoover Junior or Hoover Lark as it was known in the U.S. In my father's eyes, the Junior uprights were "perfect," even if, in their life time of the 2 Juniors that we owned, soft bag replacements were required periodically because of my mother's lack of patience when it came to changing the inner dust bag. The front panels on the hoods also took a brutal beating and some needed replacements.

Looking back, I would say it was the perfect vacuum cleaner because it lacked power when the hose was attached and I used to hate the appearance of dust on the outer bag. But to my parents the Junior was great to use and just did the job it was designed to do.

The post underlines that you, as a collector has bothered to worry about the vacuum's design and maintenance where emptying the dust is concerned.

Other owners simply don't bother. We can't change what average Joe does. No matter how messy vacuums get in his/her ownership. Owners have a right to do what they please. They will only learn to change opinion the hard way when something close or themselves gets hurt with an appliance because of sheer ignorance.

Where user manuals are concerned though I have only ever seen one brand where the user manual has its own slot stored on board - the SEBO C canisters. The tool door has a rather handy slot where the booklet can be slid out and read.

 

[niclonnic]

Interesting...

When I was a little kid, my parents owned a Fantom Fury vacuum. They bought it off of an infomercial around the late 90s. It was in my mind the best vacuum cleaner ever made. I remember when my mom used it as our daily driver in our 2-bedroom apartment with dark brown carpeting and three cats. I also remember the way that the collection bin was emptied.

Now if anybody is wondering, what is the deal with my vacuum cleaner obsession? I have autism. There's just something about vacuums that fascinates me. I think it's the way that they operate and make noise. Using one gives me a sense of satisfaction that I'm getting things clean.

Funny thing is, 10 years ago, I was in 5th grade and I was NUTS about vacuum cleaners! I would have regular conversations at school with my teachers about vacuum cleaners, and they would bring in photos and manuals of their machines. It may sound crazy, but it is a true story. But ironically, I never operated a vacuum back then, because I was afraid of the noise. So I gave up on vacuums after "graduating" from elementary school.

A few years later, we got a Dyson DC07 Animal, and being 13 at the time, I eventually decided to give vacuuming a shot. It was a great experience. I got hooked pretty quickly.

Somehow, this simple childhood fascination has evolved into one of my greatest passions. I am a bit of a collector. I study the design, maintenance and manuals of vacuums.

Yes, I have been to other places where owners don't bother with maintaining their vacuums. Earlier today, I was working at a restaurant, and they have a Bissell cordless stick/hand vac. When I got to vacuum, the thing was clogged at the floor nozzle. I've had to unclog that numerous times, as well as empty the dust bin before and after using it. I've also had to untangle the brushroll. However, nobody has complained of the vacuum not picking up right.

On those SEBO canisters that you mentioned, having the manual on board must be really handy, especially if you have a problem with your vacuum! You can just slide out the manual from the tool door rather than digging through your house to find the right manual.

Below is a pic of what looks like the Fantom Fury I used to own. This is not my pic, it's from an online listing for the Fury.

 

[hepa]

Nick,

It's funny that you mention you have Autism and the reason you like vacuums.. I have Aspergers a form of Autism and that is the same reason for me liking them.. Never had anyone who I have been able to relate with. It explains my reasoning for me loving washing machine's as well, I just purchased a TL LG HE set with glass windows to *see it clean*.

 

[niclonnic]

HEPA

I have Asperger's as well! Funny thing is, I also love washing machines! I got an LG FL washer two years ago, and it's been fantastic. I enjoy watching it wash clothes.

Very interesting to find another member who has the same disability that I have!