question about getting a new rainbow

[kirbyeureka95]

hey guys so i really want to get a new rainbow but my parents would only buy a vac that expensive for me if it was the family vacuum. The problem is that our maid comes every day and rotates through the levels daily for vacuuming, and she isnt very gentle with the machines weve given her (currenctly a dyson dc21 and an eletrolux epic [3500?]). So is it stupid to buy a rainbow as she would carry it up and down stairs without emptying it? I would make sure it is cleaned up every day i can, but idk if its a good idea. thanks!

 

[kirby519]

Being in the janitorial field I understand how hard people are on equipment. If it isn't theirs they don't worry about taking care of it. sounds like you have that going on there with the maid. At the price of the machine I wouldn't put it in the hands of someone that won't take care of it. You shouldn't have to follow around behind the maid and clean up the equipment that they are to use. Replace or repair due to normal wear and tear YES but not careless abuse.
I went many rounds with one of the supervisors over the care given to the equipment at a job site. I repaired the same machines many times as I would not invest in new machines to have them trashed in days. Even went as far as telling the owner of the co. that I would not buy new anything for that job site until they learned to take care of what they had. Several months and arguments later the message got thru.

 

[mark40511]

I don't know......

If the "maid" was going to use it I would be paranoid. I don't think I would spend that machine that someone else is doing to be using.....But that's just me.

 

[kirbyeureka95]

ok thanks for the advice

i think ill go for a miele instead since theyre easier to use for vacuum novices/laymen and can take a beating

 

[brandon_w_t]

Why would the maid have to use it anyways? Can't she just use the lux or dyson still? Or you could be the maid

 

[kirbyeureka95]

well...

im in school, and then this summer ill be in bolivia, africa, and 3 other states away from home, so i literally have no time. and the dyson is gunna need to be replaced within the year, so that why im thinking about a brand new one ( i rarely get new vacs for my collection)

 

[kirbyeureka95]

and...

i dont have $1500 to drop for a fully outfitted rainbow, but as i said, if its the family vac (family including maid), my parents would buy it

 

[vacman117]

I would say go for it. It's not like it can't be fixed.

 

[kirby519]

If you do go for buying a Rainbow for the maid to use. Take into consideration that that she may not want to mess with setting it up every time it is used. It will be the same routine about the Rainbow as it is about using a Kirby. To hard to use etc. Besides if it isn't getting the proper care you are going to be upset that the maid is destroying it and won't be the valued collectors item you want it to be.
You would be better off with with a plug in and go vacuum for the maid to use. You may have to save up and buy the Rainbow for yourself and your collection of vacuums.
Rainbows are nice vacuums but personally don't want one myself. First for the fact of the set up and take down no matter how big or small the job is. Secondly my cleaning pattern doesn't work well with a canister type vacuum. I used rainbows in the early 70's as a kid. It was fun to see how dirty the water got but that was the limit to my facination with the rainbow. The Kirby has always been my first love in vacuums. I have used the E2 model and still feel the same way 30 some years later. I'm a manager for a janitorial service and have first hand knowledge that employees don't want to put any more effort into a job than they are forced to.

 

[mark40511]

Not so sure that the "too hard to use" applies anymore with the latest Rainbow, with ONE hose only and direct connect, not having to clean the separator every time. Still somewhat of a chore but nothing like previous models. Even mine isn't that much of a pain.

 

[trebor]

Don't buy the Rainbow for the maid to use....

Despite the fact that it is easier to use
1) she will not use the Rain Jet and likely will not carry the Rainbow Mate along
2) she will NOT empty and refill the water when it needs to be changed
3) she will not either leave the machine running or take it off the basin when she stops cleaning for any reason, like to use the bathroom.

Why not get a Sebo Felix for the maid?

easy to get out, use and put away. upright format, even for bare floors, either by shutting off p/n or switching to bare floor nozzle, still gets under and around things, on board hose, convertible to hand held. easy bag change,

 

[kirby519]

In reply to Mark40511 and in agreement with Trebor you have now clue how difficult it is to get employees to to the simplest of tasks in maintaning equipment. It simply wont happen and the "to hard to use" no mater how simple it is will come into play. I learned how to correctly assemble the Kirby 519 my grandmother had by the age of 4. Im now 44. to me it is a no brainer. I have met numerous people that cant follow simple instructions and pictures in an owners manual for any make of machine. My boss the owner of the janitorial service I work for used my kirby at the office to clean is truck with one day. He has seen me set it up numerous times. That day he called me and said the he thought my vacuum was broken. He mentioned that it was blowing dirt all over the truck instead of sucking it up. I realized he hooked the hose up to the exaust on it instead of the intake on the front of it. Im not really surprized by this as he spells "vacuum" vaccume got to wonder about him.

 

[mark40511]

HUH?

NO.........I totally AGREE with Trebor, if you read my first post toward the top; I know people don't take care of things they themselves do not own. I realize this. I was just responding to the "too hard to use in general" part.......But even then, I wouldn't want a maid using the Rainbow.

 

[williamr1248]

question about getting a new Rainbow

Maybe we are attacking this problem from the wrong angle. If the person hired to do a job either refuses to respect your property or is careless with your home appliance,do you really want to trust that person with all your home's nice furniture? Do you really think you should be forced to use inferior equipment just because an employee is either not able to learn how to use the equipment or is so careless.
We had this same situation with a friend who became sick and had help to clean her house. Her carpets always LOOKED clean but when I checked her vacuum one day I had to use tools to even get the packed as solid as a brick vacuum bag out of her Riccar upright. I showed the cleaning lady how easy it was to change the bag and their were over 20 spare bags on the shelf. When I checked it again in several months-the same situation. The rug looked clean because the brush was picking up the loose stuff and fluffing the nap. What kept that Ricarr from being burned out I will never know. When we went into this house later to clean up after she passed on I took my Electrolux and filled bag,after bag after bag from clean looking rugs.

 

[mark40511]

Hey Rob

I know. It would be very hard to find someone to clean a house the way the person having it cleaned would want it. Someone hired to do something is always going to cut corners. I'd rather do it myself

 

[trebor]

Hiring a cleaning service is different from hiring an indivi

who is a professional cleaner. If they bring their own vacuum cleaner and supplies, they are considered an independent contractor. If all is supplied for them, they are an employee. If you pay an employee 600.00 or more per year, you must withhold taxes.

Having said that, if you want someone to clean, find someone who works independently, and has a folowing, preferably a waiting list. If someone depends on cleaning for their livlihood they are not going to work for minimum wage. They reserve your timeslot for you, and if you go on vacation, or don't show, you still pay for your time slot. You can cry unfair, and she will find someone to take your place in 15 min.

A cleaning person who will water plants, answer phones and write accurate messages, let the dogs in and out, not balk at cleaning up pet accidents, or cleaning the refrigerator is a gem. Expect to pay 100.00 bare minimum for 6 hours. He/she cn do a lot in 6 hours. I do every week.

Someone who will treat your home as if it were his/her own is a gem. They are out there.

 

[kirby519]

How very True Trebor. There are people out there that will respect your home the same way you would or better. And they are gems. We look for those same qualities in employees for commercial building services. As far as giving an employee inferior equipment that wasn't suggested. Just a suitable alternative that meets everyones needs. Maybe the family needs to install a built in system. This would sovle many concerns. They are easy to use. the hoses are light and the right system will out clean any portable unit. There is much less chance for damage and it also adds value to the property.

 

[kirbyeureka95]

i'd just like to say for the record,

my maid is a very nice lady and does all of those things mentioned above, and takes care not to damage expensive furniture, etc, i just meant from a water in a very expensive vacuum pov, i didnt know how well a rainbow could stand up to splashing etc. and i wouldnt have her use all the fun stuff, that id keep for when i use it

 

[kirby519]

For the Record

For the most part it is a durable machine. No it won't take being dropped down a flight of stairs with out some damage. As far as splashing water during use I don't see that as an issue as it was designed to be portable. Years ago we ended up vacuuming up a can of cleanser in our Rexair. Turned the stuff into shaving cream comming out the exaust. The machine still operated perfectly for my god mother who we sold it to. Well into the 80's before it went to vacuum heaven. When it is all said and done you have to decide how much you want to share the machine with some one else to use daily in light of the fact you would like to have it for your collection. Is that something you personally are willing to do. If so go for it. If not better buy it yourself so you have the final word about the how, when, where and by whom it is used.