Rainbow E2 expectations

[tekjunkie28]

Hey all. I have a new Rainbow E2 that I've had for about a month. I enjoy using it but I feel like I'm not getting all I can out of it. I feel like my Kenmore elite made the carpet fluffier and brought back the nap much better then the rainbow. I also have been trying to get the water in the basin to precisely line up with the full marks and with that how do I know when it's time to change the water? The manual just says "when water agitation is reduced significantly" or something like that. I know the 1st few times I probably went too long. I checked the hepa filter and it looks okay. Maybe very very Slightly dirty.... is that really bad? I know on my Dyson I had years ago and the kenmore the hepa filters turned black because of the carbon dust from the motor. I sometimes feel like I should have bought the Kirby. I feel that would have given me a better clean and reset the nap.
How fast should I vacuume with this thing?

I also have the Aquamate and feel like it's cleaning well but maybe I'm not going slow enough for using enough soap. My carpet is matted down and kinda sticky. I suppose the sticky is from the old soap abd I tried to get it out but idk how. Will my carpet ever been in good condition again? It's only 3 years old.

 

[floor-a-matic]

Rainbow--You're supposed to change water every 15-30 minutes MAX; don't vac clean with one filling of water


 


AquaMate--Either you've put too much shampoo in the soap compartment OR you've put shampoo in WATER ONLY compartment or U are using non-Rainbow shampoo.  U need to move the AquaMate forward with shampoo & water; then move it back with water only


 


Is your AquaMate the one with brush roller or do U have to connect water supply hose to a faucet?

 

[tekjunkie28]

No no. I only use 1 cap of soap in the soap area and add water. Then I add just water to the water only area. My issue is that my carpets still have soap in them from my last shampooer I guess... even though I am a stickler for cleaning with pure water. I have gotten some of the soap out but idk how there is that much in it. I have only shampooed with soap a few times. I have the Aquamate 3. Everything is brand spanking new.

 

[mark40511]

Before I got my Aquamate 3

I used vinegar and hot water to clean my carpets with my hoover steamvac. Mainly because I did not have a rinse function and my carpets weren't horribly dirty. I did not like the idea of not rinsing so luckily my carpets have no soap residue in them. Now that I have aquamate and I can rinse, it's great. Unfortunately, I have berber very low pile carpet, so I add a hand weight to the top of the aquamate as I push so it can extract more water - I had to do this same thing with my hoover steamvac. Berber carpets are harder to use a carpet washer on because the pile is so low.

 

[tekjunkie28]

I shampooed the carpets downstairs which have never been cleaned by me and it worked great. This thing really gets carpets dry. What I don't like is that the power head is too light. It just bounces on that carpet. It's not Berber but it's like a dense low pile.

 

[mark40511]

It IS TOO LIGHT

And it even gets lighter as you use it because the heavy water slowly goes into the carpet and get sucked into the basin, making the head lighter as you go, which is why I lay a hand weight on mine as I use it. Makes a huge difference.

 

[tekjunkie28]

Where can I get a carpet rake. What are some steps to bring back the nap? Is the mop and mini jet the rainbow worth it? When do I know I need to replace the HePA filter?

 

[electroluxxxx]

If used properly the hepa should last you 6 years or more with no issue. If you were to get the rainjet get the super mop with it as they work rather well. The mini jet is a great attachment for stairs and cars as well as upholstery. Now I may work for rainbow but I'll give you only honesty and no sales pitch lol.

 

[tekjunkie28]

LOL. Thanks. I'm still a little sour about paying as much New as you do but I have gotten the shampooer and the rain mate or whatever. I think that after u get all the parts that it's a decent deal especially for how long it lasts and the warranty. You really get what u pay for. The vacuum is more expensive even used then a Kirby but you get a very mobile and agile cleaner. I thing the Kirby is in my future also as a carpet cleaner but the rainbow is just so versatile. IMO with both is the ultimate cleaning arsenal.


How much do you trust the carpet and rug institute for certification on these cleaners?

 

[electroluxxxx]

As far as the carpet and rug institute goes, I actually like their ratings. The rainbow does a wonderful job and for the price you pay it really isn't bad considering when I go and give trade In deals I usually have an owner pay less than they would if it were their first machine. I am EXTREMELY conservative on what I spend but if it is worth it then I'll have no issue. I have owned SEVERAL rainbows over the years and used to refurbish and sell them while still in high school for some extra cash. Being one who loves the product I will say that I will never be without one.
Keep this in mind too, the new power nozzle LOVES Berber carpet and to be honest I have never pulled as much crap out of a Berber with any other vacuum nozzle than the new rainbow nozzle. Kirby is a very decent machine and many people seem to love them. I am not a fan of the weight from the G3 on up to the avalir so I wouldn't spend the amount that they ask for. I am perfectly happy with the heritage series down to the early early models as they were lighter yet still very effective.

 

[tekjunkie28]

I have Berber in the back bedrooms. I'm not a fan of it since I worry about pulling the threads. My sons room was extremely dirty and the Aquamate did AMAZING on it. Too bad it's completely worn out. My power nozzle bounces on my low pile carpet in the den. I hate it and that's why I am looking for a Kirby for cheap just for that.


What are some other tips you can give me on my rainbow to maximize its capability.

A few questions I have is
1. How many times to you run over an area with the soap before rinsing with the Aquamate?
2. How fast to you move the power nozzle when you vacuum? I feel like I go so slow sometimes and too fast others.
3. We have semi hard to hard water around here. Do I need to get that water wetter stuff? Ive heard of people using the jet dry to make the water "wetter"

 

[electroluxxxx]

For question number 1, it usually depends on the carpet and the stain normally I just go over it once or twice and then rinse, as far as the skipping goes that is because of the carpet being extremely worn or you aren't going with the grain of the carpet . I have had this happen.
Vacuum speed I tend to like to go slow to medium to make sure I'm actually cleaning rather than just grabbing the surface dirt.
Hard water, I'm not too sure about that one. Never really experienced that before. So that may be a question for someone else here.

 

[tekjunkie28]

Yea apparently rexair made a additive called aquawet or something that make the surface tension lower so it captured more non or less wettable material.

The carpet that the head bounces on is low pile. Shortest pile carpet I've seen that's non Berber or something. It's not a loop type pile, it's twisted. It seems like really nice carpet and has help up EXTREMELY well. It was here when we moved it and I haven't done anything but vacuum it. Just started to shampoo it and it's still looks great.

 

[mark40511]

My Gold 2 speed

PN skips when I go the wrong way on my berber. If I go the right way it's smooth as silk. I had never experienced this until the rainbow PN though. But if you go the right way with the rainbow PN, it won't skip, but that's not always easy to do. If you slow down, it won't skip nearly as much.

 

[tekjunkie28]

There is apparently 3 different brushes for the side belt model PN. The factory version and then a medium version but I'm not sure it's genuine. Then there is a softer mode that's says is designed not to skip on lower pile carpets.

 

[tekjunkie28]

Do y'all work in a 3x3 area like the instructions say for the Aquamate?

 

[tekjunkie28]

Also my fan below the separator is getting dirty? Yellowish and also the hepa has a very very slight yellowish tinge. We don't smoke or anything so idk what it is??? Does it need to be fixed? New hepa??

 

[floor-a-matic]

Either your vacing non-wettable dirt (fireplace ash, plaster dust talcum powder) or not changing water often

 

[tekjunkie28]

There's nothing in this house that's non wettable. I now add a splash of vinegar in the water. I follow the instructions to a T. When should the hepa be replaced?