SEmigewerbliche BOdenpflege Felix Vogue ECO!

[super-sweeper]

Thanks, again! 

 

[turbo500]

No problemo

 

[turbo500]

Just a heads up regarding the exhaust filters, they're NOT machine washable. I've just got my Felix back off my Mum and washed the filter on a wool wash, no less, and it's still fallen apart. The blue cover has come away from the filter so it's a bugger to get back on properly. The black carbon dust hasn't come off either.

 

[sebo_fan]

What a pity the outer cover came off.

The black carbon won't come off the filter, but it will be clean enough (should be dark grey) to use again.

Meanwhile use CIF on a sponge to clean the main plastic of the inner plastic - best chance of giving the Felix a cleaner chance of being used again either with existing filter or a new outer one.

 

[super-sweeper]

Sebo-Fan,I love that profile picture!! Funny!! 

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

I have washed them, as have my two other relatives who have Felix's and they have come out fine. Spotlessly clean and no damage at all. We put them in a small items bags, on a fast wash and low intensity cycle. Do it at your own risk anyway.

There has been no problems with removing those metal bars at the brush roll. They are there to stop the fleix from chewing rugs. It would have nothing to do with "balancing the brushroll". It works for me anyways.

No I do love this machine. It just has a couple of improvements over the older felix and the same performance. Win win !

 

[marcusprit]

It may have improvements. But having used both the Felix and the Dyson I know which cleans better manoeuvres better filters better has a better hose assembly and no bags or filters to purchase. I have owned the Felix for 2 years and have been very impressed with it but the Dyson takes vacuuming to another level )))

 

[marcusprit]

And I would not be washing the exhaust filter as it has not been designed to be washed. If you are going to own a bagged cleaner change the filter after 10 bags as recommended.Also don't empty the bags and reuse them as they will not give the same airflow because the electrostatic membrane will become clogged

 

[oliveoiltinfoil]

Well, it has worked for me and others I know who have done it. If it was causing damage of any sort of wasn't working properly, I would not be doing it, but so far, it is working.

 

[marcusprit]

If you want to be able to wash the filters and empty the bag/bin choose a cleaner that has been designed for this purpose. A bagless.
If you have a bagged cleaner change the bag when its full and change the filters at the recommended intervals.

 

[sebo_fan]

Removing anything invalidates the warranty

Oli - respectively - SEBO advised me in the early days not to remove anything from the soleplate that can damage the motor. The brush roll is held in by the side plate and the fly wheel. If the brush roll gets damaged and the vacuum has been registered for the 5 year warranty, SEBO will not honour the warranty IF grids or anything else is removed from the soleplate. Be warned. I really don't care whether you find it improves anything. It shouldn't really - the ACTUAL SCIENCE of vacuum air between brush roll and carpet has a fine layer of space between the carpet pile and the brush roll as it spins. Having the grid in place allows carpets to be properly vacuumed by pushing against the pile - by removing the grid, you're in danger of the brush roll UNBALANCING against the pile.

Marcus - a nice point there regarding the washing of filters. One must remember that not all buyers are going out to buy Dyson because of the expensive prices - and lets face it Dyson vacs are even more expensive than SEBO with some models. Buyers may no longer have to deal with the dust bag but they'll have to deal with washing filters whether they "want to" or not.

 

[marcusprit]

Washing the filter every 3 to 6 months is no big deal. Takes a couple of minutes. Yes Dysons are overpriced no denying that but you will save around £200 in filters and bags.
Anyway I have gone on about this topic for too long now. We all have our preferences what works for me might not work for someone else. Point is I have respect for Sebo very few have respect for Dyson even tho the DC41 Mk11 is extremely well engineered machine. I'll get off my soap box now

 

[sebo_fan]

Infact when I think about it, bagged vacs traditionally didn't require filters - its only been the appearance of allergies that filters were introduced on clean air vacs and in some ways in the early days, another thing to buy for the vac to keep it ticking along.

As far as I can see there were two main loyal owners of two particular brands - one brand didn't bother with upright filters whilst the other was far ahead of its time and required a filter to be replaced.

Now, even on a price competitive bagged upright such as Panasonic models or even Hoover's Purepower uprights, the filter care is a low level concern compared to those on a bagless vac. In short, bagless vacs aren't exactly that much of an improvement even if they do eliminate on buying dust bags.

 

[marcusprit]

I think Sebo did a good thing by putting the S class filter before the motor on the X series and the K series as it not only filters the dust be it also gives excellent protection to the motor ensuring a very long trouble free life.

 

[marcusprit]

And I was comparing the Dyson to the Sebo not Panasonic or hoover. And if you're an allergy sufferer as myself then good quality filters are essential. There are millions of allergy sufferers in the UK. And these filters have to be changed on a bagged cleaner. Miele HEPA filters are £20 plus £2.50 each bag.

 

[sebo_fan]

It doesn't really matter regarding what bagged upright you compare to Dyson, though in my experience. The filters on SEBO may be higher than ones fitted to Hoover or Panasonic, or even any other brand - what matters more is the fact that ANY bagless vac requires far more filter care which is useless for anyone with a dust allergy.

I don't agree that filters have to be changed on a upright with every brand though, Marcus. The only manufacturer who brainwashes short cost consumable parts is Miele in my experience.

With the SEBO X, the microfilter can be brushed clean, giving it a bit more time before it needs to be replaced. However, on some models I know some owners don't even bother changing the microfilter, undoing the computer ties and giving it a wash before installing it back onto the plastic grid sock and using fresh computer ties to keep it on. A few sellers on Amazon UK are now selling SEBO microfilters in this way to cut down costs on selling the complete unit with the plastic grid sock.

I haven't ever done this, but I have had a microfilter that wasn't replaced for three years - I didn't notice any less quality of the vacuum air that the SEBO put out. But I did brush clean the filter at different times whenever it looked dirty. Did I sneeze when I came into contact with the dirt? No. I did sneeze however when removing the dog hair that got stuck up the cyclone bin of my Vax Mach Air!

Granted there is also a carbon filter for the SEBO X motor - but the carbon emissions are low and less harmful with the filter in place. Carbon isn't such a big issue from a vacuum cleaner when central heating systems produce far more of the stuff, just because you can't see it. Plus, other uprights on the market don't have a carbon filter like the SEBO, other than maybe a few Hoover bagless uprights.

I think if you have a dust allergy, then the first thing your home requires is a decent air purifier rather than relying on a vacuum cleaner with high grade filters alone.

 

[marcusprit]

Yes I have a Blueair air purifier which has made a big difference. I highly recommend them to allergy sufferers.

 

[sebo_fan]

My aunt has a Bionaire and it seems to be very good. She also has my Panasonic bagged upright and a few other vacuums - all of them are bagged. Some are less than perfect but crucially they don't seem to make her allergies bad.

 

[marcusprit]

That's a good combination a HEPA sealed vacuum cleaner and an air purifier. It can make a big difference.An air purifier is a good idea for anyone really as breathing clean filtered air into the lungs can help everyone in the long term allergies or not

 

[sebo_fan]

Well, truthfully, or more realistically, HEPA filters aren't really HEPA by design - the proper ones derived from nuclear factories have far more layers including metal based layers.

HEPA filters in vacuums tend to be just paper pleats to trap dust particles. There should be more added in my experience, but then I think the costs would go up and its about time manufacturers made the HEPA cartridges with gloss repelling paper pleats to aid washing of them better for long term care. Some brands like the Panasonic upright I bought have a completely manufactured paper pleated cartridge that can't be washed - otherwise it disintegrates, thus requiring a costly replacement.

Earlier this year Miele also changed their filters - the Active Air Clean filters offer better value than their HEPA ones IMHO and being on average £5 or so less expensive may have something to do with it. The new ones appear to have no charcoal layers fitted (though I may be wrong, but there was confusion on here due to some U.S members reporting that the HEPA filter does have charcoal fitted).

The Miele AAC filters have charcoal added AS WELL as the paper pleated cartridge - but as far as I know the newer HEPA filters have eliminated the charcoal layer now and have just added paper pleats.