Shampooer/Polisher History (Electrolux and Others)

[paul]

Please let me know if there is complete information (i. e. years, models, colors, styles, et cetera) on Aerus-Electrolux and other brand shampooers and polishers (don't know if they're one and the same machine). I tried finding the information online but was unsuccessful.

Also, are the machines as big of collectors as vacuum cleaners?

I saw a tan G-E polisher in a thrift store for $15.00 and wasn't sure if that was a good deal or not. It has some scratches and rust on its hood, and its functionality is questionable.

I wonder if the webmaster has considered having a shampooer/polisher forum?

 

[rugsucker]

Electrolux polisher/shampooer

Electrolux had a 3 brush polisher from Europe in the early days through the late 50s.Models were at least B-3 & B-6 in black or blue colors.The first B-7 polisher was painted to match Automatic F and had the T shape handle that continued into the 60s in blue Mo G colors.The handle was changed to the 'lawn mower' shape that could hold the new shampoo tank in mid 60s and was now the B-8 that continued in tan,blue,gold,brown and gray colors.Then the B-9/Floor Pro from the mid 80s.B-8 could be bought as polisher and/or shampooer.B-9 came with built in shampoo tank and could be bought with or without hard floor brushes.Hope this helps.

 

[electrolux137]

I'm pretty much equally crazy about floor polishers and vacuum cleaners! They both are very iconic from my childhood. Back in those days, every household who had vacuum cleaners also had polishers, frequently matching sets. And anyone who knows me knows just how absolutely batty I am for the 1949-1956 Electrolux air-powered floor polisher!

 

[paul]

Jimmy and Charles,

Thank you for the information and clarification (now I know that there is a difference between polishers and shampooers).

JIMMY, If you have exact years for each model I am interested in that--along with the corresponding colors and styles.

CHARLES, I would appreciate more information on the polishers either by post here or a link (I will take for granted that they had model IDs like the power nozzles and shampooers).

 

[luxman107]

That chrome Electrolux polisher is truly a thing of beauty.

 

[electrolux137]

It is pretty, isn't it -- but it's not chrome, just highly polished aluminum. I've never seen another one like it so I think it might have been the very first issue, since all the later ones were painted hammertone gray and then hammertone blue. It was very dull and tarnished when I found it, but after going over it with my electric buffing machine it took on a stunning appearance.

To Paul, Jimmy has already given you a thorough run-down on Electrolux polishers & shampooers. I don't know what I could add to his comments.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Kirby's first power polisher (with its own nozzle casting) was introduced in 1947, during the third and final year of the model 505. It was improved in 1954 with the model 514.

~Ben

 

[tolivac]

Any videos of the Electrolux and Compact air powered polishers in use-want to see and hear them work.And would like to get those someday.Also it was said Electrolux used an air powered motor powered by their vacuum cleaner to run a drill and circular saw.Again would like to see this-the Electrolux Handi Butler?

 

[electrolux137]

Polisher video [see link], and an article from Popular Mechanics about the new Turbotool with attachments for power saw, drill, and hedge clippers!



http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ownlLg-sA&list=PL8E4E6038D31F2059&index=9

 

[rugsucker]

a bit more-

The polisher Charles shows above(RARE-only one I know of polished)was mostly gray or blue and evolved into the first Elux shampooer with a smal tank on top and softer brush under.It then became the larger RugWasher in the 60s with the Mo G. and still had polishing brush.Later just a shampooer as it went from Mo G blue to tan,blue,gold,brown,gray and sandstone/jadestone.It was good for stairs,small areas such as closets,vans,etc but 3 brush polisher/shampooer was best ever with third brush balancing what is actually a very easy job.--The T shape handle polishers could have a can of wax on handle to drip through tube to floor.Later B-8s had a spry bottle to apply liquid cleaner/wax that cliped on handle bracket for storage.

 

[suckolux]

my neighbor lady that gave me the xxx machine also had an electric floor polisher out in her garage, quite old, Electrolux I think, 2 brush? Is that possible?They bought that house new in 44, her dad created the Tompson Seedless grape,miss the lady, she was a kick in the pants.

 

[tolivac]

The air tools for the electrolux-pretty neat-would be nice to have and to try them.There is something about air powered tools tool overs like-just can't pin it down-At the transmitter site we had an air powered grinder tool-ran from the site air compressor-100PSI used it for sanding and grinding arc marks from coils,transmitter cabinet walls and so forth.The main air compressor here is something like 40CFM 20Hp.It has two 10Hp pumps and a 70gal tank.The unit is only a few years old-replaced an older Worthington that blew its pump.It had 15Hp motor.
I have a stack of 1950's PM magazines-see if I have the one that has the article about the Electrolux air tools.
The link didn't work.
The polished electrolux polisher-so nice I would be afraid to use it and mess it up!So after looking at the info about the Electrolux air tools-makes the Kirby air powered Handi-Butler tools seem like toys.Wonder if the 'Lux tools would work on a Kirby in the hose mode?

 

[electrolux137]

Here's a corrected link to the one above. Don't know what happened to the first one...

 

[tolivac]

SUPER!!!I don't have any pretty wooden floors as in your house-just WW carpet-but want one of those anyway-and the tools-just because its a cool device.I would like to try the 'Lux device on my Kirbys and other vacuums.Bet it would LEVITATE on the NSS M!!!I like the SOUND the polisher makes-interesting.I beleive Compact-TriStar made a similar polisher-spinner.Good bearings in your polisher-note how long it took to "spin down" after you turned the 'Lux vacuum off that powered it.See what I mean that there is a weird fascination for air powered tools-even though electric ones are more efficient.With the "lux units rotary motion-would be easy to adapt it to power other things-like the drill,sander,saw that was in the magazine article.

 

[electrolux137]

Yes, the warbling, whistling sound is captivating. It first captivated me when I was a little toddler as I watched Mama use her polisher with her Lux E-A, and it still captivates me to this day!

I used to have an old NSS, the first model. It went the way of one of my "Great American Garage Cleanups." I hooked one of my polishers to it and, yes, I thought it was going to soar right into outer space!

Do you have any older Electroluxes?

 

[electrolux137]

[No message]

 

[suckolux]

Nice video Charles, a very different sound from the exhaust powered Compact we had.

 

[electrolux137]

Here's collector Roger Proehl showing his beautiful Electrolux Model XXX and polisher.

 

[suckolux]

Again, nice. Hard to beat the beauty of that XXX

 

[jfalberti]

I have a model XXX

but it doesn't seem like it has enough suction to run a polisher.  I wonder if it would?

 

[electrolux137]

You have to have a hose with an airtight seal.

 

[jfalberti]

I ordered a new hose

for it.  Hopefully it will improve the suction.  Is there anything else I can check on the machine that might cause air flow problems?

 

[electrolux137]

The hose is usually the biggest issue. Another thing might be that the fan blades are dirty but that's something of a delicate job that I personally wouldn't try to tackle. Getting the motor out is a pain, and getting it back in with the fans properly aligned and balanced is an even bigger problem. Also, of course, make sure the cloth bag is spotless. Whenever I empty one, I always whap it against the side of the building to dislodge all the fine dirt. You'd be surprised what a difference that can make.

You guys should keep your eyes on eBay -- polisher attachments turn up fairly often. I think there are a couple of them running now.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I have a compact c-1 polisher I'll have to see if I can post a pic tomorrow stay tuned

 

[electrolux137]

Odd Royal Polisher Attachments


Here's an odd floor polisher for y'all -- actually two of them, both the same mechanism but one is polished aluminum and the other one is black wrinkle finish.

I used to have an old Royal that these fit onto but I could never figure exactly how. I mean, obviously, the brush and wheels rested on the floor and the motor unit would be connected to the open "neck" on top. A long belt that looped around the brush and then around a sealed bearing which the motor shaft would press against. When the machine was running, the motor shaft would, by pressure somehow, spin the bearing which in turn would drive the rubber belt, which in turn would spin the brush.

But the thing is, there really wasn't any way (that I could figure out) how to get the motor unit attached in such a way as to be able to steer this thing. "The angle of the handle" was awkward no matter how I attached it. Does anyone have any info on these polishers, especially an illustrated instruction sheet?

It seems to be a really silly kind of "Rube Goldberg" contraption, and I wonder how effective it could possibly have been.

Stay tuned for a neat old Eureka suction-powered polisher.......

 

[electrolux137]

Royal polishers


Bottom view...

 

[tolivac]

Yes,I have a few older 'Luxes.The hoses are still pretty sound.got one from an Applianceville member-others from the trade in piles at vac places.One came from the dump.someone tried to use it without a bag-Used My M1 to clean it out.
When I lived in Wash DC,knew a man that was the manager of the large downtown DC 'Lux place on Embassy Row.Conn Ave.The Embassies were his main business-its like they would send their janitorial crew to the 'Lux place and pay CASH for several machines at one time and CASES of bags.Then the fellow ran a vacuum store in Manassas,Va.He knew "feild stripping" ANY Lux machine blindfolded-helpted him on a few occasions.He routinely stripped down machines and cleaned the motor fans-no real problem.I would dry the fan wheels and motor parts with a Royal canister set up as a blower.We did well.It was amazing how well the 'Lux vac worked after having the fans cleaned.And the inside of the fancase on the motor.Motor would run cooler,too.
Reusable cloth 'Lux bags-I vacuum them out like other cloth dump bags-with another vacuum-and one with a disposable bag.The cloth bag works much better!
Will start looking for a 'Lux polisher-and the Compact-TriStar one!

 

[tolivac]

I have two triple X 'Luxes-one from a lady who was about to THROW IT AWAY-was in nice shape-she said she used it when she was little-another came from the swap shop.Have two LX-the one with the bag ejector-in both the equipment for ejecting the bags is corroded away-but the motors work and the machine works.You just have to replace the bags manually.I would have to dig these machines out of my storage room-many others in front of them!

 

[electrolux137]

.
.

Here's an eBay listing showing the second version of the Electrolux air-powered attachment, the first to be called the "Turbotool." This was sold with the late run of the E-Automatic. You can see the various attachments here that came with it. The Rug Washer set came later, with the Model F. I'm guessing the Friendly Electrolux Man came by and showed the customer the new Rug Washer and s/he got it for their older Turbotool.

(I have posted this here instead of the "Super Market" Dept. since it has a direct correlation to this thread.)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Electrolux-TURBOTOOL-SCRUBBER-CLEANER-POLISHER-1957-/171044201428