Using the Rainbow

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sing the Rainbow

Next move to the hardwood floors. This machine comes with the floor brush and it stores on the machine. I prefer it to using the power nozzle.

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Using the Rainbow

Now the hard stuff-cleaning the dried mud and salt from the garage floor. This is where my other high end bagged machines clog and you lose the air flow and suction in about 2 swipes of the wand.
I have been using my old Rainbow SE for this for years and years and it is still clean as ever. I do change the water every 20 minutes.

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Using the Rainbow

Now I move back inside and scrub the floors. Just replace the bottom electric wand with the floor squeegee and when you finish no mess-just suck up the remaining water from the bottle into the Rainbow stainless wands and it cleans the hose and wands like new every time. Nothing to clean up but empty and rinse the water basin.

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Using the Rainbow

Look at the stuff that came off the garage floor.
I just love the fact that there are no bags to buy and my hepa filter has been in almost 2 years and still as white as new. The ONLY thing to remember with the Rainbow is to change the water every 30 minutes. I always start with a clean,sanitary mahine every time and you never have to store filth in a closet week to week.
That's about enough cleaning for one day!

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Aaaaaahhhh I'm at war with myself. I want the new Aerus Platinum but every time I see this I want it all over again. I love it's attachments. Your carpets look so clean! My mother has almost that same color. Hers is more like a light sand color, only ever been vacuumed with a Kirby.
 
Using the Rainbow

Dan,
I know what you are saying. I used a Kirby for many years but it got too cumbersome and was giving me problems with the allergies. I just have found that I have less dust in the house with the Rainbow. The Rainbow is NOT the right vacuum for everyone. I was a hard sell case but Ken Bashford sold me on the new machine. You have to use the Rainbow ALL THE TIME to see and feel the benefits if you have allergies and it sure helped me. I had a Rainbow SE for many years, but I found it too difficult to use and too many parts. It never gave me any problems or repairs over the years. Even some of the most expensive other makes I have used-the second you turn them on-you smell dust and a foul odor.
 
Hey Rob

Good to hear from you. Rainbow still looks great.......

I LOVE mine. I also love my epic6500.....But I still wouldn't want to be without my Rainbow. It's hard to describe to anyone the different kind of clean the house feels like after using one as opposed to a typical vacuum, even though typical vacuums are doing their job, but I don't think as well. It's a different level.
 
Using the Rainbow

Mark,
It HAS been a long time since we have talked. I sure like the looks of Dan's new LUX. I have NOT babied my Rainbow in any way. I do ALWAYS empty the basin and watch the separator and clean when it needs it (like after doing that horrible job in the garage).
I had the SAME experience you did when I checked my hepa filter. I bought a replacement as I am nearing 2 years and my old one is still perfectly clean.
I think the secret is just changing the water after about 30 minutes.
You can wipe the inside of even my old machine and the exhaust is as clean as new after all those years.
The house actually smells better when you finish.
I noticed after I had been using ONLY my Rainbow for at least 6 months the total dust level in the house decreased and I do not have to clean the separator that often after I got a lot of the dust removed that I had been busy redistributing over and over again.
 
I confess to being lazy and using my Kirby Heritage II with hepa bag installed for the past month. My allergies have been going crazy so I finally brought out my Rainbow SE PN2 and cleaned the entire house. After 15 mins of use my allergies quit. I've been toying with the idea of buying the new Rainbow but the old is still working great so I'll wait, dream and drool over the new one.
 
Holy sh** I can't imagine using my rainbow in my garage. I am very particular as to what goes into it. I can't believe you have to change the water every 30 minutes. I vacuum my whole house and never dump the water until I am completely done and the inside of the rainbow and the filter are as clean as the day I bought it of course my water is only slightly cloudy when I'm done
 
Using the Rainbow

Chris,
Maybe I need to clarify. I dump the water every 30 minutes when I am using the machine for a real dirty job like the porch or gargae floor. In regular use I would only dump the water when I finish a floor and would be ready to take it upstairs. When you first start using a Rainbow the basin seems to get a lot more dirt and grit but after a few months use the amount of dirt and grit will be less and as you say you can do the whole job before needing to empty the basin.
You should try it for some of the more difficult jobs. It is the only machine I have ever used on the porch that does not clog up and lose the air flow almost immediatley and so much easier than the old hose,bucket and squeegee.
I have done it for years and years with my old Rainbow and it caused no damage to the machine.
The Rainbow's constant air flow really proved itself to me when we put in flagstone walks around the house this last summer. Grit being tracked into the house every day. The Rainbow did not clog and lose air flow when the other bagged and bagless machines would lose air flow in just a few minutes use.

Most the other machines made the carpet "look" nice and brushed but they were not able to get the sand and grit after a small amount of the sand and dirt from the new walks had plugged up the pores in their bags,bins and filters. Some even still had very strong suction but had lost a lot of air flow. This is another extreme example where I changed the water every 30 minutes use.
I hope this helps clarify.
 
I might get a Rainbow ...

If I had a maid coming in every day to use it.

Otherwise, the whole Broadway production of filling, changing, filling, changing, rinsing, and cleaning the vacuum every time you use it is just unrealistic for someone who has to work outside the home for a living.
 
I won't let my housekeeper touch my Rainbow!

I've already replaced 2 cords on my XL21 this year because my maid has torn them up. She's not getting near my Rainbow!
 
Using the Rainbow

Dear NYCWriter,
I liked your post and loved your style.
To be somewhat serious I think you are 100% correct in that a Rainbow is NOT a good choice for your situation.
The Rainbow is best suited for:
(1) a user that has serious allergies because you NEVER handle the dust when filling or emptying the basin.
(2) If you are a clean freak with housekeeping
(3) you prefer to buy only once (Rainbow only has one product and made in USA) and prefer a tank type or canister machine

I can assure you we don't have a Broadway Production every time I use the machine.
Hey it's the midwest!
My new Rainbow has all direct connections,long hose and power cord and it came with a chrome door storage rack for the hose and tools. Everything is up off the floor.
I NEVER do more than just a quick rinse the basin at the end (unless it is an extreme job like the garage floor)and I keep the basin in the bathroom for quick fills and dump at completion. It takes no more than 30 seconds.
Anyway, I just wanted to tell you I enjoyed your humor and post. I think from what I read on your other thread you would be well served with a good quality bagged upright with attached tools. Good luck.
 
My New Rainbow

I can't even use. Because one of the dogs chewed up the cord so I cut out the bad spot of cord, spliced the cord back together, but I don't feel safe using it that way, So I ordered a new cord for the machine from the dealer where I purchased it from. The cord is here but I have no idea how to install the new cord. So the Rainbow just sits there and looks pretty... Dan
 
One day

I timed how long it took me to put my Rainbow away from the minute I turned it off and was finished, until I shut the door to the closet where it is stored.
First thing, I took the unit off the basin and wrapped the cord up. Took the separator off. Took the dirty water, dumped in toilet and flushed. Went to kitchen sink and cleaned the basin & separator and used the same clean rag to quickly wipe outside of the basin to dry it, put back on caddy, hung hoses and shut the door.

Total time: 4:30 seconds.
 
Rainbow cleaner-have my newest one-and yes use it after the Kirby, Meile, or the Sebo-like em all.Most of the time I just dump the dirty water bin outside.then as the Rainbow salesman says"The dirt is OUT of the house"I like to use the deoderizers in the bin.Makes a nice smell.The saleswoman gave me several when I bought my machine.She asks you what your favorites are-and gives you some of them.I find using the Rainbow really doesn't take any longer than other vacuums.I find with my usage I don't need to clean the separator after each use.Just check it-if dirty-then clean it-takes only a minute.The Hyla I got from the Rainbow dealer was choked with long dog hair-cleaned it out-the machine works-but not as nice a quality as the Rainbow.The powernozzle hose handle is cracked.The quality of the plastic in the Hyla isn't as good as the Rainbow.
 
One day ...

I timed how long it took me to put my Fantom away from the minute I turned it off until I shut the door to the closet where it is stored: 20 seconds.

Compared to Mark's four and a half minutes -- that's a four minute and ten second savings.

That doesn't sound like much, but if you use your vacuum three times a week like I do, that savings adds up over the course of a year to nearly TWELVE HOURS.

That's nearly an entire waking day of your life every year fussing with a water pan.

And even on a daily level, any New Yorker can tell you what a difference four and a half minutes makes. It means the difference between catching or not catching that subway train, which means the difference between catching or not catching that transfer out out to JFK, which means the difference between missing or not missing your $1500 non-refundable, non-transferable flight to that meeting in LA you will miss that COULD have meant a multi-million dollar Hollywood deal.

If only you weren't pissing around with a vacuum water pan.
 
Good point NYCwriter

but I'd for me those hours can be deducted for merely not having to dust of vacuum as often. I think the chore I hate most is dusting but I'm a clean freak and hate disorder.
 
Using My Rainbow

Hey NYCwriter,
I thought we had this settled. You have to STAY AWAY from a Rainbow but if you must, PLEASE let me train you on set up and storage. My friend Mark takes WAY too long with his machine. Mark does take excellent care of his things-I have to admit he made a good point. If you take 20 seconds with the Fantom and I can train you to take only 30 seconds with a Rainbow-you will save the other 10 seconds on the dusting and cleaning up the after mess of emptying the dirty dust from a bin.
Just remember "Wet dust can't fly" What a fun thread! I do know they don't have time to waste in NYC. New York, a great place to live and even better to visit! !
 

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