Using your attachments

[rivstg1]

This applies to many brands of vacuum cleaners, and especially to we collectors/ connoisseurs .... I want to encourage you/remind you to use the attachments for your favorite vacuums ! I actually enjoy using them...almost like a toy, in a fashion, and to more fully utilize your vacuum cleaner. Most of mine are Kirbys and I don’t see it as a chore to pull out those accesssories used for upholstery/hard floors/dusting/wall cleaning ...again...it’s kinda fun to me and that why I out so much effort into colllecting the particular models’ ‘extras’. It’s more boring to just vacuum basically.... does this approach resonate with any of you? Yes, sometimes you just need/want a quick p/u of a spill etc...& use the power head on the vac as normal... but do you get any satisfaction in more fully cleaning your area with all the ‘extras’?

Kelton

 

[completenutt]

Affirmative!

I try to always pick the best attachment/tool for the job.  It's fun, and you can mix it up however you want whenever you want!

 

[compactc9guy]

Yes

Oh for sure yes ,
Whit my Compact i have a box Full of attachment for my vacuum mix it up a tool for every job for sure always fun.

 

[huskyvacs]

I love the Electrolux horsehair brushes, so soft.

This Bissell scoop and sweep tool is also pretty handy.

 

[tolivac]

Can't the vacuum shown in the picture suck up the debris WITHOUT using the small whisk brush?

 

[human]

I have never gotten the hang of quickly removing the floor nozzle from a Kirby to convert it to a quasi-canister. I remember being very impressed watching a Kirby demonstration in our home. I was about 10 years old at the time and thought it was very cool that the machine could be reconfigured in so many different ways. The salesman could remove and install the nozzle on the Classic Omega he was demonstrating in about two or three seconds but I've never been able to accomplish the task in less than two or three minutes. As a result, I just turn to one of my Electrolux canisters if I need an accessory tool (dusting brush, crevice tool, etc.). It's faster, easier and less frustrating.

 

[electrolux137]

~
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I use the Kirby attachments occasionally just for fun, but the power and efficiency are greatly lacking. As my mom once said, "Kirbys make a lot of noise but very little suction."

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I love the attachments!

I have Hoover rear and front conversion. Of course, the suction is stronger on the front loaders. But, how much suction do you really need? I also always have a "Connie" at the ready, complete with every tool handy. I'll sometimes have a Slimline ready too. I've even taken the handle off the Handivac, put on the Ultraflex hose, pick a tool, and away I go!

 

[texaskirbyguy]

I have been using my Kirby's attachments for decades for serious use.
I start with the hose, the long wand, the curved wand, and a round brush to dust most everything in a top-bottom fashion.
Then I swap the two wands and use the hard floor nozzle for hard floors.
Then I swap the hose for the carpet nozzle, which does only take a few seconds. The key is just knowing the technique and the hand movements needed. I have been using Kirby's all my life so I just know how to use them well. Plenty of suction for my needs!
I also use the crevice tool in the fridge coils when using the coil brush once a year.
Those are about the only attachments I found to be useful for my needs on a routine basis. I do not even bother with swapping handles. If I need to lift it, I lift the unit up from the bottom of the long handle. A little heavy, but I do not do so often.

To me, cleaning is just a chore, so my goal is to do a good job as quickly and efficiently as possible. A full house cleaning is 8 hours (vacuuming & fixtures) and I do this quarterly. An 18V dustbuster helps out in between times...

 

[rivstg1]

electrolux

"power and efficiency are greatly lacking. As my mom once said, "Kirbys make a lot of noise but very little suction."

compared to what? what upright vacuum has 'non greatly lacking power' at the end of its hose? or which vacuum with its power nozzle on? I suspect, something was quite wrong with your mom's Kirby, their consistent cfm readings by many individuals show that they are consistently quite high in power.

I"m truly asking...perhaps I"m misinformed....

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

He may be taking about his 4 amp Kirby.
Test
4 amp Kirby hose 103-112cfm. My tradition pulled 118 sentria 121. My royal backpack vacuum 118.
The average vacuum is 80-100 cfm. The only vacuum I believe is higher than Kirby is compact Electra.
So basically unless you own a iec compact interstate Electra Kirby has more suction than any other vacuum.
I even tested 3, amp Kirby pulled high 80s low 90s.
Les

 

[blackheart]

Suction?

Les that's airflow. Oh and I think I got 97 hose cfm from my Tristar CXL.

 

[rivstg1]

blackheart

that sounds really high a number for that. I say....b/c I used the Baird gauge on my FQ which has the same motor I"m told as the Tristar cxl and wasn't that high. Just wondering....

 

[broomvac]

I love the idea of attachments but rarely use any other than my Dyson attachments. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever fastened the hose onto my Diamond Edition or GSix 2001.

I was super pleased when my Hoover Legacy II 820 arrived last year with a complete suite of attachments, but mostly just because the vacuum looks silly with missing attachments. That vacuum is impressive on carpets, but--and I hate to admit it--the tool suction is embarrassing.