Vintage Vacuums for cleaning house

[frkirby511]

Hey everyone...

Just wondering how vintage vacuums are put to use in actual house cleaning duties...? Does anyone use vacuums in their vintage collection as their regular vaccuum or "daily driver?"

For myself, I guess it depends on how one classifies a "vintage" machine. I regularly use a Kirby Legend, Kirby G-6, and Electrolux Ultra-Lux and Epic 6500 and Magic Blue for house cleaning. I also use a very beat up Electrolux 1205 for cleaning the garage and car interior. And we have a family vacation place that we all own together. There I use a Hoover Convertable 69 for the carpeting and a Compact C-7 for other cleaning. There is an Electrolux Pro-Lux Commercial Upright there that I let the rest of the family and guests use. I won't let anyone touch my Convertable 69 and Compact. In fact I keep them packed away and get them out only when I am down at our place.


I guess the Kirby Legend comes close to a vintage machine...but I don't think of it as such. Certainly the 1205 does; but it's not the 1205 I have for "keepsake" in my collection. For sure the Convertable 69 and Compact C-7 are vintage.

But I almost never use the older cleaners to clean with. Occasionally I have used my Electrolux-G -- especially when I was in a rectory that had many other residents and I wanted to be as quiet as possible while cleaning my own quarters.

I used to use an Electrolux LX a lot for cleaning; but I gave that one away. The Lux LX I have now I have never used to clean the house. I occasionally use the Kirby 517 I have to clean; and I have put a Legend II bag assembly for disposable bags on it. But I don't use it often because frankly the later Kirby Legend and G-6 have way better suction. So while using the 517 brings back many memories; I think to myself...why should I use this one? I have never used the 561 that I have in the box. I don't think it was ever really used..certailnly not much. So I am going to keep it that way. And the other Hoovers...I tried using the Model 63 [again ...memories] but it didn't do very well on the high pile carpeting.

Anyway...as I was vacuuming the house today I thought to myself, "I wonder how often the vintage machines get used to actually clean house?"

Bruce C.
Memphis

 

[converto-skip]

Bruce

Hey Bruce I use all of my vacs and I have so many that none can be considered dailey drivers. I like to use all of them to keep them in tip top shape. Although I will admit the really rares ones I use extreme caution when using them because I don't want to harm them or damage them.Right now my kick is My Oreck Dual Stack, I have been using it in the last couple days.

Skip...

 

[convertible68]

I use a Frankenvertible as a daily driver in my room. This one happens to be a 1010 base/cord/handle with a 728 bag and hood, but other variations are out there! Sometimes, when I feel like it, I'll use a vintage machine down in the Studio, but normally I use the Metro tank.

 

[buffalo-joe]

I Rotate My Vintage Vacs

I usually rotate semi vintage vacuums in regular cleaning service. Semi, means 60's thru 80's vintage. I usually rotate Convertibles and Dial-A-Matics for regular cleaning and occasionally other semi vintage uprights, like Eurekas and my Kirby Classic III. Canisters get rotated too, but mostly I use Hoover Celebrities and my newer Luxes like an Olympia or a Silverado. I do have a Model 82 Constillation that gets rotated into the mix. Its not all that original and has a few dents, but it runs too good to part up. I do like using that one. All the vacs I rotate are on a monthly schedule. After a month the bag gets changes and anything that isn't right, gets fixed, like belts and bearings. I believe that these machines have to be used in order to stay in working shape. The ones I have that just set there, always seem to have problems once I do get to running them. So yes, I use them, but don't abuse them.

My wife will only run certain ones if she needs a vacuum. She likes a Panasonic that I have up in my collection. It's got the red and green dirt finder lights. Not vintage, but cool and she likes it. She is afraid of damaging the older ones so she has her favorites.

Joe

 

[normvac]

vintage useage!

I like my Hoover Windtunnel with the extra long attached hose
for hardfloors and upholstery. Then because I have area rugs,
hardfloors, kitchen carpet and a cat. My lux 90 with the side kick for the carpeted steps, and furniture. Then I get
in a mood for my Lux upright Special Edition with attachments, Especially the side kick for the carpeted steps but the hose
suction is just not as great as the tank. Then I occassionally drag up the Air Way 66 (one I grew up with) or
the 513 Kirby ( I need to get my Dual 80 up and going) then
sometimes the G or 1205 lux with Power Nozzle. I agree that
you need to keep all machines running in rotation. Oh, I forgot my Model 28 and 63 Hoover's.
It's all about the mood!!

 

[hygiene903]

My wife, Lena, uses her 886 Royal as the "daily driver" around our house. I have frequently used the Hoover 28 or 82 Constellation upstairs, and used my Westinghouse Cannister or Filter Queen 350 in the basement. My 1070 Convertible or 858 Constellation have often accompanied me to the museum where I volunteer for cleaning in the display rooms. My Electro-Hygiene 701 tank and 903 upright have been used for cleaning out the car or truck (with attachments borrowed from the 966 tank or the wife's Royal!), although a Shop-vac (which I don't consider to be part of my collection) is used for general cleaning in the garage. Once the bag is fixed or replaced on my Hoover 29 and I get a good hose and attachments for my Luxes, I'll put them into the rotation also, so basically, if it runs, it gets used.

 

[swingette]

i use all my cleaners as well. its no fun to simply look at them. i DO tend to use the Hoover 913 and Royal 880 the most, along with a 70s Portapower and Hoover Quik-Broom with E-bag.

 

[vintagehoover]

I use my pre-war Hoovers on a daily basis - nothing like doing housework in 1930's style!

 

[seamusuk]

I tend to ....

Just grab something random off display lol- The 707 was the last vacuum of choice .

Seamus

P.S Austin- The cord on Frankenvertible is prob from the 728 as well, the 1010 cord matches the handle and is much shorter(16ft against 22ft I think???)

 

[seamusuk]

A correction....

Actually thats not quite right lol- the 1010 cord matches the bumper!!!!

S

 

[seamusuk]

OK

I could have just posted this pic- would have been easier!!

 

[charles~richard]

I do use my vintage vacuums

but I rotate them with new ones. I do realize that, fun to use as the "golden oldies" are, they really don't do as good a job of cleaning as modern machines do, so I use both.

 

[alex]

Vintage machines

As for the old stuff, my non-electrics of 1870-1920, I never use them. From time to time I put one of my Kirby Vacuettes to use, and use my Electrolux LX on a regular basis. As I have a love of old uprights I use my Electro-Hygiene circa 1930 to clean the kitchen and hardwood floors. For light dusting and everyday pick-up I use a Tri-Star. For deep cleaning, carpet shampooing and do on I haul out the Kirby G-6 and for the kitchen and hardwoods I put my Electrolux Epic polisher/scrubber to work.

 

[hoover800]

Cleaning with vintage vacs

I use the 28, 800 and 825 for regular cleaning. They run and clean beautifully as they are well maintained.
Bob

 

[swingette]

cleaning performance of *vintage* vacuums

in some cases, vintage machines do not do as well as a *modern* cleaner. it seems many post-war uprights, esp Hoover, offer cleaning performance that rivals MANY (dyson, oreck, many clean-air) current cleaners. the Hoover models 28 AND 61 are examples of *vintage* cleaners that do a superb job even today. i dont use canisters or pre-war very much so i cant speak about those...

 

[davortho10]

Vintage is the way to go, I think. We use a Hoover 725 for our rugs, does an excellant job, and a Constellation 858 for the floors and furniture. Wouldn't want to use anything else. I did a little conversion, doesn't show, to use disposable bags in the 725. I've restored another 725 and a 575 and given them to friends of mine. They are also "daily drivers". We all have multiple pets in our homes, and nothing get the rugs cleaner and the pile lifted faster.

 

[davortho10]

Here's the 725 before I got a more appropriate bag.

 

[rexairman]

I use a D2 Rainbow as my everyday vacuum. It was a used machine I fixed up for my parents when they bought their new home in 1971. I don't use it for any sentimental reasons, but because I can sell every newer Rainbow, that is D3 and newer, that I can get my hands on. My cleaning lady kids me about it, because she has a brand new e2, and here I am in the business of selling them, and use a 40 year old machine myself. Go figure.

 

[raymanretro]

I have used most of mine but have setteled on the G as the one I like the best for everyday normal cleaning. I also use a 1205 for the messy construction jobs that we do. The lady of the house prefers a Kirby G4 and I might add she has one for upstairs and another for downstairs. She likes the Vintage vacs, but she will not let me display mine in the living room>