Great coincidence: new flat and Vax carpet washer at Lidl

[Mike Halmarack]

Maybe early days for there to be much shareable experience of these machines.

My immediate problem with the Vax "Dual Power" carpet washer is that two litres of clean water, produces an egg cup full of dirty water. If this is to be expected, I wonder why the dirty water tank is as large as the clean water tank. The dirt that is picked up is not flushed into the dirty water tank but build up thickly around the cowl covering the brushes.

Ive read the troubleshooting guide and followed the advice there, without any improvement.

Unfortunately my worldly good ar in a heap in the garage until the carpets get cleaned. This doe add to what would usually be a smaller problem.

[GB]

I have a very cheap Vax vacuum, and it's been pretty good. On the basis of that, I bought a Vax steamer, which turned out to be useless.

I'd suggest taking your washer back to Lidl and hiring a machine.

[alan_m]

On my vax (not the same model) there is a moveable flap to switch between collecting the dirty water from the inbuilt carpet brushes and the hand tools on the end of a removable tube. If there is the same on yours are you sure that this flap is in the correct position? The flap controls which path gets the suction to pick up the dirty water.

On my vax approx the same amount of water in the clean tank ends up in the dirty tank.

[Mike Halmarack]

That's pretty much the first thing that came into my head. I'll have a fiddle and give it another go first.

[Mike Halmarack]

No hand tool attachment on this one. It definitely seemed to me that the clean and dirty tanks should be of similar quanities at the various stages.

[newshound]

I had a VAX years ago which worked but didn't last. Now have a Bissel of some sort. In both cases, though, the tanks were essentially the same size and the dirty tank filled up fine.

[tabbypurr]

Something's not right. IME synthetics return something lke 80% the water, natural fibres can be as little as 50%. You're sure you're using the right technique? If you get little water out, the dirt is staying in the carpets.

NT

[Mike Halmarack]

Thanks all for the advice. It's working a bit better now. I was tending to flap because my worldly goods were all in a heap until the carpets were cleaned. I could've just put everything in place then moved each item to clean underneath later but I'm fast reaching the creaky stage, so trying to minimize the weight lifting sessions.

[Brian Gaff]

You obviously have the wrong type of dirt! I supposed it might be due to the product you are using to wash, or maybe some carpets are easier to mop up than others. One supposes that if what you say is true, that the carpet or underlay will be very wet even after its supposedly sucked dry. You are probably making mud in the carpet. I've only ever had one carpet cleaner that worked, but it needed a separate vacuum after it had dried, that was a hoover, but it was rather more than I could handle. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Yes the old jack of all trades proverb is pretty true where compromise has to be struck. From the description I'd imagine if the device was used regularly on only slightly soiled carpets it may well cope but a big clean when none has been done for ages is needing the professionals I feel. Brian

[Mike Halmarack]

The idea of making mud in the carpet is fairly alarming. I did kind of think that the lost water must be going somewhere. I opted for the silvern spring, rather than the festering bog mindset.

The amount of dirty water retrieved does seem to depend a lot on the type of carpet but the Vax washer is performing better with repeated use. Maybe this is because the carpets have now reached saturation point.

I can't really hear any squelching underfoot but tht may be because I need a new battery in my hearing aid.

[Mike Halmarack]

I've spent a fairly long adult life diy-ing. Some of the outcomes have been a little peculiar but overall my projects have been successful, maybe thanks to not setting the bar too high.

Not only that but the money I've saved has allowed me to spend the occasional winter in Portugal. Quite a good trade off it seems to me.