Hoover F5914-900 SteamVac with Clean Surge

If your new machine LEAKS, see Note # 2 below. I am just amazed how many people write that their machine leaked from day one, and they returned. It will leak skip if you have a decisive one-time set-up step.

Paid $ 170 at Best Buy. This is my first carpet cleaner, I have nothing to compare it to except my own expectations. Even if the name is SteamVac, like all others in this class of cleaners, there is no steam. That is simply false marketing, but all the manufacturers do it, no particular knock on Hoover.

First of all, let me say that I am ashamed to admit that our carpet was not cleaned and 4 years, and we live in the country where lots of dirt will be tracked and from the outside. So the carpet was pretty dirty stuff. The Hoover F5914-900 has a very nice job the first time I have it - a dramatically noticeable difference in the appearance of the carpet. The water in the vessel, the dirty water was black. Did it again on the carpet new condition? No, impossible. Will there be another treatment or two really clean? Yes, that is the price I pay for ignoring wet cleaning of the carpet for years. One of these cleaners the best features is the ability to completely dry the carpet thoroughly. Because the front part of the machine is made of transparent plastic, you can see when you suck in water. If you want the carpet to dry as much as possible to keep sucking until you no more water can be drawn. As time has passed, the SteamVac has done an excellent job of maintaining my carpets.

My only gripe is that the dirty water container fills up too quickly and should be a bit bigger. In the ideal case, the dirty water vessel "should" be full right, as you clean water. Then shut down, empty, dirty water, the clean water up and back to work. But the process is "out of sync with the dirty water vessel fills before you to clean water. This can be a little uncomfortable, but not a show-stopper.

The machine is well built, but it is made of plastic, with many subjects and locks and hose holders, etc, so you have to just be careful, or those things no doubt cancel.

A few other tips: 1st If you are not the type to read manuals, read here. Installation and operation are easy if you sit and read through the manual before. It is not like a vacuum cleaner where you just plug it in and go.

2nd My machine leaked badly BUT it was my own fault. It is a one-time setup procedure only when the shutter button, and press the Clean Surge-Lock key to a pole. Slide the Clean Surge button. There may be a loud SNAP, which sounds like you broke something, but we did not. Until the snap, the Clean Surge (versions extra water purifier solution) on the whole time, so that the exodus. I did not press the button hard enough at first, so I had the leakage problem.

EDIT December 2007 Apparently, many people assume that without a loud snap, the Clean Surge will not work. Everything counts is that your machine will not expire. If your SteamVac not leak, it is properly mounted and the Clean Surge works! The only reason why I stressed that the "snap" was because so many people had leakage problems that are easily resolved. And it is possible that the design Hoover has changed after so many of the people, who do not read the instructions in the manual. So do not get hung above the snap. If your computer does not leak after the assembly, you know what to do.

3rd EVERYONE, it seems that there is no exhaust, the problem is that something is not right. It is easy to snap the lid on the dirty water, no food is right, making a vacuum leak. If there is a vacuum leak, there is no suction at the bottom of the machine, where it is necessary to suck water from the carpet. So once again the dirty water cover.

4th If you have Office or velvetine furniture and not use powered tool, use the utility tool. The powered tool is simply too strong for fine detergents.

5th As others have suggested, to find a low-cost alternative to the Hoover brand carpet cleaner. A gallons water is not clean much carpet, and on the soap 5 ounces per gallon, you go through it quickly.

6th Always be sure to dry vacuum your carpet with a regular vacuum cleaner before the first use of this machine to wash. Be sure to remove and clean the brushes when you are done with this machine. Otherwise, hair, thread, and balled up dry carpet fibers on them, and between them. Then the brush not turn. It is not "the use and away" machines such as vacuum cleaners, they are "clean and tidy".

7th Here is something that I do, you might want to try * *. For a very dirty carpet, I wear a cheap plastic watering 2 gallons (or smaller for a smaller rug) with hot water and a tablespoon or 2-Oxy-Clean. I then strongly scatter the carpet, careful not to soak. This saves trips to the sink to load on clean, soapy water. Then use the Hoover normal.

8th Others have suggested that with boiling water. Not for me, thank you. To handle dangerous and unnecessary, unless you have spilled or persecuted and grease.

Having read countless reviews here, I have concluded that people have problems that arise from the failure to comply with the properly set up the machine initially because they dirty water seat lids correctly, or failing to clean the machine after use. I recommend this Hoover. There will be no miracles, but I think that if it is not abused it long and outstanding work to maintain a carpet.