Vax 6131 Bagged Canister Vacuum

I moved into an old house that hadn't received much TLC. This included the carpets. At the Wife's insistence I agreed that the carpets needed a good clean but was reluctant to pay somneone else to do it for me. My compromise, after checking out the cost of a stranger to come into my home and clean my carpets, was to purchase a Vax 6131.

It's not what I expected but I have to concede that I expected miracles. It's all hoses and pipework and it can be infuriating when the pumped-water hose detaches when you're getting into the swing of things. Some of the fixings look as though they could get damaged if you're to being a little heavy-handed/clumsy but I haven't broken anything yet.

There is nothing to "agitate" the carpet fibres into giving up its load except for good old hard work. You do have to dig-in and work the suction head into the carpet to get much out. If you're not intending to get a little physical, this isn't the carpet cleaner for you.

Getting back to the "pumped water" facility, I found that the water flow isn't sufficient to really flush-out and clean a carpet. What I've done is to buy a water sprayer from Woolworth's for £5 and pre-treat the carpets with a strong shampoo solution 30 minutes before using the Vax. I absolutely drench them to get a good wash but you must be careful, depending on your carpet type, not to damage them by doing so. Otherwise, you can keep throwing on water until it sucks out clean.

It sucks up nicely but you can't expect it to fully dry the carpet. Depending on the fibre, it might remain damp to touch for another couple of days. (Another thing; be prepared for the smell that can come from a carpet when it's drying!)

It comes with some decent attachments that can clean just about anything. The unit moves easily on its wheels but could be awkward for some to carry up stairs. The dirty water tank is large enough to allow quite some work before you have to stop and empty out.

I have two toddlers who have discovered the joys of throwing food and drink at eachother. For the mess they make, this is an excellent unit. It spot-cleans nicely. You will be shocked at the filth that comes out of your carpet even when it looks quite clean. Just don't expect it to completely remove that week-old red wine stain.

The above may not sound too positive but it is a really good unit. It's rugged enough that you wouldn't be too bothered about unblocking sinks, clearing floods or generally knocking it about a bit. (I also have an upright Vax and feel this is far more "domestic use only" than the 6131.)

If you're buying a decent "graded" product at a fair price you can't go wrong. When your washing machine spills out over your kitchen floor you'll find it a god-send and worth every penny.

The recommended Vax shampoo is pretty expensive. I've bought a box of 6 on ebay for about £20, which is pretty good and this will last me a while.

Even though I bought the 6131 from Ebay, I've dealt with Vax customer services and found them to be excellent. They've a very good website that might give you some advice if thinking about buying.

In my case, it would have been best to rent a Rug-Docter for a couple of days to bring my carpets up to their best then use the Vax for continued maintenance and emergencies. (I've never considered using the 6131 as a normal vacuum cleaner as I've a Dyson.)

Overall, a good product once you understand that it doesn't work miracles.