Kirby Vacuum Owners: Buying Bags, Consumables, Parts, and Cleaning Carpet

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  Diji1 on 27/01/2017 - 00:04

  +2

  Are these those vacuum cleaners that disabled people and pensioners go into debt for ridiculous amounts?

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  GregMonarch on 27/01/2017 - 00:51

  I wouldn't know. I don't sell them, or else I wouldn't be searching for cheaper alternatives. :-)

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  Zachary on 28/01/2017 - 02:20

  (I've heard there are carpet cleaning products better and cheaper than Kirby, but I don't know where.)

  Where have you heard this….? Not that I am either for or against Kirby products, but I haven't gone into extensive testing to see if Kirby holds true to its words….back when I was working for them, I was told they were the best there is - even the professional cleaning services use them, though my memory currently fails to tell me as to which ones….but I do remember being told this….hahaha

  Of the tests we were supposed to do to convince potential customers on it's use and functionality, Kirby appears to have topped them all……even with a lesser motor no less! I believe it was running a 700 watt suction motor or something like that….where as you see in a Dyson, they use like 2k watts…..you know the bigger they are, the better right? Well according to the various tests we were supposed to conduct, that is not the case….

  Heh, perhaps if you had asked this question when I was still working with them, I may have had a better idea as to how it all works(and or confirm your explanation) - after all, we sales people are supposed to know everything about it, all the ins and outs as if the back of your palm. After leaving, I sorta forgotten most of the things I was supposed to memorize…..didn't really memorized all that much as I had a little folder thing that had all of it - but it was only to be used to …actually they've changed it(unless they've changed it back now?) - now we're supposed to just read it off the pages like a story teller basically….hahahaha

  It was easy, but you still need to understand how stuff works and all so that you know what you're talking…..haha I was mainly a newbie there at the time.

  But yeah, according to them(my superiors); Kirby products beat everything else, hence the fairly high price tag it comes with…. I have only seen it do the carpet wash by itself and not have it compared to other products, but my superiors just say it really is better without providing evidence of such(so mainly talk but I don't get to see it for myself).

  Also, I usually rent carpet cleaning machines from the supermarket. They soak the carpet with warm soapy water, then suck it and the dirt back up again into an extraction tank. Whereas if I understand the Kirby method correctly, it lays a foam on the carpet surface instead that loosens dirt; you remove most of it as with the supermarket machines; then when the carpet is dry you vacuum up an encapsulating powder.

  But yes this does make sense…..sorry my knowledge of Kirby products have all but evaded my memory banks…..

  They don't make you feel itchy when you touch them afterwards.

  So does Kirby carpet solution result in this?

  Edit: Nearly forgot. After my Kirby model, they changed the bag fitting to an "F" type. I read online the F type "has some advantages". I know you can upgrade that fitting. Does anyone know what these "advantages" are?

  Sorry, wouldn't know…. I don't believe we were told any of this…or if we did, I forgot then… lol

  Those of you that own a Kirby, where do you buy:

  • bags
  • replacement parts
  • and chemicals like carpet shampoo and de-spotter?

  The only place you can - at an authorized Kirby dealership….as far as I know; only they sell parts and consumables….no other shop in existent(unless they get it from Kirby somehow and then decide to slash their prices and resell them at a cheaper price and take the loss they make it on them but if they're a decent business selling stuff, I guess they might sell other stuff that will equal out their loss from Kirby products but from my time working with them, there is no such other place that sells them). You can call them or rock up to their store front and ask for what you want and they give it to you….for a price…heh.

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    GregMonarch on 28/01/2017 - 17:24

    Thanks for the reply.

    Where have you heard this….?

    Read it on Whirlpool I think. They don't say where from though. The "Encap" (encapsulation) carpet cleaning method is now used by professional carpet cleaning businesses. Some no longer use HWE (Hot Water Extraction) at all. Particularly with commercial buildings, because apparently water can't get down into that shorter, more compacted carpet. I'm guessing Kirby doesn't own the exclusive right to encap technology. That would mean carpet cleaning businesses would have another source for the shampoo, etc. I've since some USA sites and they do sell other brands. I figured someone here would know, us being cheapskates but still with an eye on the quality of results. ;-p

    So does Kirby carpet solution result in this?

    I don't know if Kirby shampoo leaves the carpet sticky yet. I figured if I can find a source for a different band of shampoo, etc. - that I'd try to the two at the same time, to judge any differences.

    The only place you can - at an authorized Kirby dealership

    I've seen generic bags for sale. But since I posted above, someone has told me don't use them because they burst the outer Kirby bag. I'm hoping there's a cheaper but equal "generic" bag and someone knows where.

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  [Deactivated] on 28/01/2017 - 06:32

  I've bought all parts i have needed from eBay. There is (or at least was) some sellers that specialised in Kirby parts there. Never actually used shampoo system. Great vacuum though!

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    GregMonarch on 28/01/2017 - 17:29

    Thanks.

    I did see ebay. But have no idea where to buy Kirby stuff locally. (There's no seller near me listed on their site.) I was hoping someone would pop up here and say something like: "Bags from Kirby cost $xx, but Kirby bags from abc only cost $x. (Or: "I've used these instead and they work just as well at a quarter of the price.")

    If there's no-one that knows, I'll have to find where to buy Kirby stuff locally and then compare the price with ebay.