Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

On housekeeping, maintenance and carpet care sites are dire warnings NOT to use a rotating brush vacuum because it will 'untwist' and 'fuzzy' the tips.

On the Shaw site, it uses the word "shag" in quotation marks, implying cable,shag, and frieze fall under the same maintenance requirements.

So, what would your top picks be, both vacuums and attachments, for vacuuming frieze,cable, and shag carpet? Some include berber in this suction only maintenance category, along with handmade rugs. So, what do you say should be used, considering some carpets have a 10yr. appearance retention warranty provided the care instructions are followed.  

You're correct on the agitator term, NORCA did not:  Beats, as it sweeps, as it cleans.  Tho, "agitator" is a HOOVER specific term for it's own brushroll, because of the bars.  I suspect HOOVER called the brush rolls in NORCA-s "agitators" too in order to distinguish them from the industry's term "brushroll."  Later, the vacuum industry accepted and used the term "agitator" in the vacuum vernacular to generically identify brushrolls, not just with beater bars, but in general.  As is currently the case. 

Note the similarity between the NORCA pictured and the traditional HOOVER model 305 with an agitator.  Also of note, no suction port on the side of the base of the NORCA to fit attachments.  The hose pictured, while a hose for a HOOVER upright, is not for the NORCA.  If I recall correctly, the H-305 had no attachments.  NORCA-s were less expensive than the traditional HOOVER uprights of the day.  Marketed for value conscious vacuum consumers on a more restrictive budget.  NORCA vacuums did not have a long life.  But the name NORCA was used by HOOVER to market replacement bags and belts for an assortment of vacuum brands.

Carmine D.

Anyone remember the EUREKA vibrabeater/groomer rug tool from the 50's and 60's.  Especially for frieze and shag, which were probably still a no show on the household scene.  Who would have thought that EUREKA was ahead of its time for the vacuum and rug industries?

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:

I'm pretty sure Hoover only ever used the term 'Agitator' in conjunction with it's own-brand, beater-bar equipped models, since it references the concept of Positive Agitation. 'Only The Hoover has the Agitator'. You could save money and buy a NORCA, but for the most efficient cleaning, you'd have to spend a little more and get a Hoover! I believe Hoover used the term '4-brush groomer' to describe the Norca-type brush-roll. The 4-brush groomer was also more suitable for commercial applications, and Hoover offered it as an option on their commercial cleaners until the Conquest was introduced.

The hose seen in the picture belongs to the Hoover Model 150 standing next to it, which I cropped out of the picture. The Norca model shown does not have the side-port for tools - it uses a non-quick-fit converter which attaches underneath, as the Hoover 305 did. To fit it, the user had to switch the cleaner off, turn it over, and remove the fanplate and belt. The side-port was a deluxe feature which only the TOL models had.

As well as NORCA being a Hoover spares name, it was also the trade name for the fabric used to make the cloth dustbags from Model 700 onwards. However, RONAC - an anagram of NORCA! - was also used for this purpose.

Thanks for the additional details and clarifications.  Interesting stuff.  Curious if you know, since I can't remember.  Did the attachments on the H-305 and NORCA come with or sold as an extra?  As did the HOOVER side port tool models, not with the purchase, but extra.

Carmine D.

BTW, I'm guessing that the HOOVER upright pictured on the other side [left] of the NORCA is a HOOVER 26.   Correct?  Couldn't be a HOOVER 25, tho the colors are correct, since the H-25 had a fork bail. 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

I'm fairly confident that Hoover offered the dusting tools for their uprights as an extra-cost option. However, I think it wasn't so much that they were a true extra-cost option, but an option you could specify you didn't want, and thus get the cleaner at a slightly reduced price. Obviously, the salesman would always try and persuade the buyer that the cleaning tools were an essential aspect of the purchase! They used the word 'Ensemble' to describe the complete all-round cleaning package, so the buyer would feel their purchase was incomplete without a full set of dusting tools!

Coincidentally, there was also a Norca version of the Hoover Dustette at one point, to compliment the upright model.

CarmineD wrote:
Hi Carmine,

I have one.  It has two brush strips and three strands of plastic pieces that I am told are strung on something like piano wire.  Its form was modified a few times.  An adjustment dial for the brushes was added and a later modification was made for the Empress canister.

The Vibra-Beat nozzle never got good marks for cleaning ability from CR and it was awful loud.

Best,

Venson

PS -- Model2 thanks for the wonderful image of the Norca.

Model2 wrote:
Hi again Model2,

Did this machine still produce that famous Hoover buzz?

Venson

Carmine, you're correct: the cleaner to the left of the Norca is Model 26 (or 262 for us in the UK!).

Venson - it still makes the familiar Hoover 'rumble', but slightly softer, and less harsh-sounding.

I would think a straight suction vacuum such as a power pro, or an Electrolux with just the rug tool, not the powernozzle would do a fine job for you. 

I was told when I was shopping for a light weight last year by both Oreck and Riccar.  "These will do fine on your carepts if you don't have a shag or frieze, if you do the strands of the carpet will wrap around the brush and not only be extremely hard to push, but will burn your belts out very rapidly."  I have a plush and the Riccar and Kirby work very well on it.

Back in the 70's we had a sculpted plush which the Kirby (with brush roll on) did a very good job grooming and cleaning.  Kirby does have the option to turn off the brush, however, as well as they had a "Shag King" a really terrible, $#%*bersom, hard to use thing that attached to the front of the machine.  It did an ok job if you could get it to stay on the front of the vacuum.

Any straight suction with good air flow should do a good job for you.  You will more than likely have to rake the darn thing if you are like me and don't want foot prints to show.