Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Today I washed the floors using BOTH machines.  Its incredible the Floor-A-Matic left my floors drier & cleaner than the FloorMATE although the FAM's squeegee is "crumbling" off its nozzle (some pieces of the FAM's squeegee fell off)  Why is my FloorMATE leaving the floors wet?  Do I need a new filter or squeegee?  I got the FloorMATE from eBay (its used) but can't afford to buy the H3060 Floormate or buy parts for the H3000.

I cleaned the kitchen & living rooms with the Floormate.

Then I did the 2 bedrooms & bathroom floors with the Floor-A-Matic

The Floor-A-Matic so far is the winner; it got off YEARS of sticky dirt from white tile that the mop never touched.

www.flooramatic.blogspot.com

hooverman wrote:

Hi hooverman,

The Floor-A-Matic, which I own, has always been my favorite for serous floor cleaning.  It is basically a good old floor polisher/scrubber/shampooer that you can not only shine up your floors with but also easily scrub away old wax as well.  Just have to be sure you keep the metal filter bar that fits inside the squeegee clean.

One of the things that caused me not to like the FloorMate I owned much is that the filter must be kept scruplously clean.  If not suction for either dry matter pick up or wet pick up falls off and it won't perform well.  Check the squeegee for obstructions and also clean the filter well.  Since the machine came from eBay, check it thoroughly.

As far as I know, the Floor-A-Matic is out of manufacture but you might want to check the following link for a replacement squeegee,  They want about $17.00.  If you do replace the squeegee remember to release the handle until it's all the way down and store machine on it bumper.  Storing the machine in regular position puts unnecessary stress on brushes if left attached and the squeegee.

Replacement filters for the FloorMate should run 10 to 15 bucks.

http://www.partstore.com/Part/Maytag/Hoover/15808.aspx

Venson 

Hello hooverman:

If I recall correctly, this is the 3rd filter I'm on with my FM which is over 5 years old.  I wash and air dry after each use. 

If you use the FM to dry clean before washing, clean the filter before washing and wet pick up.

When I purchased extra filters years ago I believe I paid $9 each. 

When you are in the wet pick up mode ensure that the switch is engaged correctly.  The switch may be between wash and wet pick up modes.  Brushes should not spin in wet mode but sometimes will not spin even if not engaged correctly in the mode [tell tale water puddles left on the floor].  Also, take more time passing over in the wet pick up mode if water is still present on the floors and tile after wet pick up.  I find the result leaves floors about 90 percent dry.

I opine the adequacy [lack thereof] of the FM in dry mode pick up crosses over to the wet mode pick.  Adequate but not the best.

Carmine D. 

I use either of my Filter Queen vacs (K31X w/straight wand with Compact floor brush & adaptor) or the 31 with the metal rug tool or the Compact to dry vacuum the floors before using the FloorMATEor Floor-A-Matic because the Floormate doesn't do too good on dry pickup (filter was dirty when I got it)

the FAM is quieter than the Floormate; don't know if I should keep the floormate?  I already got a new squeegee & filter for the FM & does a lot better now.

Actually I got at least 4 or 5 Floor-a-matics one of them is a Montgomery Wards version

http://flooramatic.blogspot.com/2009/12/mongomery-wards-scrub-n-vac.html

did Hoover discontinue the FloorMAX Deluxe (Scrub N Vac) in 1999 or when the Floormate came out?