Forum /cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl General >> Vacuum Cleaner Forum >> Hoover Floormate /cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1175009242 Message started by cprohman on 03/27/07 at 11:27am

Title: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 03/27/07 at 11:27am I bought a few Hoover Floormates awhile back, and they are starting to have problems. I have been told by local vac shops that Hoover parts are difficult or impossible to come by, and they seem reluctant to even try to order them. What I need at the moment seems like a simple part - a piece of flexible air hose. The hose is 1 1/4 in outside diameter hose that screws into part number 55592 3A. We left the bad hose with a vacuum store for a month, but they couldn't find any hose. We tried hardware stores, industrial supply houses as well with no luck. Should I just start throwing away the Floormates and buy a different brand of Floor cleaner? If so, which works OK, but you can get parts for them?

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by guess_who on 03/27/07 at 11:48am Hi Cprohman, My best suggestion is to visit the Hoover site at http://www.hoover.com if you already haven't.  They have a parts and service locator, or something to that effect that is meant to inform you of vendors in your area if you submit your zip code.  I have never dealt with Hoover for parts and do not know what sort of time window would be necessary for fulfillment. By the way how do you like the machiine? Hope that helps, Venson

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 03/27/07 at 11:59am You might try HOOVER (as Venson suggests) and/or a HOOVER factory store.  I went to the factory store first and it did not have the part (I was told it could be ordered).  At the factory store's recommendation, I called HOOVER directly and was successful getting the front FM nozzle within about 7 days "free" from HOOVER directly.  Even though the break/crack was clearly all my fault.   I should also mention that I asked my daughter to make both calls to HOOVER and use her married name, which she did.  (I broke it washing the tile floors in her house).  I didn't want preferential treatment in case my name was known and recognized. I was pleased by the outcome.  But I have to admit I'm still using the cracked nozzle and it is working fine and has been for 6 months. Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 03/27/07 at 12:21pm Thanks, Venson, that website helped. It led me to a dinky hole-in-the-wall vac shop that I guess I'd seen before, but which I had forgotten existed. They told me that while other vacuum makers (including Dyson, by the way) use standard hose sizes so that they can just cut a section of hose to fit, Hoover uses odd hose sizes so standard hoses don't quite fit. They said they will have to special order the hose section as a part, but that they believe they can have it in a week or two.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 03/27/07 at 1:15pm Hello CPro: You might want to get more than one hose in the event you have more than one FM and may need another.  Or at least verify with the vacuum store that it will stock the part in the future. BTW on the successor HOOVER FM models, like the one I have, HOOVER discontinued the flexible hoses in favor of plastic channels, ducts and tubing. I mentioned in another post that HOOVER's first attempt at the electric floor washer was in the late 50's and it was not a marketing success.  Excellent concept but not in demand at the time. In 2000, after over 40 years absent from the market, HOOVER tried again.  The timing was right.  And after several iterations on the theme, I believe HOOVER finally perfected the FM and the price.   Unlike the original floorwasher which was sold primarily through independent vacuum and specialty stores (one Forum poster mentioned he purchased from a furniture store) today's HOOVER FM's are sold primarily through big box retailers.  And Consumer Reports (FWIW) rates the HOOVER FM very highly.  It also carries the Good Housekeeping seal of approval and has from 2000. Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 03/30/07 at 8:36am I did order two of the the the hoses. Apparently the 8" long flexible hoses will cost me $15 apeiece, quite pricey for a part that you'd think would be under $1. The Floormates did a very good job when new, but they don't seem to have a very long life and/or have a high "fritter factor". We've had several problems with them, one of our own making. Once machine an employee put pinesol in, which the instructions specifically say not to do. If immediately frosted the plastic, which is no big deal, but it apparently also damaged some seals and caused that unit it lead water. Another one seems to have a plugged nozzle and puts the water down only on one side now, and the one with the bad hose is the third unit, so I don't have any that are really working properly at the moment. These don't get used that heavily, so I think that with attention, we'll manage to get 5 years out of them, but in a home, the maintenence issues may be a problem. You seem to have changed you opinion on these. As I recall, when they first came out, you preferred the Swiffer, which CR apparently had rated above the Floormate. I still like them, and would like them better if they could make them more troublefree.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 03/30/07 at 8:55am cprohman wrote: You seem to have changed you opinion on these. As I recall, when they first came out, you preferred the Swiffer, which CR apparently had rated above the Floormate. I still like them, and would like them better if they could make them more troublefree. Hello CPro: The Swiffer is great for hardwood floors, vinyl, and linoleum.  And actually it's my dear Wife who preferred the Swiffer (both wet and dry) for our home (since sold) in Virginia.  And we left the Swiffers there along with the Swiffer Vac, which she also liked and used, for the new owners.  Only 15 percent of the floor coverings in the VA  home were floors and not rugs.  The house was wall-to-wall rug on all three levels including the landings and steps, save the kitchen, bathrooms, and foyer which were barefloors. Moving to the new home in Del Webb Sun City Aliante N. Las Vegas, 80 percent of the floor covering is Mohawk tile (grooved which is a real challenge for Swiffers) and the rest Mohawk wool carpet.  My dear Wife passed the floor cleaning job along to me and I obviously accepted.  I bought the latest HOOVER Floormate model H3060-020 in August 2006, which I consider a vastly improved and perfected product over the earlier ones, like yours.  It works marvelously.  Certainly better than all the Swiffers on the tile.  FM's conserve water too which is an important consideration in the desert. I recommend the HOOVER Floormate over any and all other competition and floor cleaning methods.  And the current FM prices are a bargain, unlike when they first came to market.   Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 03/30/07 at 10:49am Mine are H-3000 versions. I'll have to look at the H-3060's and see what's different. There are other versions out there, too, such as Bissell, I think. Any comments on competition? I agree that for textured floor, like ceramic tile, a Floormate or similar product is a great choice, if you have a lot of it. Try this test, which happened in my home. Spill a container of frozen lemonaide on the kitchen floor and try to clean it up. A mop will do the job, if you do it enough times (20-30???). A swiffer? I don't think that would work very well. The Floormate gets the mess up fairly quickly.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 03/30/07 at 12:08pm Hello CPro: During the Christmas holidays my sweet 2 1/2 YO bare foot (hates shoes and socks) grand daughter dropped a glass coaster with a Christmas candle off the kitchen table onto the ceramic tile floor.  Big crash and glass all over.   My precious grand daughter and the candle were quick and easy to retrieve.  Not so the fine shards of glass.  I pulled out the trusty HOOVER FloorMate and went to work in the dry clean floor mode.  Then I dumped the bin contents and tossed the $9 filter (and replaced with a new one).  Mission accomplished.  Bare feet back again.  Not to mention the 9 YO lab. Too bad HOOVER FM sales are not counted as vacuums, which they indeed are.  Millions have been sold since 2000 but they are counted as floor care product sales along with the rug and steam cleaners. Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by myhooverco on 03/30/07 at 8:14pm I have to say that I really really really (did I mention really?) like my Hoover Floormate H3000.  I bought it when they came out through Hoover and have not been sorry.  I too, Carmine, have used it to pick up the glass shards from broken cups etc. over the years.  I have about half hard surface and half carpet.  I have hardwood and tile to clean with the Floormate.  I have never had a problem.  I ONLY use the Hoover solution which I like by the way.  It is readily available and works very well.  I can scrub my floors in my sock feet and never get wet.  I have a two year old and a lively Cocker Spaniel so it gets its fair amount of use.  I am very happy to report NO problems whatsoever.  I store the machine with the tanks off which are stored elsewhere.  I also never leave a lid on the tanks so that they can air dry.  I always clean the brushes too.  (it is just OCD on my part!)  I recommend them to everyone and have even bought them as gifts.  I thought they were cheesy at first until I tried one.  My mop and bucket days are gone!  I like that only the clean solution is put on the floor to clean and the floor comes out so dry and streak free.  It is a great item and it is no wonder they have sold so many.  Like anything else, things last if you take care of them.  So I agree with you Carmine! --Tom North Canton, OH

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 03/31/07 at 8:46am myhooverco wrote:  I am very happy to report NO problems whatsoever.  I store the machine with the tanks off which are stored elsewhere.  I also never leave a lid on the tanks so that they can air dry.  So I agree with you Carmine! --Tom North Canton, OH Hello Tom: No doubt the reason that after all the years, the flexible hose is still fine on your HOOVER Floormate.  Moisture and condensation dries so as not to prematurely deteriorate the reinforced flexible hose wiring.  Very smart on your part! Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 04/08/07 at 8:30am One evening night this week while my dear Wife was exercising at the local gym, my dog and I did the honors of the floor washing with the Floor Mate.  My lab likes to help me with the floors and rugs.  (Except for one vacuum brand with a gawdawful sound that scared the bejeepers out of her with its ratcheting noises.  It was gifted away).  Two clean tank fulls of water later we were done and the floors shining clean and dry as the desert air (even the last to be cleaned).  My lab laid her belly on the cool ceramic Mohawk tile (over 90 degrees outdoors) and she waited and rested for the boss's arrival and inspection. My dear Wife returned home after a little more than one hour of exercising.  All the evidence was gone and neatly stored.  As my Wife always does after I use the Floor Mate, she immediately recognized that the floors had been cleaned with the HOOVER FM.  And the compliments for me flowed.  It was a good night (thanks to HOOVER). Once again, I looked back on the storied and starried history of the HOOVER company and its many fine floor care products and said "thank you."   Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 04/11/07 at 7:25pm I was out shopping the other day, and went by the vacuum section to to see what the differences were in the newer Floormate, but the unit being sold was still the 3000 model.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 04/13/07 at 7:09pm Looking online it does seem that there are better deals now available on these than there were 3 years ago when I bought mine. Considering that my Floormates have a few years on them, I guess its not too surprising that they are starting to malfunction and fail in various ways (bad hoses, uneven water application, cracked and broken plastic parts, etc.), so I'll probably start replacing them.  I see various models out there. I see a 2800 which I think must be the original version, the venerable 3000 which I am familiar with, a 3030, and a 3060. I know Carmine likes the 3060 best, but how do others feel? I note that on Epinions, the 3060 has far lower ratings than any other model. The ratings seem highest on the 3000, followed by the 3030. After reading the ratings, my inclination is to stick with the 3000 version.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 04/13/07 at 7:49pm Hey CPro: For $100-$130 what do you want?  Egg with your beer.  You're not making a half-grand dyson purchase, you're plunking down chump change.  And the best chump change you'll ever spend on a floor care product: Thanks to HOOVER. Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 04/14/07 at 9:52am I'm the one who recommended the Floormate back when you said you were saying that the Swiffer was a better choice. I think the Floormate does a great job. I did hope they'd last longer, considering that unlike my vacuums which are used daily, they only get used once a week, or so (more often during winter months), but I don't know of any other, better way of doing the job they do. I also have to admit that I'm apalled that Hoover forces me to spend $15 for fifty cents worth of hose. That's the kind of thinking that causes consumer to treat vacuums, etc, as disposable, instead of taking them in for repair.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 04/14/07 at 10:31am Carl: You're missed my post's point: Chump change is chump change: $100-$130.   Take the years of your FM ownership, multiply by the number of weeks of usage, and divide the result into $100.  This gives you the cost of each HOOVER FM time of use.  What did each weekly usage cost you?  Chump change.   I've owned mine for about 6 months and use it every 2 weeks, and in between as needed.  Not counting the in between as needed uses, each biweekly use costs about $2.00 and going down all the time.  Less than the cost of a cup of Latte and/or Frappuchino at Starbucks. What do you want for chump change?  What electrical floor product on the market today is less expensive to buy and use?   You're absolutely right: There is no competitor right now that comes even close to the HOOVER Floor Mate in performance and price.   Stop your whinning and complaining.  You're too young to moan and groan over chump change (even for an engineer). Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 04/20/07 at 1:33pm cprohman wrote: Thanks, Venson, that website helped. It led me to a dinky hole-in-the-wall vac shop that I guess I'd seen before, but which I had forgotten existed. They told me that while other vacuum makers (including Dyson, by the way) use standard hose sizes so that they can just cut a section of hose to fit, Hoover uses odd hose sizes so standard hoses don't quite fit. They said they will have to special order the hose section as a part, but that they believe they can have it in a week or two. I'ts now nearly a month later, and these hoses still have not come in. The vac shop has no idea when he will get them, and says that with the ownership change, ordering parts is a mess.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 04/20/07 at 1:53pm Hey Carl: Give this a shot:  Essco, 18003212664, ask for Chad. They won't sell you direct if you don't have an account  with them. But maybe they can put you in the right direction.......... Carmine D.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by cprohman on 04/20/07 at 2:00pm Just to be clear, he was talking the ownship change at Hoover, and says he is having trouble getting parts from Hoover. Given that the hose is a genuine Hoover part, would Essco have it? Wouldn't they have to get it from Hoover, too? The guy at the Hoover-authorized repair center seemed to think there was some hope that he may get it in the next week or two, so I'll probably give him the chance. We're past the muddy/snowy floor time of year anyhow.

Title: Re: Hoover Floormate Post by Carmine_Difazio on 04/20/07 at 2:21pm Crystal.  Many of the vacuum parts makers and suppliers stocked up on genuine HOOVER parts and made to fit in anticipation of the transition to TTI.  Probably making the parts scarce now and taking longer to get. For all the big box store buyers, here's where a business relationship with the local vacuum indy comes in handy.  Why? Availability of parts after the fact, like a buyout and discontinuation.   Many of the old timers in this business remember when HOOVER made large belts for its old style metal uprights and smaller ones for the 60 models and above (like the Convertibles). HOOVER discontinued the larger belt in the 60's and was soon followed by the vacuum parts makers too (like Essco) forcing users who still had the old style metal HOOVER's to use the smaller newer belts.  Not really bad, but the old vacuum bearings couldn't take the tighter belts for long.  Some indys resorted to "used" stretch belts to keep their customers (usually seniors) with the right belts. Anticipating this, I bought a boat load of the belts.  I think I paid a nickel a piece.  Just for my old customers.  Low and behold, when I moved in August 2006, guess what I found buried away and in storage since I sold my business in 1992.  A bag of of old large Essco belts for the old style HOOVER's.  Still in good shape and usable.  Gifted them away.  A piece of vacuum parts' history. Carmine D.

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