Cat hair, carpet and vacuum cleaners!?

[FLBK7]

Hi FLBK7:

Here's my take on this. I just use the regular vacuum and broom about the floors. We are still dealing with house remodeling issues, so won't worry about floors.

However, please check your bed-clothes. When I have to change the bed, and wash the sheets, and the blanket, I am amazed at the cat hair that the washer pulls out of the bedding.

We have the ability to wash our clothes at our place, and because of the water situation here (we are on a well of very poor water) we have to rinse multiple times. With each rinse, of at least 4 per wash, yields a good handful of corse cat-hair. The little girl you see in the picture I just learned how to upload is the perpetrator of all this hair.

Love to all

Hi Angelina,

I change and wash my bed linens weekly. I live in South Florida where we need to keep the central a/c running basically all the time, so we generally don't need blankets or comforters except for maybe 20 or 30 days a year in all (not continuous days either!)

I have a gorgeous comforter set but it's really mostly to make my bedroom look good, since most comforters are too warm for this climate except for the very rare temp dips into the 40's or low 50's. Each week when I wash the bed linens the dryer lint filter shows an amazing amount of cat hair. All from ONE cat that likes to sleep with me, on the top sheet!! And he's a short-to-medium hair kitty. I can't imagine what it would be like with a Persian, for example!

I started this original thread because my old vacuum died, so I needed to get a new one and was looking for opinions from forum pet owners. My new Dyson is SO good that I wonder how I ever lived without it. I still have a broom for my ceramic tile kitchen and living/dining room, but the Dyson also does bare floors beautifully and it has a lot of useful attachments. I think I just may decorate my old broom for Halloween this year.

[AngelinaCat]

Hi FLBK7:

Here's my take on this. I just use the regular vacuum and broom about the floors. We are still dealing with house remodeling issues, so won't worry about floors.

However, please check your bed-clothes. When I have to change the bed, and wash the sheets, and the blanket, I am amazed at the cat hair that the washer pulls out of the bedding.

We have the ability to wash our clothes at our place, and because of the water situation here (we are on a well of very poor water) we have to rinse multiple times. With each rinse, of at least 4 per wash, yields a good handful of corse cat-hair. The little girl you see in the picture I just learned how to upload is the perpetrator of all this hair.

Love to all

[FLBK7]

Just wanted to share that a month later I'm still just totally amazed by my new Dyson. It's the most expensive vacuum I've ever owned but given that I have this kitty that sheds heavily, it's been a wonderful investment.

HOWEVER.... I also wanted to let all of you shedding cat and dog owners know, that my next-door neighbor got a Bissell Pet Hair Eraser vacuum last week and she's just thrilled with it. It cost her $150 at Best Buy. I was curious as to the difference between the Bissell and my more expensive Dyson, so I went over this morning to observe the Bissell vaccuming.

The Bissell does an amazingly effective job at sucking up her 2 cats' hair as well as the regular household dust deposited by normal human traffic. The sucking effectiveness is basically just as good as my Dyson's, in my opinion. The main difference I found between the two, is that the Bissell is much harder to clean. It has a supposedly "easy slide-out filter" that you just empty in your trash can, but when you slide it out, heavy dust comes out too and you're left with a slight mess to clean up at the bottom. It looked like the Bissell needed to be cleaned up all around after the actual vacuuming.

But other than that? I find no difference. I'm not sorry I got the Dyson, but I figured this may help others looking for vacuums that can REALLY suck pet hair.

[Flamingo]

the Furminator! Flamingo, I got the Furminator as you suggested and it works! I couldn't believe how much hair from the undercoat it actually removed. My cat seemed to love it as well. I've used it twice already and I think that between this wonderful gadget and the Dyson I'll finally get my cat hair problem under control. Looking at the results of the Dyson AND the Furminator, it's a good thing we don't suffer from respiratory allergies, for the amount of hair was just unbelievable.

Told ya! LOL! Also, as I mentioned in my first reply to you, there is a new Bissel vacuum on the market that is for pet hair - I don't have the exact name of the model (saw it advertised the other day) but it is much cheaper than the Dyson. Check it out...

[twuoo]

I've bought both my dysons as reconditioned...for different houses. I beleive there's a 90 day warranty. But I've not had problems with any of them.

Another added benefit is that the filter never needs to be replaced....just washed out once a year.

Filters for my old Hoover were around $30 a year!

Mine is the purple one, it came with a bunch of attachments. One was a bare floor attachment. I swear I have to pull that thing up to get it off the floor...lol. It came with some other attachments, but I don't bother with them.

The best attachment I use is the on-board bristle head. I use that on everything from bare floors to carpet corners, window blinds and ceiling fan blades!

Can't imagine being without a dyson.

BTW, I remember reading how Dyson got to sue the pants off Hoover for imitating it's design.
Target does offer $100 gift cards on occasion.

[Bandit]

You can never get rid of all the cat hair if you have a cat in the house. Everyone that has cats knows that and accepts it.

Yah. That is why we have furry creatures all over the place. Even my bunny who loves his big cage has all this short hair in his room that has to be vaccumed. He gets brushed in the summer & loves it.

[Bandit]

Sweepig a ceramic tile floor is useless... the broom just blows the cat hair into the corners of the room! Vacuuming is the only way.

But does it not work when you just use the hose part of the vacuum? Any vacuum should work for tile when you just use the hose part.

[Bandit]

Panasonic commercial unit? or some other commercial unit for dog hair & carpet.

There was a great one out for awhile that had two beater bars.
I have never seen a unit pick up & clean the way one with 2 beater bars cleans carpet. I don't remember what brand it was. It worked & sold so well that they discontinued it. I did not own it but know someone who does. I cannot recall who makes it.

The thing about that is hair sticks to fabrics unlike tile & the two beater bar brushes went in opposite directions so it pulled all the hair up in one swipe. It was neat.

[krielly]

Twuoo,

I've been thinking about purchasing a reconditioned Dyson as well. Sounds like you had a good experience with this? Did you get any type of warranty???? I'll be interested to hear from you.

thanks
K

[twuoo]

Dyson all the way! I got mine from amazon as a remanufactured for around $250 plus shipping free. New was $500. Used it a good two years now and never any problems with it.

For those of you with a Dyson, if you can get ahold of a good air compressor, use it to blast out the central cyclonic tube....the colored part after you take off the part that collects the dust. Makes the sucking action even "suckier"....lol.

I've heard a brand called Fantom is Dyson like, but cheaper.

The Dyson is by far the best vacuum I've ever owned. I even had a $350 Hoover Windtunnel....couldn't compare.

Also, if you're pets are shedding like crazy, you might try switching to a higher quality food. Sometimes that helps too.

[CindyLou]

hmmmm....now I'm considering the dyson!!!

[CindyLou]

LOL. In my next life "after BK 13 is discharged", I hope to have leather furniture and hardwood in my living room as well. Well, maybe at least Pergo laminate............

For now, I may splurge with my stimulus rebate and buy the Dyson Animal....... After all, I WILL be helping the economy, right? LOL!!!!!!!!!!

K

Part of my rebate will be spent on a new Electrolux upright! I have had mine for 11 years and love it, but I have used and abused it...and its about time to replace it.

[FLBK7]

Reporting back!

Okay, I got the Dyson this weekend at Bed Baths and Beyond. With the 20% off coupon I had, it cost $440 plus tax. Still the most expensive vacuum I have EVER had, but I'm just so happy with it!!!! It really sucks the cat hair from the carpet. It's amazing to actually see how much hair was embedded in the carpet, and how much my cat sheds! Which brings me to.....

the Furminator! Flamingo, I got the Furminator as you suggested and it works! I couldn't believe how much hair from the undercoat it actually removed. My cat seemed to love it as well. I've used it twice already and I think that between this wonderful gadget and the Dyson I'll finally get my cat hair problem under control. Looking at the results of the Dyson AND the Furminator, it's a good thing we don't suffer from respiratory allergies, for the amount of hair was just unbelievable.


Thanks to all who replied. This forum is the best for all kinds of advice.

[FLBK7]

FLBK7.. How did you get that price for the DC17? That's awesome!On line it says $549????? Is that a price at your local store?

Yes, it's at my local Bed, Bath and Beyond store.

[Minnymouth]

Check at Lowe's.......... out office purchased a Dyson 2 weeks ago and go a $100.00 rebate on it making it less then$300.00. Don't know if the rebate was a Dyson rebate or an instore rebate at Lowes. Might be worth checking out.

The Dyson we bought here for the office is "awesome".... could not believe what it picked up and we have been using a Oreck for the last 3 years.

I have an Oreck and a Dirt Devil at home that I use. They do the job too, only problem is Oreck does not have attachments on-board.

Also I have a "tacky roller" (like a broom) that I use inbetween vacumming. I also use it on furniture too. Great for spot cleanups.

If you love animals, unfortunately the "fur" goes with them!!! And we all battle it.....