Vax Rapide
Call me sad or mad if you like, but I bought that new Vax Rapide carpet shampooer yesterday. Well It’’s been around for about a year, but I thought at £200 it was a bit expensive, so left it a while. I managed to get one for £126 which I think is much more reasonable.
Well of course a new toy has to be tested, so I tried it out last night on the lounge carpet. I was stunned to see how good it was!! Normally you read about how good these sort of things are and when you get them you don’t think they are as good as they say. Well !! I can assure you that the Vax Rapide is brilliant!!
We have a very light coloured carpet throughout our house, so you can imagine trying to keep it clean is not easy, no matter how many times you tell the kids NO SHOES!! I must admit that my lounge carpet wasn’t particularly dirty, but I could see some marks in it and a colour change by the patio doors. Well now it looks like new!! All the marks have gone and it was so quick to use. No more back breaking as it is an upright cleaner.
The real proof will be when I clean the hall carpet shortly! So watch this space for an update……!
Well I am back now with an update on the carpets. Well the hall looks really good now and as I got a bit carried away, I ended up cleaning the dining room, around the table of course, and the stairs and the downstairs loo and finally the study!! Then of course as they dried very quiclky, I was able to re-hoover them and they came up really well. Stupid that I am, I then did all of the ironing of which all clothes were washed today!! How do I manage do I hear you say?? I have absolutely no idea!! I even managed to write this lot!!
I am tired to say the least, but as I am off out tonight for a belated birthday dinner with my friend Nicola, I am sure to recover very quickly!! Now tomorrow I can have a rest day and do absolutely NOTHING!!!!
October 24th, 2005 at 6:09 pm
Hi Alison. Found this page searching for vax rapide advice. I just bought one, and have not been convinced of it’s cleaning ability so far! I used a whole tank on the light coloured hall carpet with little visible improvement. Do you have any tips? Pull it slowly? Maybe it’s busted!!
October 24th, 2005 at 8:46 pm
Hi Martin
I also have light colourd carpets throughout my home. I found that having the water quite warm helped. Also pulling it more slowly and pushing slowly to draw up the water. Repeat the action and draw up as much water as possible. I also found that stubborn stains were removed better by letting the solution sit for a few seconds before drawing it back up. Another tip is to spray Mr Muscle Multi Task on stubborn stains and leave for a few minutes before using the vax to clean. There were a few stubborn stains that faded after the first clean and were removed on the second clean.
My neighbour has also purchased one and it cleaned her carpets well too she thought it was also very good and she has the same carpets as me.
Hope these tips help.
October 26th, 2005 at 2:34 pm
Thanks for the tips Alison. The warm water helped a lot! Also, I noticed that the intructions seem to be completely wrong: If you pull the machine to dispense the solution, the vacuum (which follows the brush) sucks it straight up again. If you push the machine to dispense, the vacuum doesn’t go over the area until you pull the machine back over it. The carpet got much wetter between strokes that way.
Still not really really clean, but the water is disgusting! So it must be doing something good!
October 26th, 2005 at 7:33 pm
Hi Martin,
I am glad the tips helped a bit. I will try dispensing the solution when pushing the machine next time I use it amd will post it on my blog and let you know how I get on.
I must admit I was surprised at how dirty the water was too especially in the hall way!!
May 16th, 2006 at 3:40 pm
Disaster, after 1 year, halfway through the living room, what can only be described as lightening emiting from the cleaner!.
after taking it outside, pretty nervous that it was going to burst into flames, I calmed down and decided to investigate, since it was out of warranty and there are no Vax dealers or service centres in my County!.
found the problem but, a bust glass fuse. Spent a good hour on the phone to Vax, over the course of 2 weeks to get info and spares, but was told that they could not sell me the required part due to health and safety reasons! - Its been a real nightmare and my other half, although firstly amused at the two shades of coloured carpet in the living room, is growing tired!!.
So, for any of you who experience this, you can get spares at Maplin. The internal fuse rating is 6.3A (amps) its a very straightforward job for those confident at changing fuses.
Having said that if you do not feel confident then take it to your nearest service centre.
Cheers,
May 16th, 2006 at 9:33 pm
Hi Keith,
Thank you for your info. I was surprised to read it, but you never know these days what will happen. So far mine has been fine apart from the filter falling apart, which I need to replace.
I can’t say that I have seen any Vax dealers here in Colchester either. Would appreciate the Maplins number or email for future reference just incase.
Thanks
Alison.
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:10 pm
hi there.i was googling for the price of the vax rapide after seeing it on bid up tv.
it went for 74.99 today and i have seen it go for less.
so reckon that would be a bargain.think ill buy one next time they are on.
i already have the cylinder type version of he vax but i find it very cumbersome and back breaking, and also not particularly good
March 1st, 2007 at 7:45 am
Hi Alison, I hve just one question. Will you Marry Me ?
I can’t stand Ironing !!!!
Thanks Cliff
May 29th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Hi Alison,
Hope life is treating you well.
Thinking of buying a vax, but not sure which one to buy for the best results and for the lowest cost. Which one is your and do you have any recommendations. Also never replyed to a blog before quite new for me
thanks
Gillie
August 9th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Hi Alison,
Thinking of buying a rapide along with a quicklite and a mojo III in a pack for £115.
Is it worth it?
Thanks
Kyle
November 15th, 2007 at 11:54 am
hi alison, my friend,s gran has a vax rapide, but her gran has lost the instructions and because she has dementia she can,t tell my friend how it works. Have tried everywhere for an instruction manual with no luck any chance you could tell me how to work it, she doesn,t even know how to fill it, never mind anything else.
thanks
caroline
March 8th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Hi,
I was thinking of buying a vax, i was thinking how long do the solutions last? like e.g how much space before you need to add more in. The reason i am asking is because i hear that it uses up a lot of solution and that they can be expensive! the other brand i was thinking of was biessell the proheat one.
thanks
March 17th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I’ve got a Vax Rapide, and now wished I had gone for the Bissell. What Vax don’t advertise, is the cleaner has a black nylon filter for the dirty water, which falls apart after a couple of uses, and the consumer has to pay for replacements. Vax customer services say this is normal. In other words, it’s a consumable which you will have to buy if you wish to continue using the machine. The actual name is ‘float chamber filter’. I’ve found it’s best to keep a spare, for they fail without warning, in fact don’t buy the Vax at all.
May 4th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Have you all bought the same Vax Rapid. Do you know that there are four models and they vary in price quite considerably. These are:
Vax Rapide
Vax Rapide XL
Vax Rapide Deluxe
Vax Rapide Powerjet
The lowest cost is the first one. I am a great believer in you only get what you pay for!
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Hi,I wonder if anyone can help here,My elderly mother has taken apart her vax rapide to clean it and now does’nt know where the filters go,I have had a look and it isn’t very obvious,I know they must go in the chamber at the top but can’t see where,Anybody help much appreciated.
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 am
Hi try looking on this site . Find the model of your machine and you will be able to down load your instruction manual . http://www.vax.co.uk/support/vacuum-cleaner-user-guides?downloadID=37
If it is the same machine as mine the filter goes in the dirty water tank on the square float . l am having problems with mine just turned it off and now no water is coming out to shampoo the carpet , ( cant find the problem ) Tried everything .
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Hi Thanks for the reply,I have the manual and also checked the online manual but found nothing about the filter it just says to clean the filter,I was hoping for a picture of the full thing closeup so i could see where the filters go but nothing.Thanks again.As for your problem,I don’t have access to my mothers vax right now but i guess there is a problem with the hose that carries the water from the tank,Maybe twisted or broken.
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Hi , again I have the Rapide delux model . the filter is in the dirty water tank , when you lift the lid off to empty it , it is attached to the lid it goes on there . I have just one filter , and as other people say they don’t last too long , they just seen to fall apart. I shall have to let my husband try and fix it when he gets home from work . I thought myself it mybe twisted .Thank you
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Hi Anne, Thanks again my mothers away for the weekend,So i will check it out when she gets back.Many thanks.
May 24th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I looks like the Pump and Terminal Block Seal has gone on my Vax Rapide deluxe , we need to replace it . Been to our local shops and they have none in stock will be 10 days before they can get one , any way we have found one on espares on the internet for £21.99 + vat which is much cheaper than the shops were at least £10 or more in the shop . Hope it works . I wonder if it is common or not for this to go , the machine is just over 12 months old and has not been used that much . I am not too happy .My old carpet cleaner was well over 15 years old and not a bit of trouble , But it was not a Vax it was still working when I gave it to my sister-in-law . Why did I buy a new one ?
June 4th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Vax rapide not very mine cleaned in stripes, the water runs out of the jets and doesnt cover an area so you have do and redo. then after 1year used 4or 5 times water pours out everywhere folloed by smoke and sparks. water pipe routed over printed circuit board burnt through and filled electrics with water. Not a good idea, would I buy another, NO for what it cost origially and what it will cost to repair, if repairable, could have hired a pro machine which does a better job. Alison described as anew toy I have a nearly new doorstop thats damn dangerous. IS YOURS WAITING TO BLOW UP ON YOU?
Derek
June 4th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
PS mine is a “powerjet” so called so extra money is not always well spent, makes Bissell look good!
August 11th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Hi,
Had our rapide about eighteen months now and the problem I have is that it isnt putting any water down. I have tried to clear the jets under the roller but it still does’nt work. I am looking for a repair manual so I can take it apart but probably just have to see if I can do it without that. has anyone any idea how to do that. When working it is brilliant and having a long haired cat it has removed a lot of hair and mud!!
Cheers
Alan
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Hi Alan,
it sounds like your punp has gone,or maybe the valve. You could try calling vax customer service to have it repaired by their engineers
Iain
December 27th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Have lost instructionsl, if we ever received them for a new Vax Rapide Deluxe carpet cleaner. Where can I get another copy?