On 6/9/2021 10:41 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
> On Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 8:04:45 PM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
>> On 6/8/2021 5:52 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
>>> On Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 3:04:21 PM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
>>>> On 6/8/2021 12:50 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
>>>>> On Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 12:44:37 PM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
>>>>>> On 6/7/2021 5:53 PM, Bob D wrote:
>>>>>>> On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 12:51:32 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 6/5/2021 4:01 PM, Patrick Denker wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Zombie post, but I was Googling this subject out of curiosity. The
>>>>>>>>> answer is yes, absolutely. I've been using a Roomba 960 as my
>>>>>>>>> overworked, much-abused and utterly stalwart shop-sawdust helper for 3
>>>>>>>>> years. It fills up fast and sometimes chokes on nails and wood scraps
>>>>>>>>> but keeps on chugging. I use it in combo with a large shop vac connected
>>>>>>>>> to table saw dust port + overhead shop air filter. Roomba can't clean up
>>>>>>>>> huge piles of sawdust but is always scurrying around my feet keeping it
>>>>>>>>> under control. Emptying bin now and then way easier than shop-vaccing
>>>>>>>>> whole floor. Plus you can set schedule so it cleans dust every day as it
>>>>>>>>> settles. Recommend the newer self-emptying models so you don't have to
>>>>>>>>> dump the bin so often.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> We have had a Roomba since 2008. And we will likely always have one.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If I ran a Roomba in my shop I would not get anything done between
>>>>>>>> emptying the bin and waiting on it to get out of the way.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> With that said, self cleaning to empty the bin may work but not as
>>>>>>>> quickly as simply sweeping or blowing the dust out.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We got our first roomba about a month ago, a model 8+ from Costco. It has the built-in vaccuum in the base that automatically cleans the Roomba bin when it docks. It's working well. I am still figuring out the mapping and setting up the clean zones and barrier zones. I think we will be happy with it, but I am not getting rid of our Kirby Vacuum cleaner. It does the industrial clean. The Roomba is a maintainer.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> You being new with the Roomba, I would advise that you take it to the
>>>>>> shop/garage and clean it weekly. I pull the sweepers, rotating ball
>>>>>> wheel, side 3 prong sweeper, and dust bin out. I blow the vacuumm and
>>>>>> the dust bin out and then witrh a damp microfiber towel wipe the entire
>>>>>> under side and front bumpers. ALSO wipe the 3 prong brush clean.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Especially wipe the front bumper and the 3 prong brush. If left dirty
>>>>>> they will leave/transfer dirt lines on your base boards.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have been doing this for the past 13 years and seems to keep things
>>>>>> cleaner.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We still have our pro vac too, but it pretty much only gets used with
>>>>>> the hose and wand to do the ceiling fan blades.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And we only have hard floors, no carpet or rugs.
>>>>>
>>>>> I think that your final statement is key.
>>>> There is that. but if you think a regular vacuum/Kirby, Ricar, what ever
>>>> brand, will get all the dirt out, that is not going to happen.
>>>
>>> Never said - or even thought - that.
>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I can't imagine that even the best made autonomous robotic vacuum
>>>>> cleaner could clean a carpet as well as it needs to be cleaned. Only a
>>>>> quality upright has the weight, power and brush configuration to remove
>>>>> the dirt at base of the carpet fibers.
>>>> The regular vacuum cleaner is only going to remove the dirt in the
>>>> carpet. They do not remove dirt that has made it to the padding and or
>>>> past the padding. While an upright may do a better job as a robot vac,
>>>> it is not going to get all the dirt.
>>>
>>> I used the words "base of the carpet fibers" meaning the area at the
>>> primary backing. I certainly don't expect any consumer level vacuum
>>> to suck dirt from below the primary or secondary backing (or unitary
>>> backing, if that is how the carpet was constructed).
>>>
>>> I'm not even expecting a consumer vacuum to get *all* of the dirt out,
>>> just a lot more than any robot vacuum. The more that can be removed,
>>> the less abrasion of the fibers that will occur. I'm as concerned about
>>> my carpet looking good, not just clean, for as long as possible.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> And something else to consider. Our robot vac runs 5 days a week. It
>>>> may very well do a better job than a regular vac that is only run
>>>> weekly. The robot vac can get dirt before it gets under the carpet.
>>>
>>> Said the guy that doesn't have any carpets. ;-)
>>>
>>> I would imagine that it doesn't take long for dirt and sand to get to the
>>> base of the fibers. Gravity sucks, you know. While a daily maintenance
>>> run of the robot will certainly help, I'll wager that you'd be hard pressed
>>> to find a robot vacuum listed as a "recommended vacuum" by any of
>>> the major carpet manufacturers - some of which even hint at a daily
>>> vacuuming in certain situations.
>>>
>>> In fact, the Carpet and Rug Institute has certified only one robotic vacuum
>>> (out of 314 certifications) and it's not going to work in the average living
>>> room.
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jFcI9c6sNI
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> One other thing, because we run our robot vac 5 days a week we see a
>>>> significant reduction in over all dust that settles on everything.
>>>>
>>>> Before our robot vac we dusted our ceiling fans almost monthly. Now 3~4
>>>> times a year.
>>>
>>> No doubt.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Food for thought.
>>>
>>> My thoughts haven't changed:
>>>
>>> When it come to carpets, robotic vacuums have their place as an appearance
>>> maintainer but not as an overall replacement for a quality upright or power-brush
>>> canister/whole-house system. Not if you want your carpet to last as long as
>>> possible.
>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> While the *surface* of the carpet might look clean after using a robotic
>>>>> vacuum, the sand and dirt particles are still doing their damage. When
>>>>> the abrasive dirt - especially sand - settles into the pile and then gets
>>>>> walked on, it abrades the fibers. Eventually the carpet begins to look thin,
>>>>> dull and flat. Carpet doesn't just wear directly because people walk on it,
>>>>> it also wears - thins out - because the base of the fibers are being cut by
>>>>> embedded dirt.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> As Bob D said: "The Roomba is a maintainer." Tossing your quality, yet
>>>>> unwieldy upright is a really bad idea. Depending on how much traffic a
>>>>> carpet sees and how dirty the overall environment is, a deep vacuuming
>>>>> should be done at least once a week if you want your carpets to last - not
>>>>> just *look* clean.
>>>>>
>> Just a few more thoughts. I agree with a lot of what you say. And
>> because flooring experts indicate that a carpet is not a long term
>> flooring choice, it is an alternative to more expensive hard surface
>> flooring. AND carpet is probably preferred in colder climates and or
>> those that want something soft under their feet. Slightly getting off
>> subject here but....
>
> All of that is true and in my case both the colder climate and soft surface
> are the reasons I prefer carpet. I have hardwood under my carpets. I choose
> to cover it with something soft.
>
> BTW...you left out the noise muffling that carpet provides.

I suppose, when we bought and did the walk through our, current home
with tile floors, it was echo'y.

After we moved the furniture in, we do not notice.

Carpet does not enough sound deadening to be of any advantage to "us".

>
>> I have not yet seen a carpet that looks good for an extended period of
>> time. We had carpet up until about 20 years ago and went all tile.
>> We got an average of 10 years out of a carpet and we vacuumed regularly.
>
> It's all relative. "Extended period of time" is an ambiguous phrase. There are
> different grades of the same carpet and the higher you go, the longer it will
> last under the same conditions. Besides the basic quality of any specific brand
> and model, most quality carpets come in 3 face weights, sometimes referred to
> as Good-Better-Best to keep it simple for the consumer.
>
> When we replaced our carpet a couple of years ago we wanted the highest weight
> available in the high quality carpet we chose. We had to have an installer come
> out and test our stairs to see if it would work. We wanted a Hollywood style
> installation where the carpet wraps around the bullnose and then goes straight
> down the riser as opposed to Waterfall where the carpet just cascades over the
> edge and down at an angle to the back of the tread. Certain carpets, especially
> high face weight carpets, can be hard to wrap around the bullnose. Luckily the
> installer knew what he was doing and said "No problem. It'll look great." He was
> right. wRec relate: We tested it with a sample of the carpet and a couple of bar
> clamps to bend it tightly around the bullnose. ;-)

Hollywood huh? I did know that there was a nome for that. 99% of new
homes being built, down here, have carpeted stairs and everything is
covered. Only the spindles and hand rails are not covered with carpet.
;~) Builders claim a slipping liability and rarely will allow wood as
an option on the stairs.

We had that for about 4 years and upgraded to all wood steps and risers.
Risers being painted.

>
> The higher weight, high quality carpet will give us an "extended period" when
> compared to the lower weight, lower quality options.

No doubt, our second carpet outlasted our first carpet on our first home.
>
>>
>> Where am I going with this? I have to believe that the regular vacuums,
>> with a "beater bar" does damage also. It is after all beating the
>> fibers as the dirt passes through.
>
> That is a consideration, although a properly adjusted, quality vacuum can
> limit the damage and therefore extend the life of the carpet. Different types
> of carpets need to be vacuumed differently to ensure the longest life possible.
> Speed and direction matter. One of the most important adjustments is the
> bristle height to avoid matting, fuzzing and loss of tip definition. Some carpets,
> such as certain berbers, shouldn't be vacuumed with a bristle brush.
>
> If you are interested, the CRI has a pretty stringent procedure for certifying
> vacuums:
>
> Lots of info here:
>
> https://carpet-rug.org/testing/seal-of-approval-program/vacuums/
>
> Full test procedure here:
>
> https://carpet-rug.org/downloads/cri-test-method-114/

Well thanks but no, we are done with carpet, it tends to be a too high
of maintenance item, with pets, it stinks. And it does no last as long
a hard surface. Do do have small throw rugs in places but that is not
an issue.

>
>>
>> I do not think that a robot vac will pull more dirt out unless it is
>> used daily, before the dirt has a chance to sink deeper down into the
>> fibers.