We Love Clean

The V-123 Agility carpet washer has gained plenty of recommendations at Amazon.co.uk over the past few weeks, with all new customer reviews awarding it full marks. This model is one of a new generation of upright carpet washers from Vax that have heated cleaning technology and revolutionary SpinScrub brushes that clean deep into carpet pile. The result is carpets that look as good as new and are dry again within just a couple of hours. It’s versatile too, with a SpinScrub hand tool for cleaning upholstery, stairs and car interiors, and a handy CleanSurge button to release extra solution when you need it – ideal for tackling those stubborn stains and high traffic areas.

One reviewer tried out her new Agility on a piece a carpet that had recently been cleaned with a hired machine that had given her a lot of trouble. She was over the moon with the results: “the amount of dirt that came out was unbelievable, the colour of dark chocolate. The carpet was left nearly dry and we almost needed sunglasses, it was so bright!” As well great cleaning results, she loves the convenience of having her own machine at hand to use whenever she needs. Unlike hiring a machine, there’s no need to rush to get all the rooms in the house done at once.

Another Amazon reviewer chose the Agility to clean up their filthy carpets rather than another model they were considering that had some negative reviews. So they decided to spend a bit more on the Agility instead. Was it worth the extra money? This reviewer definitely thinks so: “that old saying is true ‘you get what you pay for’! I am SO glad I did buy this carpet cleaner.”

One lady had such good results from the Agility that their “husband now says we don’t need new carpets”. This demonstrates perfectly how washing your carpets can be a great way to save money and avoid the hassle having to buy and fit new ones. She adds that the Agility is “easy to use and excellent value for money”.

Another reviewer agrees: “This is really worth the money. Brought me 3 year old carpets up like new. Easy to use on carpets and furniture. The fact that the water is heated meant that the carpets were dry within a couple of hours.”

Customers that have previously only used a canister style of carpet washer are often amazed at how quick and easy to use the latest generation of upright models are. For instance, this reviewer says: “The last home carpet cleaner we had was the orange cylinder Vax many years ago – it worked well and lasted a long time but was pretty hard work.” After buying an Agility upright, the reviewer writes: “Just used this for the first time on a carpet in real need of cleaning – amazing. Easy to set up, easy to use and so very efficient!”

Another Agility user agrees: “We used it to clean a very dirty cream carpet – it’s much easier to use then the old orange VAX carpet cleaner! Just fill up the tank & plug it in & off you go.” They add that while the machine is heavier and bulkier than a canister, so you need a bit more storage space for it, “it did a brilliant job & left the carpet only slightly damp… it’s a brilliant thing to have.” Unlike many other upright models, the Agility has a folding handle to make it as easy to store away as possible.

There have been plenty of recommendations for the V-124 Dual V ‘heated cleaning’ carpet washer over at Amazon.co.uk recently, with a majority of customers giving it top marks in their reviews. “This machine is absolutely fantastic,” says one Amazon customer “My beige carpet which has been down 7 years looks as though it has just been fitted, absolutely outstanding results. I highly recommend this cleaner… well done Vax!”  

After using it to clean his kitchen carpet tiles, another customer agrees it is “an amazingly good cleaner” and left his carpet looking like new. While he recommends using earplugs for use and points out that the brushes will need cleaning thoroughly to get rid of hairs, he says “operation is quick and easy, covering a good area before refill”. 

Another user of the site argues that while it’s “heavy to control in small places,” it is otherwise “an excellent cleaner, dries superb, would highly recommend this cleaner.” One customer remarks that she decided to buy her own carpet washer after borrowing a friend’s and being impressed by the results. After weighing up whether to buy a Vax or a Bissell, she decided on the Dual V because of its “fantastic price” and wasn’t disappointed: “brilliant, and so easy to use. As it has movable brushes and heated water, the results are even better than the cheaper models.”

Another customer who also bought the Dual V recently says it “works well for ordinary household use.” He advises that it may need a second clean to get out any stubborn stains but concludes that overall it’s a “Great machine” and “Great value deal through Amazon.”

A recent questioner on Yahoo Answers asked for opinions about electric carpet cleaners, as he had seen some by Bex Bissell and Vax costing around £60-£80 and wanted to know if they are any good. 

There were mixed responses to this answer, with proponents for both brands giving their opinions – veronica m and glenys prefer Bissell while Blackgrumpycat says about his Vax: “I bought a Vax upright one for £59 and it works fine.” He does point out that he “can’t do the stairs with it as it has no hose attachment but for all the rest it seem so get the stains out.”

This should always be a consideration when you’re deciding which model of upright carpet washer to buy – If you want it to also clean stairs, or upholstery, make sure it comes bundled with the appropriate tools. However, if you do find that you don’t have the tools you need after you’ve bought the machine it’s well worth contacting the manufacturer to find out if you can buy these separately to upgrade your machine.   

The ‘Best Answer’ to the question, as chosen by the forum’s voters, is given by Tony M who argues that the model you should choose “depends what you need to use it for. In my experience the lower price models are fine for general carpet washing, but if you’ve got really tough stains to get out or also want to be able to wash dirty sofa cushions, valet your car etc, it might be worth spending a bit more.” He goes on to recommend the Vax Dual V with heated cleaning, which has won a Which? magazine ‘Best Buy’ award and says there are some good deals around on this model at the moment. He comments: “It’s got amazingly powerful suction so gets your carpets clean and dry again really quickly, and has a powered scrub tool for doing upholstery etc. You won’t regret investing in one of these!”  

For those on a tighter budget Tony M recommends the Vax Rapide Deluxe as an alternative, commenting that it is a “good, powerful all-rounder with a tool for doing stairs, upholstery, car seats etc.”