any Kirby users here? please help!

[mommymoose]

So i just bought a barely used kirby for like pennies compared to the original cost, and I am so excited to have a *good* vacuum... I need to get some bags for it-- Where is the best source for bags with the Kirby filtration, and a good price??

Do you actually find you use the other attachments much?? I wanted to streamline my cleaning supplies- rug shampooer and vacuum in one seemed like a good place to start!!

How often do you have to replace belts ( estimate)??

thanks! ~Holly

[JTSmommie1]

Bags - I've never looked anywhere but at the Kirby store. If they can be gotten elsewhere I have no idea.

I don't use the attachments much, mostly cuz I'm lazy. Since I have a roomba, I rarely use it, only to "deep" vacuum the carpet on occassion. And I mean occassionaly, again cuz I'm lazy.

Not sure what I'll do with it when we move to the new house with all tile and hardwood floors.

Laura

[deditus]

We love our Kirby! DH used to sell them
We ordered our bags online because that was the cheapest and easiest. We've had ours since '99 and we've never replaced the belt. We also make use of pretty much all of the accessories. Zip brush for fur, horsehair brush for dusting, long skinny one for under the radiators, etc. The only thing that I don't like is the weight, I always run over my toes.

[karne]

I have a kirby and usually buy the bags at a specialty vacume/sewing store. I buy a bunch at a time. I have a gazillion attachments and I use none of them except the rug shampooer. I have a lightweight little singer with a long nozzle that I use for crevices, stairs, etc. I like the kirby, but it is heavy. Then again, not as much plastic to break or wear out.

[frontierpsych]

I believe Kirby stores are the only place to get the bags (or online I suppose, but you can't find them at Sears or anything like that).
I use all different attachments, but I used to work for Kirby and they tell you all kinds of different ways to use tham. I can use it to change a lightbulb that I can't reach (which, at 5' tall, is ALL of them! lol!) and used to use the same attachment on my dog (yes, I vacuumed my dog) after she'd had a bath. I actually just used my Kirby to inflate my birth pool!

[kristenok18]

Congrats on scoring a kirby!! I got my first from a garage sale, and it was a 1964 model, bagless. Great little vacuum! When we went to get a replacement cord, the guys at the kirby shop were blown away buy our working vintage kirby. The one I have now I got from a freecycler, early 80's model, and it needs bags. Shocked me, since I didn't know they made kirbys that used bags! I just found them online by googling based on the physical description of my kirby (since at the time I didn't know when it was made), bought them in a pack of 12. They were fairly cheap. I got mine 2 years ago, and I still have about 1/2 the bags left? I have never had to replace a belt.

I use the hose attachments once in awhile (mostly for upholstery, where the carpet meets the wall, tight corners, stairs, under beds/heavy furniture, car interior), but I've never used the shampooer attachments. I probably should look into that, since my carpets need it and I can't afford a professional.

[pcasylum]

I inherited a Kirby, and my dad (who also owns one) pointed me to the 2 stores he does all his Kirby shopping at:

www.kleansweep.com
www.vacuum-outlet.com

He said sometimes one is better than the other for certain things, which is why he checks both. He's used both these sites for awhile and has always been happy. I needed to replace the beater brush on the vacuum, and saved half off what Kirby would have charged me!

[MissSJ]

I purchase our bags from amazon.com, there is one kirby store in town and it is in an area (kind of far from me) that I never go to. We have a dog and two cats and unfortunately our bags fill up very quickly. I think if I bought a Dyson it would be covered in the bags we use in just a few years! A few months ago our vacuum started to not pick up hair very well so I bought a belt from amazon ($0.39) and now it works much better. Our vacuum is about 3 years old. I think I used the shampoo attatchment once.

SJ

[MonkeyPrincess]

Wow, I must be doing something wrong because our Kirby is 6 years old and I think we've gone through 20 belts!

You know, the guy who sold us ours told us we could use it to change lightbulbs and I thought he was kidding...interesting.

Can you really paint with it, too???