Customer Reviews

Hoover F5411 Steamvac Jr.

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

If your goal is to remove the occasional spot, and even clean an occasional small piece of upholstered (water-safe) furniture, this machine really really works.

I got the Steamvac Jr. to clean up small stains left by my dog, who likes to chew treats on our off-white carpet, and who spends hours each day on our beige sofa. Wow, it really removes the spots! In fact it cleans so well, it actually leaves "clean spots" behind so I have to avoid over-cleaning for fear of drawing attention to the place.

I even used the machine to clean a sofa, which is very very time consuming because the machine has a tiny business end, but it did a great job.

Don't be misled by the name. This machine does NOT heat water into a blast of steam. It simply sprays on hot tap water (and detergent) that you pour in; then it vacuums it back out, along with the dirt. It's a small, easily carried spray & vac machine -- not a boiler.

The machine is offensively loud. It seems to me like the people designing it must not have cared for even a moment how loud it was -- like they weren't even trying to be civil or responsible. Since it takes quite a few minutes to clean a large item (say, a chair) with the teeny little washing head, the noise is a problem. I actually put on hearing protection when operating it for long.

But hey, the machine really really works, and it'll pay for itself the first 1-2 times you use it. I'm glad I bought it. Just remember to protect your hearing.

The biggest problem in cleaning spots and stains out of furniture and area rugs is lugging around a heavy piece of equipment. This Hoover is small enough to carry with ease and fills simply from the top. It even has a built in mechanism so it can't overflow. I liked its performance overall and found it as good, if not better then other household machines. Of course it seems to work best with the cleaner it came with but since it's an economical product that isn't a problem either. The best feature it has is two separate tanks which means you won't end up cleaning your sofa with dirty water. Overall this product is a good investment and pasys for itself in one use.

Two days after we had brand new carpet installed, my husband spilled paint on the carpet. He tried to clean it up after 4 hours, but it left a crunchy mess. About 5 days later, I received the Steamvac and thought I'd try to get that stain out, that by this point was also trapping dirt. I was amazed that the Steamvac completely removed the stain! I did have to scrub the spot with the bristles on the suction head as the manual suggests doing, but I didn't have to put much muscle into it. I also used VERY hot water, which I'm sure helped.

In addition to doing a great job cleaning, there are additional pro's:

- The unit is very easy to get ready to use (just add hot water and the detergent that comes with the machine into one opening).
-The unit is very light and portable.
-The unit seems to be constructed well.
-The machine does a great job of sucking up the water from the carpet, leaving it almost dry.

My only complaint about the product is that cleaning the machine after using it takes several steps, but I'm sure it will go more quickly the next time.

I would highly recommend the Steamvac.

My first use of this steamvac on my light-gray berber carpet was on the red clay stains just inside the door, and old yellowed cat barf spots that were impervious to all the carpet cleaners and home remedies I had tried previously. The steamvac cleaned it all up beautifully!
Since the nozzle on this unit is only four inches wide, it took a while to do the whole area by the door (maybe 30 minutes for 20 square feet), but the smaller spots took no time. Once I got used to the motion of cleaning it went more quickly. You do two 'wet' passes while holding the trigger, which squirts out the hot water and cleaning solution in a fan pattern; then a few 'dry' passes (sans trigger) to suction up the water...you can see through the clear nozzle when there is no more water being taken up. The suction is quite powerful and leaves the carpet just a tad damp... my carpet dried in about an hour.
The steamvac is light and easy to carry around, even when full of water. It has an easy-access fill port on top for putting in the cleaning solution and hot water (which I heated in a glass pitcher in my microwave). There is an auto shutoff feature when the separate recovery tank (which holds the used water) gets full, and a spout on the side through which you empty out the dirty water. When I dumped out the recovery tank I was astonished at how much dirt had been in my carpet, even though I'd vacuumed thoroughly before using the steamvac!
This little unit does make big noise, but I think that's due to the powerful suction. I don't consider the noise level a drawback. It's a lot less expensive and a lot more convenient than renting the Rug Doctor or calling in the professional rug cleaners for a few dirty spots.
I am SO glad I bought this!

I bought this machine two years ago. One of the locking clips just broke and I've ordered another Steamvac Jr. as replacement. I want to share with everyone our experience with this machine.

We've used it on cat vomit (we've got two cats and the long-haired one always stays indoors), dog accidents, all sorts of stains from children and grownups alike. We use it exclusively on carpeted areas of the house. It does clean and does a better job, in my mind, than the spot-cleaners that come in pressurized cans, because this machine leaves little residue and requires less scrubbing than SpotShot.

It does not come with a heating element, which means that one must put in hot hot tap water. Often, there is hot-water left over. One has to either dump the left-over detergent solution, or use it next time cold or luke warm. We've done both. And it does not seem to have made a major different in its effectiveness, though I feel that with hot water the cleaned spot dries up faster. I do have to regularly use bleach to clean up the interior of the machine (the hose, the filter, as well as the dirty water container), esp. in the summer time. I also ordered spare filters, as the filter gets yellow quickly (we do clean quite a bit of cat vomit). Overall, we are glad we have it.

Recently, one of the locking clips broke. Without the locking clip, one cannot pick up the unit by its handle, so we have to carried the whole unit from the base all over the house in order to use it. It seems we can't live without it. I researched the web and various stores looking for an alternative model, thinking that with so much cleaning to do, we might be better off with a more powerful model, perhaps one that uses steam rather than hot water to clean.

However, there is nothing on the market that is as light-weight and portable as this one, not to mention there are few models that are remotely in the same price range--other than a hard-floor cleaner. The Steamvac Jr. cleans carpet!

Given the fact that we exclusively use it for spot cleaning, not for house-wide steam-cleaning, we decided to get another Steamvac Jr. We figured that its price is well-worth two years' of constant heavy use.

We hope your Steamvac serves you well.

I bought this machine on the recommendation of reviews from amazon. This machine does clean and cleans well. We have cat vomit, juice spills and other marks made by little children and they all got cleaned out on first try. I actually used it successfully on a mattress which had some spilled milk stains. Even the loud noise which one reviewer noted does not bother me that much--our regular Hoover vac is just as deafening.

This is a SPOT cleaner, not a vacuum for general use.

I was skeptical that a small, economical machine like this could do what I needed it to, which was remove pet stains. I have 4 dogs and a beige carpet, so needless to say, this machine will get used frequently. The machine is lightweight, easy to use, and best of all, really gets the tough, set-in stains out with ease. I like the fact that it has two tanks so that you are not cleaning with dirty water. This machine will pay for itself in just a few uses. I would recommend this machine.

Bissell 14005 Little Green verses Hoover F5411 Steamvac Jr.

I've used both of these mini shampooers and was not entirely satisfied with either, but I preferred the Bissell's Little Green over Hoover's Steamvac Jr. and here's why:

I first had the Little Green for about five years. It was a great little vac with only minor problems. The fill and empty containers are removable from the unit for convenient filling and emptying. There is a cord winder built onto the unit, the hose wraps conveniently around the unit and locks into place, and the shape and size are convenient for most applications including stairs and storage.

The problems I had with the Little Green:
- It would occasionally leak a bit. The water seemed to be coming from where the hose connects to the base. It was a small drip leak that was easily solved by emptying the clean water tank after each use. We used ours so frequently that I sometimes left clean water in the tank during storage to avoid wasting cleaning solution.
- My biggest problem with the Little Green was the inability to completely clean the dirty water tank. I had four cats when I first bought the Little Green and eventually had four kids. The Little Green made it through a number of illnesses with us above and beyond pet accidents. The dirty water tank became filthy and unsanitary and was not designed to be dismantled for thorough cleaning. Eventually, the smell became too great and I had to dispose of the tank. I decided it was time to try a new spot shampooer - one that had a cleanable tank.

That's when I decided to try the Hoover Steamvac Jr. Both the Little Green and the Hoover spray and suck reasonably well for a small machine. As far as actual cleaning quality, the two are comparable. However, I found the Hoover to be bulky and a pain and its only redeeming quality, in my opinion, was that I am able to thoroughly clean the dirty water tank.

The problems I had with the Hoover F5411 Steamvac Jr.:
- The tanks are the base of the unit and are not removable. In order to fill the clean water tank, you have to either maneuver the entire unit under the faucet and aim at a one inch hole in the portion of the unit that houses the motor, or you have to dismantle the machine and still maneuver the largest part of it under your faucet or use a bucket.
- The tanks are a single bucket-style unit separated by a divider. They are not individual parts. When you dump the dirty water, if you have the unit fully assembled, the clean water will slosh around. If you dismantle the machine to empty it, you will also be emptying the clean water tank.
- The top portion that houses the motor also has a filter that sits down in the dirty water tank, so if you dismantle the machine to fill or empty it, you are forced to place the motor housing with hose and cord in a tub or sink or get your floor dirty and wet.
- The machine is round. It doesn't fit well on stairs nor is it a convenient shape to store.
- There is no cord storage on this unit and no convenient way to store the cord or keep it out of your way when you are filling, emptying, or storing. You can wrap it around the base of the handle, but it usually does not stay in place if you empty the tank and tends to get in the way of using the handle to carry the machine.
- The Steamvac Jr. does have a spot to store the hose, but I find it an inconvenient and cumbersome position.

I'm currently saving my pennies to buy another Little Green. The little Hoover just makes me more angry than satisfied and I've taken to simply letting stains set in instead of hassle with the obnoxious machine.

I would recommend avoiding the Proheat Little Green. It seems the parts are not designed to work well with the heat and tend to break down. Hot tap water in the standard Little Green works well and this is coming from a germaphobe whose hands are raw from overwashing. If it's clean enough for me, it's probably more than clean enough for you. If you're looking for a spot shampooer, the Little Green is your best bet.

After much research I purchased this cleaner. I had planned on getting the Little Green Machine but due to the negative reviews I changed my mind. Since I received this little Hoover gem I've used it on the worst kind of doggie messes and was amazed!!! I'm a senior citizen with mobility issues and was delighted to find that, even when filled to capacity, this machine is lightweight and sooooo simple to use. Easy fill, easy dump out, easy storage and gets those spots out quickly and efficiently. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the hose doesn't come off so it's just a tad cumbersome to fill or clean out. However, it is very easy to clean the inlets and outlets even when they're full of dog hair. I seriously don't think you can beat the price or quality of this Hoover product.

I got a stain out of my carpet that was well over a year old. I had tried other cleaning products to no avail, but the Steamvac did the trick.

It is crucial to follow the instructions and use very hot tap water (or even boil the water on the stove before you use it). The unit is not designed to heat the water itself. The instructions and the packaging are clear on this point so I don't know why other people are having problems with that.

My only complaint is that since the unit does not heat the water itself, you do have to work quickly, or else the water you put in the tank will cool off.