Coal Dust and Vacumn Cleaners?

dogstarheaven

Does anyone still burn coal in their fires these days? My friend has never wanted to change his Rayburn fire as he believes that it's value for money as well as it's effectiveness, and yet his carpets are caked in dust (tried for years for him to switch to gas but he wouldn't have it, or to change to a hard flooring alt, but says it's too cold to have no carpets downstairs - he's old fashioned and stuck in his ways). He needs a new vacumn cleaner but after speaking to a John Lewis assistant, they said no vacumn cleaner will pick up its dust properly. So, is there the best cleaner for the job? He's also seen that the market has changed dramatically over the decades and is wondering to get a 2in1 cleaner (washes and vacumns) or he might be 2 separate appliances instead, in which case which cleaner as well to buy?

Anyone with any ideas other than send a load of vacumn cleaner reps round to convince him of handing over a few hundred squids..?

thanks!:beer:

snozberry

I can't help sorry but I grew up with coal fires and my gran had a rayburn but our carpets were never caked in dust from the fire.

In my last house, I had a regular dyson but, again, the carpet was never caked in dust from it. Maybe he ought to review how he cleans his house.

Linda32

Hi,

It this any good to you?
http://www.scottsofstow.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?storeId=10551&catalogId=22051&langId=-1&pageSize=12&beginIndex=0&searchSource=Q&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&pageView=image&searchTerm=vacuum+ash

Nicki

Builders tend to use Henry hoovers to clean up after they have made a mess, so my guess is that they are good on heavy dust.

Dysons are not so good IMO. I've had two and neither had as good suction as my Miele or even the cheapie Electrolux upright that I bought from the supermarket for a tenner. They may not lose suction when getting full, but that's only because the suction isn't great to start off with!

http://reviews.argos.co.uk/1493-en_gb/4060235/reviews.htm

meritaten

oh dear - if the house is caked in dust perhaps the door to the firebox is not shutting properly? Had a Rayburn type myself and tbh it didnt make much dust.
and I dont see why a modern vacuum cleaner shouldnt cope with dust - after all they are supposed to be more efficient are they not?
I would try a 'Henry' or look out for a 'Professional' cleaner.

dogstarheaven

Linda32 wrote: »

Hi,

It this any good to you?
http://www.scottsofstow.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?storeId=10551&catalogId=22051&langId=-1&pageSize=12&beginIndex=0&searchSource=Q&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&pageView=image&searchTerm=vacuum+ash

this one's for cleaning the fire itself not for carpets, sorry...

snozberry wrote: »

I can't help sorry but I grew up with coal fires and my gran had a rayburn but our carpets were never caked in dust from the fire.

In my last house, I had a regular dyson but, again, the carpet was never caked in dust from it. Maybe he ought to review how he cleans his house.

he doesn't clean as often as any 'normal' person would, hence why he's such an old-fashioned, typical bachelor-type in his 60s. I go round and when i leave, i go to blow my nose and my tissue is black!!:eek::eek:

dogstarheaven wrote: »

He's also seen that the market has changed dramatically over the decades and is wondering to get a 2in1 cleaner (washes and vacumns) or he might be 2 separate appliances instead, in which case which cleaner as well to buy?

are the carpet cleaners any good, and if so will it take out the coal stains on a grey carpet? (:eek:, yes, it's very stained:eek::eek:

dogstarheaven

Nicki wrote: »

Builders tend to use Henry hoovers to clean up after they have made a mess, so my guess is that they are good on heavy dust.

Dysons are not so good IMO. I've had two and neither had as good suction as my Miele or even the cheapie Electrolux upright that I bought from the supermarket for a tenner. They may not lose suction when getting full, but that's only because the suction isn't great to start off with!

http://reviews.argos.co.uk/1493-en_gb/4060235/reviews.htm

I got a Dyson DC04 (or whatever it's called) when this came out and to this day, I've never had probs with this personally. I did suggest to friend to go for a Dyson but I don't think he'd part with £200 plus (his limit is £150, but would spend a lot less)

I had a Henry to use at my daughter's flat some weeks ago and found it to have v. poor suction so I don't think that would be recommended for carpets that need super suction power. Despite what people say that this is Builder's Choice, I still don't think they're that great...

wik

Hi, I have an enclosed coal/woodburner at the moment, and yes it can be a wee bit dusty when I have cleaned it out, but have never found that my carpets are dirty, and I just have a Mr T hoover..
I never mind the dusting, as I love to have a real fire, and have to say that coal/wood dust is a lot easier to clean that when I lived in Scotland and had an open fire that I burnt peat on!!
wik x

meritaten

dogstarheaven wrote: »

this one's for cleaning the fire itself not for carpets, sorry...

he doesn't clean as often as any 'normal' person would, hence why he's such an old-fashioned, typical bachelor-type in his 60s. I go round and when i leave, i go to blow my nose and my tissue is black!!:eek::eek:


are the carpet cleaners any good, and if so will it take out the coal stains on a grey carpet? (:eek:, yes, it's very stained:eek::eek:

hun - if your snot is black after visiting and there is a strong smell of coal or soot? has he had the flue cleaned? dust from the rayburn should NOT be black! if he cleans once a week then I would say something is wrong here!

suki1964

Have two stoves lit 24/7 ATM and whilst there is some dust,not enough for me to worry about my Miele

I also have the mr T bog standard vacuum to use on the stoves themselves to clear the ashes

dogstarheaven

wik wrote: »

Hi, I have an enclosed coal/woodburner at the moment, and yes it can be a wee bit dusty when I have cleaned it out, but have never found that my carpets are dirty, and I just have a Mr T hoover..how often do you use all coal in yours (as in 100% coal? and do you not find a film of coal dust on your surfaces each day?
I never mind the dusting, as I love to have a real fire, and have to say that coal/wood dust is a lot easier to clean that when I lived in Scotland and had an open fire that I burnt peat on!!
wik x

meritaten wrote: »

hun - if your snot is black after visiting and there is a strong smell of coal or soot?you can definitely tell it's a smell of coal or soot in the house has he had the flue cleaned?think it's done either a yearly or twice yearly job done by a professional dust from the rayburn should NOT be black! if he cleans once a week then I would say something is wrong here!

not sure how often he vacumns and polishes, at a wild guess probably once a week on vacumning and polishing.. tricky to answer that, prob. once a month? there's always thick film of dust that i see on the surfaces when i go round, y'see. not a nice sight. i never wear white when i go there, i tell ya:o