A GUIDE AND REVIEW OF THE ORECK CARPET / HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER M800Q SERIES

Three weeks ago I was bored and channel surfing when I first saw the Oreck XL Rinse-A-Matic on QVC.  My husband had been after me to get the carpets cleaned, but with the cost of having someone come in and do them, or shoot, even the cost of renting one of those unwieldly Rug Doctors, it just hasn't been in the budget. With less than 5 minutes to go, I sat in amazement at this machine.  As I watched the man and woman easily operating it, I thought to myself "I can do that".  With 18 seconds to go, I was convinced and made the call. 

THE BASIC COST

I got through right away, which usually means no one else wanted one.  Well, the machine was kind of steep at $2hundredsomething, but they had it on Easy Pay so I stayed on the line.  A cheerful voice took my order.  I also ordered extra shampoo, so my order came to just under $243.00.  I figured that if I used it once a month (ok, we all say that, so realistically let's say once every 6 months), and my best friend used it once every 6 months, and my son used it when he moves out of his studio apartment, well...  I figured I'd get my money's worth very quickly.  Plus it would get my hubby off my back about cleaning the carpet.  He wants them done, but budgeting is still a far away concept.  He still operates on the 'I've Still Got Checks How Can I Be Out Of Money' concept.

GETTING READY...

OK.  My box arrives about 2 weeks later.  I have to wait until my husband is going to be gone for a few days to use it.  YES!  This week he has meetings out of town and my 12 year old son and I wave him off and just after he turns the corner, we race into the house and start moving furniture.  He vacuums with the Kirby while I put the machine together.  OK.  Here is something important to know:  There is some assembly required.  It's easy enough to do.  I spent more time getting it out of the box than I did assembling it.  Assembly calls for the use of a Philips Screwdriver, but I didn't have one.  I used a butter knife and it worked fine.

GO!!!

The furniture has been moved, I've assembled the machine, my son has vacuumed.  We're ready to go.  Fill the tank to the line.  Check.  Plug in the shampoo cartridge.  Check.  Turn it on and go.  Check.  Shampoo.  Check.  Rinse.  Check.  Extra drying lap.  Check.  It really is that easy.  Sort of...

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY...

It does work like it says.  Actually, it works better than I thought it would.  I have absolutely no complaints about how well it cleans.  You can see the difference immediately.  Is it worth the $243 bucks I paid?  OH YES!  There are a few issues with the product that you should know about before buying one.  The 2-chamber tank you fill with hot water is very small, so it requires a lot of starting and stopping and trips to empty and trips to refill.  Now that isn't necessarily a bad thing because any woman or teen can carry the tank and do the necessary tasks.  My son did all the tank 'running', although he did it about every 10-15 minutes.  OK, so maybe I'm a fast worker, but that still seems a lot of time spent emptying and refilling.  So figure that into your time frame.  A nice feature about the tank is that it is 2-chambers, one for the clean, hot water, and one for the dirty water.  You never have to touch the water, even when emptying the container.  The tank keeps everything separate and is easily cleaned.  If you have long haired pets (I have 3 dogs), you will periodically need to stop the machine and check the underside for hair that this machine sucks up.  Hair that even the Kirby didn't get!  The shampoo comes in a cartridge that fastens into the machine, so there is no measuring needed.  Very Cool.  It works something like a Swiffer Wet Jet, so as you need shampoo dispensed, you press a button that is on the main handle for easy use.  Here is another important thing to know:  Buy extra shampoo.  Figure it takes about a cartridge per room, give or take.  If the carpet is really large, or bad, you may need one more per room.  The shampoo isn't cheap, so be sure to check eBay regularly for deals. 

IS IT EASY TO PUSH AND PULL?

Yes.  It has a big set of wheels that you use like a dolly to push the cleaner forward.  All the cleaning is done while you pull the unit backwards.  The shampoo/water comes out the back of the head and the front of the head sucks it up.  So all you do is roll the unit forward and drag it back.  It's very lightweight and easy to do.

CLEAN UP...

All you need is a garden hose for the fastest clean up.  You have to clean the water tank, the underside of the head, and (depending on pets and dirt) you may have to clean the intake area.  Again, a garden hose makes for fast clean up, although it can be done in the sink or tub.

IS IT WORTH IT...

Yes.  I can't think of a way to explain it other than that.  It does what it says, better than it says it can do it.  I should have taken a before and after picture.  I am disabled because of my hands and wrists.  They simply no longer work right or for any extended amount of time.  I was able to use this without help, from the assembly to the clean-up.  My son did help, but there is no doubt that I could've done it all by myself.  My husband will be surprised, my carpet is clean, and I feel good about the whole experience.  I would purchase it again and I will be recommending it to my friends and family. 

If you have any questions regarding the Oreck XL Rinse-A-Matic, please feel free to email me, via eBay, for more information.  I don't sell them, or anything associated with them, I just have one and have successfully used it.  If this guide/review has been the least bit helpful, please check the 'YES' box below.  Thank You for your time and interest in this article.