How do i put together my kirby carpet shampoo system?

SYSTEM:
Will work with:

• Kirby G3 vacuum cleaner
• Kirby G4 vacuum cleaner
• Kirby G5 vacuum cleaner
• Kirby Gsix vacuum cleaner
• Kirby Ultimate G vacuum cleaner
• Kirby Ultimate G Diamond vacuum cleaner
• Kirby Sentria vacuum cleaner
• Sentria II (Sentria2)

This is unused shampoo attachment. We buy new parts and assemble this shampoo attachment so you will be the first one to use it.
Set includes:

1. Tray with shield
2. Nozzle
3. Brush roll
4. Belt
5. Container with cap
6. Hose
7. 12 oz. shampoo

NOTE - pictured Kirby Sentria shampooer box may not be included.
If you have never used this shampoo, we highly recommend reading our ONLINE MANUAL. This is a simple but very effective unit but you have to learn how to use it and "common sense" will not be enough! HOW TO - V I D E O S

Tank with soapy solution is attached in place of the bag. It utilizes the air coming out of the exhaust to blow soapy water on a small screen that turns it into thick foam. The foam is simply laid over the carpet (you must vacuum before you shampoo). Foam allows the spread of a small amount of water over the area so carpet is not soaked all the way through. Foam is left on the carpet for a few minutes so it has just enough time to moisten the fibers of the carpet and loosen the dirt (not too long otherwise foam may dry). Then foam maker is set to "OFF" and you slowly pull Kirby vacuum over the area where you laid the foam. The rotating brush in the shampooer nozzle rubs the moisture off carpet fibers and and throws it into the tray in front of the unit. You will not see gallons of dirty water but that is because you did not put it on the rug in the first place. Carpet should dry within 1-4 hours (depends how many times you laid the foam and what is humidity in the room). After it dries it has to be vacuumed. Solution that did not get picked up with the shampooer brush dries and shampoo additives do not let the dirt stick back to the fibers of the carpet. It is loose when it dries so in order to pick up what is left, you must vacuum again.
Shampoo:
You can use any carpet shampoo sold in your local store but make sure that this is carpet shampoo that makes foam and pay attention how much you have to dilute it with water as various shampoo products come in different concentration. Avoid using "just anything" that makes foam. Some household chemicals (such as dishwasher fluid) will do great job but it will leave carpet unprotected so dirt will stick to it so well that you will have a filthy rug in no time. Kirby Vacuum Shampooer


800-775-6586
GoodVac com

The Kirby site has a good instruction video for this. Check the " Attaching the Carpet Shampoo System" on the below link.
http://www.kirby.com/Portals/0/videos.html

The answer is no. This type of shampoo doesn't work as well in the Kirby. It should be dry foam shampoo only.

Vacuuming a wet carpet with your Kirby or any other vacuum not designed for wet pickup could do serious damage to your machine and there is a real danger of electrical shock to the operator.
Your Kirby Diamond and every other Kirby for that matter is NOT designed to pick up water!! Even with the shampoo system attached it will NOT pick up water or the shampoo foam. Your Kirby spreads the shampoo foam around on the carpet to clean it. You then only vacuum a shampooed carpet after it has completely dried.
.

I just did and it's multiple steps but not too hard.

There are complete detailed explanations if you do a search engine on kirby shampooer instructions. I found one explanation on Ebay, and another on EHow. www.goodvac.com/Articles.asp?ID=153

Step one - vacuum your carpet more thoroughly than you usually do. Each back and forth pass - four times.

Take off the dirt bag and the head off of your Kirby.

Where the dirt bag attaches to the Kirby is where the shampoo mixing container goes. Before you attach the mixing container on there take your container and fill it to the 1st line for a very small area, 2nd for a medium sized area, and to the third line for an average sized bedroom. A large living room may need a second container. For the solution - you must use Kirby shampoo. If you fill to the first water line - use one capful, 2nd line 2 capfuls, and etc. Make sure the sponge filter is positioned on the mixing container in the spot where it hooks onto the vacuum (mini-emptor).

The shampoo brushhead I find to be the biggest challenge because that L-shaped tube attachment gets in the way of the belt lifter when you try to hook on the belt. The belt is going to hook on the brushroller the same way it does on your vacuum head. Pop the brush roller in the head of the shampooer and then sit that head onto the tray mechanism.

Once you puzzle piece everything together and now ready to shampoo. Let me tell ya this - after the hassle of putting everything together - just do the whole room and make it worth the bother.

Turn the machine on, and lower the shampoo head ALL THE WAY DOWN, unless your carpet is ultra thick and then maybe just one click up. Turn the dial on the shampoo mixing container to on. Push the machine forward rather quick and pull back slow. Do overlapping passes.This will spread the foam nice and evenly. Let the foam sit for about 5 minutes, then turn the dial to off and go back over it slowly forward and backwards massaging the foam solution deep into your carpet fibers. Then let it sit for 2 - 3 hours. Then vacuum really thoroughly. Right after I go through the shampooing process and the carpet is still moist - I use a carpet brush and I scrub the foam even deeper into the carpet.

Good luck. Hopefully you will be motivated in the fact that I just did mine and the high traffic carpet looks really good. I just had clients come in and they noticed the difference right away, as it looks like a pro came in and did the job.

Please copy and paste the address below to the address window to obtain instructions for your Kirby Shampooer.

http://reviews.ebay.com/KIRBY-CARPET-SHAMPOOER-INSTRUCTIONS-MANUAL-DIRECTIONS_W0QQugidZ10000000004594992


Hope this helps :)

Thank you for using Fixya!!!

http://reviews.ebay.com/KIRBY-CARPET-SHAMPOOER-INSTRUCTIONS-MANUAL-DIRECTIONS_W0QQugidZ10000000004594992

Copy and paste the above link to the address window of your browser for the Kirby Shampooer instructions.

Hope this helps :)

And thank you for using Fixya!!!

I found this on a website. Hope it helps others...

by Mainelyvacs in: Kirby

• First a short explanation of how the Kirby shampoo system works: Kirby uses a “Dry Foam” type of shampoo. Basically, it spreads a shampoo foam solution on the surface of your carpet. This foam needs to stay on the surface of the carpet until it is completely dry (usually 1 to 2 hours depending on temperature and humidity) As the foam dries, it soaks up grease and dirt. You then vacuum the carpet and up comes the shampoo residue along with the absorbed dirt and grease. It does a very good job on the surface but will not extract stains from the bottom of the carpet or carpet pad. Several other brands such as Electrolux, Hoover and Koblenz make Carpet Cleaning machines that use the same system.
  So, you’ve read your manual, you’ve removed the carpet cleaning nozzle and the bag assembly from your Kirby, you’ve installed your shampoo tank and carpet shampooing nozzle tray and you start to shampoo but all you get on your carpet is a puddle of soapy water and no foam. Here’s a few things to look for:
• Make sure you are using a Dry Foam Shampoo(preferably Kirby) and NOT an extraction shampoo, the Rug Doctor shampoo you had left over from your last rental will not work.
• Make sure you have the correct mixture. If you are using Kirby Dry foam shampoo you simply fill the tank with water and put a tank cap full of shampoo in with the water. You can use other brands of “Dry Foam” shampoo, but the mixture ratio may be different, so read the label first.
• Don’t reuse last year’s leftover mixture, it’s probably no good.
• Make sure a family member didn’t pour any leftover mixture back into the empty shampoo bottle - further diluting a mixture will not produce any foam.
• Don’t use shampoo that’s seen extreme temperatures.
• Check the tank and make sure that the sponge filter is in place and if it is in place that it is not deteriorated. The sponge filter is located under the tank at the point where you attach the tank to the hole that you removed the bag assembly from.
• Check the hose that runs from the tank to the nozzle. It should have a screen in the end that attaches to the tank (older models had a cloth screen with a metal retainer, models after 1989 have a 1 piece metal and plastic screen.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS WHAT BRAND OF SHAMPOO ARE YOU USING??? KIRBY IS NOTED FOR REQUIRING ONLY, KIRBY SHAMPOO. PART OF THE REASON IS THAT THEY HAVE A UNIQUE FORMULA THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY WITH THE KIRBY.
THE OTHER POSSIBILITY IS THE DISPENSER IS PLUGGED AND NEEDS A REAL GOOD CLEANING. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING THE FOAM TO THE CARPET, YOU NEED TO GO REALLY, REALLY SLOW.
THE NARROW BAND OF SUDS DOES INDICATE YOU MAY BE MOVING THE DISPENSER TOO FAST. GOOD LUCK.

Here is a link to my online guide for carpet shampooing....

http://reviews.ebay.com/KIRBY-CARPET-SHAMPOOER-INSTRUCTIONS-MANUAL-DIRECTIONS_W0QQugidZ10000000004594992

Hope it helps!
If that is not enough info, I have manuals available.
Marci