Vax Rapide Ultra 2

With 2 young children and a Labrador my cream carpets take a real beating. I am constantly having to get them cleaned, and this was becoming very expensive!

After having the Vax spring cleaner before and being really disappointed with it, I was dubious about trying another carpet cleaner, but after reading the reviews I decided to give this one a go.

The Vax Rapide Ultra 2 arrived in a rather large box, and upon opening I realised this was quite a large machine. It certainly looks like it means business, and although it relatively heavy it is not too heavy.

The instruction manual was a bit lacking. There were pictures to show how to connect the bits and pieces but not much in the way of written explanations. A lot of it was done by pot luck; I looked at the shape of brackets etc on the machine and concluded that is where certain things should go!!

It was time to put it to the test, and fill the machine up. First to measure the cleaning solution, and add the required amount of water. It would have helped to have a small "measure" included as you need 40ml of solution per litre of water, and as I did not know how much it held I had to do this pain stakingly 1 jug at a time. It worked out that it holds 4.5 litres of water - this equates to 180ml of solution. It was a little tricky as well because the tank does not stay up on its own, so I had to hold it whilst doing this.

The cleaner was really easy to use. You depress the switch to release the fluid whist pushing machine forward, then release it and pull machine back whilst it sucks the dirty water back up. I used the hose and nozzles for the hard to reach areas and thus was able to do all the carpet.

I was shocked at the colour of the water coming up from the carpets!! I knew they were mucky but really!!

The results were amazing! The carpets were lovely and clean, and the pile rejuvenated. I was also amazed at how dry the carpets were after cleaning. Within a couple of hours they were ready to walk on.

The tank was easy to remove for emptying. Was a bit fiddly to get the tank fully rinsed, but not too bad.

Cable length is good, and hose does almost all of the stairs.

Would I recommend this product.....erm yes definitely!! It does exactly what it is meant to and you won’t be disappointed. It also comes with a 2 year guarantee which has got to be good.

I have previously used a Vax carpet washer and was pleased with the performance but the Ultra 2 beats it hands down!

The instructions are easy to follow with good, straightforward diagrams.

I particularly liked the 'one tank' feature, water and cleaning solution are mixed in a decent sized 5ltr tank, meaning you can do a room without having to refill it.

You press the trigger on the handle during the outward push to release the fluid, let it go and on the pull back the used water is sucked up.

The suck is pretty powerful which means its only a short time before your carpet is dry.

I had water left in the tank so I used it for the arms of our settees, they came up looking like new too!

My previous vax had been VERY difficult to clean but this one? quick rinse and you're done. Fantastic!!!

This is a great carpet washer , I wish I had come across it sooner

This Vax is brilliant, highly recommended!

It was delivered in a very big box, but once unpacked the machine itself is a reasonable size, weight and very sturdy. I expected it to be really heavy to push around but it moved really easily along my different carpets. We have had carpet cleaners before which have left us with bad backs for days, especially my husband who is 6 foot 8, but as this is an upright machine and of a decent size, no back pain was experienced! We have a dog, and hoover daily so wouldn't have expected many dog hairs to be cleaned up, but the rotating brush on this machine got deep into the pile lifting lots of dog hairs out (which was a bit embarrassing really)!!

Cleaners we've used in the past have left carpets soggy and took hours to dry, but this machine left them virtually dry, and as it is January it's not like we had all windows and doors open to help them along, as we've previously had to do.

The hand held tool was brilliant for getting into tricky corners, and ideal for the stairs. We also used it on our sofa, chair and pouffe and it brought them up like new, you don't realise how grubby things have got until you clean them! I'm blaming our 2 year old daughter for that one! My mam and dad even commented how fresh smelling our living room was the day after!

I think this machine is definitely value for money, and would highly recommend it!

Vax Rapide Ultra 2 W90-RU-P Carpet Washer

This machine comes with a 2 year guarantee which I registered online. It is extremely well constructed and assembled in next to no time without the need for any tools. The instruction leaflet was accurate and very simple to follow.The product description promised an easy to use and versatile upright machine, which washes your carpets, removes stains and sucks up spills. It comes with a separate attachment for using with the pre-treatment. The recommended amount of shampoo solution is 40ml per litre of water and I noticed there was no measure enclosed which I think would be useful.

It is very easy to clean carpets as all you do is pre-treat stubborn stains with the solution supplied and the wand attachment and leave for 10-15 minutes then remove the wand and wash with shampoo solution by pulling the trigger on the forward movement, then releasing on the backward movement and you can then see the dirty water being suctioned out. I was amazed at just how much dirt was removed as I did not think my carpets were that dirty.

It is quite a heavy machine especially when full of water and proved to be difficult to manoeuver unless it was straight there and back. It is similar to using a normal vacuum cleaner.

The shampoo supplied is enough for a medium sized room and the carpets were left only slightly damp. I have a dehumidifier which I left plugged in overnight and the carpet was dry by the morning. The shampoo is quite costly and I found it pays to shop around for deals as prices vary.

There are extra attachments for cleaning the car and upholstery so I decided to

wash the upholstery in my car even though I cover the seats when I take the dog

out it was very grubby and was about to get it valeted. The car looks brand new

after I cleaned it.

I was thinking about having to replace my hall, stairs and landing carpet as I have a dog and had tried many times to remove stains by hand but to no avail. My carpet now looks brand new after using the Vax Rapide 2 and I have many more years use out of it and know I can remove stains quickly and effectively.

The overall results with this machine were excellent and it is good value for money taking into account the cost of this machine I think it pays for itself after 3 or 4 washes rather than using an outside contractor or replacing carpets.

Upon receiving my brand new Vax Rapide Ultra 2, I became very excited as I am the epitome of this Carpet Cleaner’s reason, having three Children, a Dog and a cream carpet.

Previously having no easy way to clean my carpets, the cream mid-pile carpet had flattened and turned a mottled shade of brown especially on the through routes from Hall to Living room and those from the Utility to the Dining room. I had stains on the floor from where Coffee and Cola had spilled in awkward places and had desperately tried to soak it up with old towels over the years.

The Vax Rapide’s box is not of a wasteful size; all supplementary tools are tucked in convenient spaces so as to fill the box.

The Carpet Cleaner itself is quite heavy to lift, yet upon using, is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre. To fill with Vax detergent and tepid water was simple with uncomplicated instructions and with the use of a measuring jug and spoons and a funnel, the tank filled without spillage or complication.

I used the pre-treatment wand and solution on the ground in stains, this solution only has to remain on the Carpet for 10-15 minutes before continuing with the Main Clean, leaving sufficient time to thoroughly rinse the tank and refill with the correct ratio of the main cleaning solution.

As mentioned before, the unit is almost effortless to push and pull despite myself having back and walking problems. The mechanism to disperse the fluid is a cinch to master and upon releasing the button and pulling back seeing the dirt filled water being sucked up was wonderfully satisfying.

Immediately after what felt like a deep clean, I felt the carpet with my hand; it was damp, but not wet. After three quarters of an hour the carpet was dry to the touch and visibly cleaner, I took the ‘after’ photographs the next morning, so even if the cleaning solution contained an optical brightener the true benefits could be seen. Comparing my before and after photos, in the same light shows a dramatic change in colour, brightness and texture.

Overall, I found the Vax Rapide Ultra 2 to be fit for its purpose, efficient for removal of tough, long term stains and child’s play to perfect. I would thoroughly recommend this pleasing Carpet Cleaning device to anyone who wants or needs an affordable fix to care for their Carpets.

It does what it says on the box.

I would certainly recommend this washer to anyone, it is easy to use with simple instructions, it has a very handy pre-treatment wand, along with the furniture/stair attachment, is easy to attach and remove with no leaking, the machine itself is used just like a normal hoover, press the trigger on the forward stroke and release it on the backward stroke to suck up the dirty water. I was amazed at how much dirt came out and it is satisfying to see it! This washer has dealt very well with my carpet, I have 2 kids, 2 dogs and a husband who works in an oily environment so my carpets take a beating, but this machine coped well and brought my carpet up like new. I am very pleased, just wish I had found out about it sooner!

Bought a vax rapide ultra 2 to help with my carpets and I have to sey, it has done a great job. Got the cleaner with £100 off and then free delivery. It came on time and has been really easy to use.

Last year, I bought a Vax Rapide XL which turned out to be the worst cleaner ever scoring it a generous 2 stars. However, persistence is the name as after complaining again to Vax that I had tried all their methods to resolve the problem of it not dispensing the detergent and water together, they immediately replaced it free of charge for the Rapide Ultra 2.

They restored my faith as compared to the XL, it is night and day! I would actually say that this model has done a better job the Bissell I once owned and is excellent value (if I had to have purchased it!).

I am more convinced than ever that the XL with its system of mixing detergent and water was flawed and I was not the only person to complain. If you are tempted to buy any rapide XL's left in stock, DO NOT. Just like regular cleaners, it is easy and better to mix it yourself.

Thank You to Vax for putting this right and I am more than happy to give this model top marks.

Having recently acquired a puppy my carpets were beginning to show signs of wear & tear! Purchased Vax Rapide from Argos at special offer price to replace my old non-upright Vax, which was messy to use. The box is big, but everthing fits together well producing a machine that looks huge. Gettting started is easy - just mix solution in the clean-water container (Vax needs to supply a small plastic measuring cup for this), replace the container in the machine and go. Initially have to get used to pressing the solution spray button when pushing forward and then releasing it when pulling back so that it sucks up the mucky water - and mucky it was too! I didn't realize how grubby my carpets were until I saw the colour of the waste and compared treated areas with non-treated. Suction is good and machine picked up a good quantity of grit because of its rotating beater bar even though I'd Dyson'd the carpet beforehand. Auto-full mechanism works well and getting rid of the waste is easy and clean. Very pleased with performance - carpets are left noticeably cleaned and retextured, and suction is so good that they're left almost dry. Only a few downsides. First machine's spray button failed after first use with result that machine sprayed all the time (what a mess) - replaced by Argos without any fuss. Replacement machine had broken plastic storage clip - again replaced by Argos without any fuss. I may have been unlucky, but there may be quality control issues at Vax. Also, Vax needs to look at the on-board storage for the hand-tube and electrical cablee - it takes ages to do this satisfactorily & I'm sure there must be an easier way to do it. Highly recommended!

When I received the Vax Rapide Ultra 2 I was amazed at the size of the box, upon opening it became clear that the machine was quite a big machine, taking up most of the box! However once out although it was quite heavy it did look powerful. The instruction leaflet was short, with pictures rather than written instructions. A few more words would have been helpful! I had to look at the pictures showing elements of the machine in use to work out where everything went as the "set-up" pictures only showed how to attach the handle and the Wand.

The machine is then ready to go! Measure the cleaning solution and add the required amount of water. It would have helped to have a small "measure" included, my jugs did not have the required scale, eg you need 40ml of solution and my jugs measure in 50ml intervals. Additionally because of shape of tank for the solution it will not stand on its own, so fill it over a sink!

Cleaning the carpets was incredibly easy! Push forward; activating the solution switch, I released the switch just before I came to the end of the push forward stroke, and pull back to suck up. This method of cleaning is very easy, size of machine makes it hard to get into small/tight spaces, but for this I used the hose and hand held nozzle. This works on the same principle after you have attached the hose (very easy to do once you have found the relevant picture), Squeeze trigger on forward movement - a word of warning: the liquid is sprayed in a sideways pattern from just behind the head of the nozzle, for using on the stairs I angled the nozzle at about 45 to get the most effective coverage on each step - pull the nozzle back and you can see the water being sucked up, in fact I went back over areas where I had used a lot of solution on the main carpets and sucked extra liquid up using the hand held nozzle.

The carpets were lovely and clean, and the pile rejuvenated, even my husband noticed! Also they were almost dry straight away. Two hours after cleaning I had everything back in place.

The pre-treatment wand seemed to me to bit over the top, but I haven't got any really dirty bits, if I get stains on my carpets I clean them as they happen, and the main machine coped brilliantly with the main traffic areas without the need for pre-treatment. If you inherit a very dirty carpet of one with large areas of staining then this attachment would come into its own.

Removing the dirty water chamber is very simple, a bit fiddly to get it totally rinsed clean. Removing and replacing the tank for the cleaning solution is again very simple to do, rinsing clean is very easy.

Cable length is good, but winding cable onto machine is time consuming because there is a lot to get into a small space. The hose could have been two steps longer! It would then have reached all the way to the top of my staircase, but then I guess it would have been harder to store.