Wednesday, January 06, 2016

Is Nothing Safe?

You know, I don't receive many comments on this here blog anymore (thanks a lot, Facebook), but one thing hasn't changed: the ones I do get are invariably positive, helpful even. Which is why it doesn't surprise me that AlisonH, upon reading that I had borrowed a neighbor's vacuum cleaner in order to clean up for our New Years party, felt compelled to share the following cautionary tale:

I borrowed a vacuum cleaner exactly once. Used it in the master bedroom, set it still a few hours, came back...to find carpet beetles crawling out from underneath its beater bar. Yes its owner had wool wall-to-wall. No she didn't know what carpet beetles look like. She thought they were ladybugs telling off-color jokes.

Thanks, AlisonH. That triggered my bug phobias quite nicely. Heading out NOW to find a vacuum cleaner I can call my own....





[Vacuum cleaner image: Clipart Panda]




15 comments:

  1. Get a Shark! They are clean so much better than the dyson or anything else on the market. You will think your house is clean and then you will plug up the Shark, vacuum and be mortified at the filth that you have been living with! Ask me how I know! Plus, also, too, the Shark has a nice price for frugalistas like myself.

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  2. I adore my Shark Navigator! My last one finally died of old age, just in time for Amazon to offer me a great Black Friday deal. Heather is right--you'll be appalled at how much crap that little gem will suck out of your carpet. You NEED a Shark. (You might mention to your neighbor that boric acid will kill those carpet beetles. Although an exterminator might be the best solution. Ugh.)

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  3. Eeeeewwww!!! There! A not positive comment. Happy now? But seriously, eeeeewww. I have a dyson which I love because I can see all the crud through the clear canister as I dump it. But the shark sounds exciting.

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  4. Good Lord. Off to Google "carpet beetles". And find out if my landlord thinks all wood flooring is a wonderful idea.

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  5. I had never heard of carpet beetles (and I won't be off to Google them either...ewww) but I have just this moment sworn to myself that we will never, ever, ever have carpet again.

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  6. i saw "messier" and i thought it was a blog about new york rangers hockey.
    i was wrong (for a change) but that was a funny (i'm sorry, it was) post.
    no carpet in my house.
    thank God.

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  7. There are carpet beetles? Ack. I will now pay more attention to any crunch I hear underfoot while walking around my less-than-spotless house.

    The very first purchase I made when I became financially independent was a vacuum cleaner. Having my own vacuum cleaner MADE me independent. (Or so I thought.) That is why I have a certain fondness for vacuum cleaners.

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  8. And this is why I love hard flooring. I have bunch of carpet, but would trade it all out if I could. Carpet HIDES STUFF. Shiver shudder shake.

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  9. I have wood flooring, but wool rugs on top. I love the rugs, but the last time I had one cleaned, there was damage from carpet beetles on it. Ugh!
    Good luck and let us know which brand you pick and if you like it.

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  10. Oh, forgot to say: I protested to the cleaner that I couldn't possibly have carpet beetles because they like darkness and the room was bright. She said, "Yes, but it's dark UNDER the rug."
    Sneaky things.

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  11. I got a Shark last year when my 15 year old Oreck finally died. I was contemplating a Dyson but the price difference was substantial and the Shark got so many good reviews I gave it a whirl. I am very pleased with my Shark! Good luck finding the perfect vacuum.

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  12. I've never heard of carpet beetles and now I am official freaked out about what is in my house. Ack!!
    Our vacuum cleaner is just "okay" and I'm starting to really want a Shark now... I may not lie on the floor again until I get one.

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  13. Oh man! I didn't know there were such a thing. We just bought a Shark Rocket Tru Pet and I love it! It's light weight and can be used on floor or carpet or upholstery. I was actually going to do a blog post about it. Mostly because my husband vaccuumed the whole house the day we got it!

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  14. I just felt sick reading this post. And thanked God for my central vac system.

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