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stir_fryi

Anything other than Smartstrand?

stir_fryi SE Mich
11 years ago

Looking for family room carpet (twist or textured). I love my friend's carpet (SS) but she said she absolutely could not push her Dyson across it.

I am not giving up my vacuum cleaner (Dyson DC14) -- so is there any other carpet I should be looking at?

Our main wear and tear is cat vomit (though he has been much better about than since switching to a grain free diet).

Comments (9)

  • niteshadepromises
    11 years ago

    A while ago there was a discussion about tuftex trusoft being a nylon alternative to SS, without any of the vacuuming issue inherent to SS.

  • DanG4
    11 years ago

    I can tell you that as a landlord I'm replacing a really good Stainmaster nylon carpet simply due to the amount of stains that won't come out. I'm using smartstrand. If I had it in originally the carpet would still be usable. Vacuuming shouldn't be your primary concern. people with SS do use dysons.

  • dekeoboe
    11 years ago

    Does your friend have SmartStrand or SmartStrand Silk. I was under the impression the vacuum problem is more with the Silk line.

  • prairiefox
    11 years ago

    Does Smartstrand Ultra have the same problem with Dysons?

  • DanG4
    11 years ago

    I think it has more to do with the pile height than the 'type' of Smartstrand.

  • stir_fryi SE Mich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I don't know which SS she has.

    I think I am going with a Stainmaster 66 Trusoft. I brought home a sample board and tried to vacuum it -- difficult to vacuum and 2 ft piece of carpet though so I can't say for certain how the Dyson will perform on it.

    The SS were not in my budget for a large family room (almost 300 SF).

  • DIYguy_FL
    10 years ago

    When it comes to premium soft carpets like SmartStrand Silk (Not other SmartStrand lines), Dyson models are not well-suited for ANY premium soft carpets.

    Riccar vacuums work great with SmartStrand Silk and other premium lines. Any SmartStrand carpet will be superior in repelling stains throughout your home.

    If you are making an investment in a premium soft carpet, invest in the vacuum that will work best with it for decades. Mohawk's standard SmartStrand line will give you perfect balance in stain protection, durability, and softness with no vacuum constraints.

  • mydreamhome
    10 years ago

    Your DC14 has auto adjusting height so you should be fine with the Smartstrand. We have the Sorona Smartstrand (not the Silk) and love it. We also have a Dyson--the original Ball and while it is a little harder to push, it's not that bad (ours does not have auto adjusting height either). Had Stainmaster carpets in our last house and stains would "come out" then reappear a few weeks later--very frustrating. Have not had that problem with the SS--even when DS2 tracked blood from a cut foot all over the barely off-white SS in his bedroom. A little cold tap water and a clean cloth and the stains literally disappeared.

    How long do you want the carpet last compared to how long the Stainmaster should hold up? Our carpet guy told us we would be replacing our Smartstrand because we changed our decor long before we had to replace due to wear and tear. Spending a little more on the SS and not having to replace or deal with reappearing stains is definitely worth the upcharge (at least to me). Also, are you pricing the Sorona SS or just the Silk? The regular should be less expensive--definitely check out the big box stores for competitive pricing as many local dealers will work with you to get your business if they know that you know you can get it somewhere else for less. Something to think about...

    We had the same problem with our cat too. We switched to Evolve Maintenance Formula dry food and Natural Life canned food. It has made all the difference for her & us and it doesn't break the bank!

    Hope this helps!

  • Michelle Anderson
    5 years ago

    How has your Smartstrand carpet held up mydreamhome? We are looking at getting new carpet and I’m worried about Smartstrand matting after a few years?