I was excited to have new carpet in my home. Little did I know that my Dyson Vacuum would eventually be accused of being “The Carpet Muncher.”

To make a long story short…Several years ago, I had a kitchen fire in my home the day before Mother’s Day.  (Don’t leave bacon cooking while you go with your brother-in-law to the neighbors to discuss tearing down a fence.)

After the many months of turmoil dealing with clean up,  insurance agents, carpenters and painters, the last workers left. I was happy to settle in and enjoy my new kitchen, new wall paint and new carpet.  Little did I know, a “Carpet Muncher” was hiding in my closet.

I had selected a shag carpet and the strands were about one inch long. I understand that when a carpet is new, the carpet will shed a bit and, you will get a fair amount of loose fibers in your vacuum canister.  But, for only a short period of time.  However, I become concerned when I couldn’t get through the entire house without having to empty my Dyson Vacuum canister several times.  I began to save the carpet fibers when I emptied the vacuum and by Thanksgiving I had almost filled a 30 gallon plastic bag. The ends of the carpet had “bloomed” and flared. There was some serious carpet matting in the traffic areas.

I took the bag of fiber to the carpet dealer (who was also my disaster clean-up company.)   They were surprised to see the contents of the bag.  “Wow, I think something is the matter here.”  They called the manufacture, who was Shaw Carpet, and told them of the problem.  Shaw had never heard of anything like it before.  An independent adjuster came to my home to evaluate the problem.

Several weeks later, Shaw Carpets informed us it was not a faulty carpet… it was my vacuum.  “No, No, it couldn’t be… I owned a Dyson Vacuum.”  My carpet dealer didn’t agree with the decision and went to bat for me. In the end, Shaw Carpet agreed to replace the carpet.

I think I just came under the wire, because shortly after that, I learned that Shaw does not guarantee their shag carpet if your vacuum has a beater bar.  (You know… that little brush that goes round and round.)

I selected new carpet and, it came into the dealer’s wear house over a year ago.  The new carpet was just installed a couple of months ago.  (They had to fit it in between disasters… flood and fire. They’ve been busy folks.) In the mean time, I vacuumed rarely but, when I did, the canister always filled up quickly.  The Carpet Muncher was at work.

During the last year, I’ve seen the same carpet shag in many homes.  No where in the Shaw Carpet sample book does it warn against using a vacuum with beater bar or a Dyson.  So Beware!  Check with your dealer concerning the guarantee.  I love my Dyson… but it looks like I’ll be trading it in…. “for a Shop Vac?”

My new selection is a short nap carpet… I’m through with the shag.  The carpet installers said the the Dyson Vacuum is probably not the best vacuum to use. It’s suction is too strong and you can’t adjust the beater bar.  (In other words.. it does too good of a job.)

My advice:  Make sure you do your homework before you buy carpet of any brand!

Till later,

Kathy Griffiths
Insightful Nana

P.S.  My carpet was such a mess, I’m convinced it was defective and the Dyson vacuum didn’t help matters.  The dealer and carpet layers agree.  Apparently Shaw Carpet must have agreed also… for which I’m grateful.  Thank you!  And… I like my new carpet.

P.S.S.  That little pile of something in the picture… is some of the carpet fiber from the very last vacuuming