Frequently Asked Questions

The site is organized by which Rainbow you own. Pick your model first, then the component you need.

1. Choose your model — E2 Type 12 (Black, Silver or Gold), E-2 (e SERIES™), D4C / SE, D3C / D3A, or D2A / D2 / D.

2. Choose the component:

• Main Unit — the body that plugs into the wall and latches onto the water pan
• Power Nozzle — the carpet attachment that plugs into the main unit
• AquaMate — the shampoo attachment
• RainbowMate — the mini power nozzle for furniture, stairs and cars
• RainJet — bare-floor cleaning for the SRX and Black series
• MiniJet — small shampooer for spot cleaning

Not sure which model you have? Watch our short video on finding your model and serial number, or call us on 301-791-9669 and we will identify it with you.

In a hurry? Quick Order lets you type part numbers straight into the cart.

The model and serial number are on a label (plate) on the machine itself. Where it is depends on the model:

• Series A and Model 3: on a plate on top of the unit
• B and C: on the front plate
• D, D2 and D2A: on a plate below the main on/off switch
• D3, D4 and SE: on the bottom of the main unit
• E-2, E2 Type 12 / Type 23 and SRX: on the side of the machine, straight down below the power cord, in the lower right corner

The Power Nozzle carries its own separate serial number.

This 2-minute video shows exactly where to look on both the main unit and the power nozzle.

Having those numbers on hand is the fastest way for us to confirm you are ordering the right part. If you cannot find them, send a photo to our text line on 301-791-9671 and we will read it for you.

No. You can check out as a guest.

Creating an account is optional, but it keeps your order history and addresses in one place and makes reordering consumables quicker.

Orders of $100.00 or more ship free within the lower 48 states.

Below that, standard ground shipping is charged on the order total:

• $0.00 – $14.97 → $5.15
• $14.97 – $19.96 → $5.75
• $19.96 – $24.99 → $6.25
• $24.99 – $29.98 → $6.75
• $29.98 – $34.97 → $7.10
• $34.97 – $39.96 → $7.85
• $39.96 – $44.99 → $8.65
• $44.99 – $49.98 → $9.30
• $49.98 – $99.99 → $9.90
• $100.00 and up → Free

Faster services are offered at checkout, and the exact cost for your cart is always shown before you pay. Some oversized items carry their own shipping rate. Full detail on our Delivery Information page.

Orders placed before 12:00 PM Eastern on a business day normally ship the same day.

Delivery time depends on the service you pick at checkout:

• Free — 10 to 12 days
• Standard — 5 to 10 days
• Express — 3 to 5 days
• 2nd Day Air — 2 to 3 days
• Next Day Air — 1 to 2 days

These are transit estimates from the carrier once the parcel leaves us, and they do not count weekends or holidays.

Use Order Status at the top of any page — you only need your order number and e-mail address.

We also e-mail you a tracking number and a carrier link as soon as your parcel ships. If that e-mail has not arrived, check your spam folder first, then call us on 301-791-9669.

Alaska and Hawaii — yes. These are charged the carrier’s actual rate rather than our lower-48 table, so the free-shipping threshold does not apply.

PO Boxes and APO/FPO — yes, but only by USPS. Air and ground services from other carriers cannot deliver to them, so please choose a USPS option at checkout or the label cannot be produced.

Yes, international orders are welcome. Actual carrier rates apply and are quoted before you pay.

Any duties, taxes or customs charges raised by the destination country are the buyer’s responsibility and are not included in our shipping charge.

We e-mail a confirmation with full details as soon as the order is placed. If it has not appeared, check your spam folder and any filtering your mail provider applies.

You can also check progress any time from Order Status at the top of the page, using your order number and e-mail address.

Still nothing? Call 301-791-9669 and we will confirm it while you are on the phone.

We accept:

• Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover
• PayPal
• Amazon Pay
• Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Affirm — pay over time
• eCheck / bank transfer
• Check or money order

Everything is charged in US dollars. See Secure Payments for how we protect card details.

Yes. Affirm is offered at checkout and lets you split the cost into scheduled payments.

You will see your options and any interest before you commit — Affirm approves the plan, not RainVac, and applying does not affect your order until it is accepted.

Yes. The whole site runs over SSL, so your details are encrypted in transit, and full card numbers are never stored on our servers.

More detail on our Secure Payments page.

Three ways, quickest first:

• Check the parts schematics — find your model, then click the numbered part on the diagram.
• Look it up in your owner’s manual.
• Call our technical support team on 800-640-2033. They can identify the part, place the order and answer any questions.

Knowing your model and serial number makes this much faster — see the model and serial question above.

Yes. 99% of what we sell is Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) stock from Rexair, LLC, who manufacture the Rainbow Cleaning System.

Occasionally Rexair discontinues a part. Where that happens we may offer an equivalent from another maker, and the listing says so plainly. Full explanation on our OEM page.

Yes — all the way back to the original Model A of 1936.

Rainbow has been built since 1936 and we carry parts across that whole history: the Model A and the early machines, through the B, C, D, D2, D3, D4C/SE and e SERIES™, up to the current E2 Type 12 range and the SRX.

Some parts for the earliest machines are limited to remaining stock, and a few have been superseded by a later equivalent. If you cannot find what you need on the site, call 800-640-2033 with your model and serial number — we can usually identify it and tell you what still fits.

Almost every part we sell carries a 3 year warranty against manufacturer defects.

The warranty listed on the item's own page is always the one that applies. Main units, complete systems and used parts can carry different terms — we have items at 1, 2, 4, 10 and 15 years — so check the item before you buy rather than assuming the 3 year term.

If a part fails within its warranty, send a photo of the fault to our technical support team on 800-640-2033 and we will put it right.

Parts we fit during a repair carry the same 3 year warranty against manufacturer defects. Repair labor is charged as a flat fee, not covered by the parts warranty.

Call 301-791-9670 to get a return authorization (RMA) number before sending anything back. Have your order number ready.

You must request the authorization within 60 days of delivery. Returns arriving without an RMA number cannot be processed.

If we shipped the wrong item, or it arrived damaged or defective, we include a prepaid return label with the correct or replacement item — that return costs you nothing.

If you are not satisfied with your order for any reason you may return it for a refund within 60 days of receipt, provided you obtain a return authorization within 60 days of delivery.

A few things worth knowing before you send it back:

• Shipping, handling and Warehouse Rush charges are not refundable.
• If your order shipped free, the actual carrier cost we paid is deducted from the refund.
• Our error — wrong, damaged or defective item — is always covered by us, including the return label.

Full terms on our Money Back Guarantee and Shopping Terms and Conditions pages.

Yes. If within 30 days you find the same item advertised for less, we refund 110% of the difference. If our own price drops within 30 days of your purchase, we refund the difference too.

The item has to be genuinely comparable — same brand, model and condition, in stock, and currently advertised. Full conditions on our Low Price Guarantee page.

Yes — we offer a nationwide repair service with pick-up, so the machine does not have to be brought to us.

See Rainbow Vacuum Repair Service for what is covered and how to book, or call 301-791-9669 to talk it through first.

Sales and general questions — 301-791-9669

Technical support and parts identification — 800-640-2033

Returns and anything blocking your order — 301-791-9670

Text us a photo of the part or problem — 301-791-9671

You can also use the contact form or the chat button in the corner of any page. We are in Hagerstown, Maryland and answer during US Eastern business hours.