How to Replace Vacuum Cleaner Brushes

The bristles on your vacuum cleaner's agitator brush are designed to beat the rug and lift out dirt. But over time they wear out from this constant pounding. You can test your brushes and replace them if necessary using these steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Replacement Agitator Brush Or Bristles
• Ruler
• Screwdriver

1. Unplug the vacuum cleaner and flip it over so you can access the agitator brush.

2. Lay a ruler across the vacuum's bottom plate and move it back and forth while turning the agitator brush by hand. If the bristles touch the edge of the ruler, they are good. If not, they need to be replaced.

3. Remove the agitator brush (see How to Fix Your Vacuum Cleaner, "Replacing a drive belt," steps 2 and 3).

4. Take the agitator brush to an appliance store to buy the replacement part. On some machines, the bristles are permanently attached to the agitator and you'll have to replace the whole unit. Other machines have replaceable bristles that fit into slots in each side of the agitator brush; you can buy replacements and slide them into place.

5. Install the new or refurbished agitator brush (see How to Fix Your Vacuum Cleaner, "Replacing a drive belt," steps 5 and 6, above).

Tips & Warnings

• To keep the bristles on your vacuum from becoming clogged with hair, thread and other debris, regularly clean them with an old comb.

on 11/22/2005 On some models, the anchors that hold the ends of a brush can be rotated so that, when rotated, the anchors cause the brush to sit a little closer to the underside of the vacuum. This will extend the life of the brush roll, as it compensates for the brushes tendency to get shorter as they get worn with use. How to check to see if your vacuum has this option:
(1) With the underside of the vacuum removed, look at the ends of the brush roll. There should be two anchors at each end, where the roll sits and rotates. Look to see whether there is writing on the anchors that says "new" or "worn."
(2) If they say "new," slide the brush roll out of the vacuum housing, rotate the anchors so that they now read "worn," and then reassemble the brush roll. The brushes should now stick a little farther out.
(3) If the anchors already say "worn," you are out of luck and it's time to replace your brush roll with a new one.
(4) Note: Not all vacuum cleaners allow for dual positions of the brush roll. If your anchors don't say "new" and "worn," the manufacturer of your vacuum did not build this option into your model.