How to Keep Your Vacuum Cleaner in Peak Working Order

Keeping your vacuum cleaner in peak working order will not only maintain its performance in keeping your home clean, but will save you money in repairs and extend its life.

Newer vacuum cleaners are very easy to take apart in order to remove and replace the bag or dust receptacle and/or remove the filter for cleaning. Here are a few tips for keeping your vacuum cleaner in peak working condition.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• vacuum cleaner
• owner's manual

1. Keep the owner’s manual. This may seem obvious, but some people either throw maintenance manuals away, or misplace them. The owner’s manual will show you how to take your vacuum cleaner apart for cleaning and will also give you a check list for maintenance.

2. Keep your vacuum cleaner clean. The neat-nick who takes a dust rag and wipes down the vacuum after using it is a classic comedy routine, but never underestimate the effectiveness of keeping any appliance free from dust and debris.

3. 
    
   vacuum cleaner brush

   If you have an upright vacuum cleaner with a brush and beater bar, be sure the brush is cleaned regularly. Pay special attention to the ends of the brush as hair, string etc can wind around the axis and inhibit its movement. This puts stress on the motor and shortens its life.

4. 
    
   vacuum cleaner dust bag

   If your vacuum cleaner uses a dust bag, check the dust bag regularly. All vacuum cleaner dust bags have a line that shows you when to change the bags. Don’t allow the bag to fill all the way to the top. This could result in dust spewing back out into the air, but just as importantly, it restricts air flow. Restricted air flow produces less vacuum and also strains the motor.

5. If your vacuum cleaner has a dust filter, remove it and clean it every time you use the vacuum cleaner.

6. Set your vacuum cleaner height appropriately for the height of your carpet. Setting it lower will not result in a cleaner carpet. There must be room for air flow under the vacuum cleaner head, and if your vacuum cleaner has a beater bar the dust needs to have room to rise before it’s sucked into the vacuum cleaner. Setting the height too low can result in the dirt being pushed deep into the carpet and pad instead of being vacuumed out. It also restricts air flow which can put strain on the vacuum cleaner motor.

7. If your vacuum cleaner uses a belt you will eventually need to replace it. Here’s where my owner’s manual really comes in handy. I’ve had my Hoover Elite 15 years and I still have to refer to the owner’s manual to take the hood off and replace the belt. . .but that’s me. Hopefully most of you won’t be that forgetful.
   
   While you have the hood off be sure to clean it well. You’ll probably find that it’s covered with a very fine dust which may be thrown back into the air. It may also restrict air flow and obscure the light if your vacuum cleaner has one.

Tips & Warnings

• Use anti-bacterial vacuum cleaner bags. They’re lined with a special type of liner that traps more dust than plain paper ones, and will allow even an old vacuum cleaner to perform better.
• Pick up large objects like paper clips, rubber bands, twist ties, buttons and so on before you vacuum. These objects can get hung in the mechanism and damage your vacuum cleaner.

[edieness]

on 7/2/2009 Nice work writing How to Keep Your Vacuum Cleaner in Peak Working Order.5