Ever wondered why your vacuum cleaner isn’t working as well as the day you brought it? Not getting that “WOW!” feeling any more. Here are a few simple tips to get the old sucker cleaning like new again from Bernie Holmstock, the owner of Wellington Vacuums in Wellington, Florida.
Tip #1 – Suction Is Not As Important As You Think!
#1 Tip Change your vacuum bag before it gets half full. If you have a bagless cleaner, empty the bin after every use and change your filters at least once a year.
Dyson made the claim that their vacuum never looses suction and it’s true. What Mr. Dyson doesn’t tell you is that no vacuum cleaner looses suction, they all lose Air-Flow. What’s the difference you ask? Well, Air-Flow is the VOLUME of air that enters a vacuum in a certain amount of time. Air-Flow is responsible for grabbing dirt and carrying it into your vacuum cleaners bag or dirt bin. Less airflow means less dirt is picked up. Suction is what you feel when you cover the end of your vacuum hose. Air-Flow is what you feel when you stick your finger in the end of the hose and don’t block the opening completely. Unless your vacuum is completely clogged, you will always feel the same amount of suction. However, as your bag or dirt bin fills up, and your filters get dirty, that rush of air (Air-Flow) you feel as you stick your finger in the end of the hose, diminishes. And with loss of Air-Flow, comes loss of cleaning.
Changing your vacuum bag more often maintains Air-Flow. For bagless vacuums, even though some manufacturers claim “life-time” filters, any experienced vacuum repair technician will tell you this is one of the biggest reasons Air-Flow diminishes. Change those filters and you will see a big improvement in cleaning.
Tip #2 – Get Agitated About Cleaning
For carpeting, equally as important as Air-Flow is AGITATION. Agitation is the vibration created
by your vacuum cleaners brush roll that lifts embedded dirt from the deepest recesses of your carpeting to the surface. With out agitation, even the best strongest Air-Flow won’t remove the dirt.
Agitation is created by a spinning brush coming into contact with your carpeting. That brush-roll or beater brush is the hardest working part of any vacuum. It spins thousands of times each minute, pounding, beating and vibrating the fibers of your carpeting. Over time, the brush fibers break down and get soft. The very tips of the brush material weakens and gets rounded or worn. With the aid of a microscope you would see dramatic changes to this brush-roll. Changing this component every year or two has a dramatic effect on your vacuum cleaners ability to pick-up dirt.
Tip #3 – A Stiff Belt Every So Often Helps
The last component to maintain vacuum cleaner performance is the least expensive; the vacuum belt. Your vacuum cleaner’s belt is responsible for transferring energy from the vacuum motor to the brush-roll. Remember, when your brush-roll is working optimally, your vacuum isn’t doing its job properly. Most vacuum belts are made of rubber which stretches and looses strength with use. As your vacuum’s belt stretches out, it doesn’t turn the brush-roll as quickly or powerfully, causing lose of agitation power. Most seasoned vacuum technicians advise changing your belt every 3 to 6 months.
That’s it. Follow these three tips on a regular basis as outlined and your vacuum cleaner will pick-up dirt and debris like the first time you plugged it in and used it. These tips along with having your vacuum professionally serviced will help your vacuum clean better and last longer. Your carpeting will look better and last longer as well. Happy cleaning.
Author Bernie Holmstock
Owner of a successful chain of retail vacuum stores: Wellington Vacuum and A1 Authorized Vacuum Centers. Bernie is also the founder of YoutubeSmart.com, a media engagement company specializing in Web design and SEO featuring video. In his spare time Bernie enjoys publishing websites, listening to SEO/SEM podcasts and avoiding anything related to vacuum cleaners. Drop in on him at Vacuum Club or YouTube Smart
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