Tips to Keep Your Vacuum in Good Working Order

In our line of work, vacuums are definitely a hot topic. I started doing some research and as I suspected, determining the best and worst vacuums is not as black and white as we all might have hoped.  So, to address the great vacuum dilemma we all face as homeowners and housekeepers, I have decided to do a little mini series of blogs addressing some different tips and tricks for maintaining vacuums as well as purchasing them.

Let’s start with the basics. How do you maintain the machine you already have? It really does not require too much effort to keep a vacuum in working order. Here are some simple tips:

    Change bag/empty dirt cup often. A bag that is half full may even be too full to produce optimal suctioning! If you have a bagless vacuum, you should also clean the dirt compartment often.

    Change and or clean filters often. About every three months will do for average use.

    Check belt often and replace if necessary. (The instruction manual for your vacuum should be helpful with this step).  Many vacuum owners don’t realize that its recommended to change the belt BEFORE they break.

    Do your vacuum a favor and don’t vacuum up just anything and everything! Pick up obvious pieces of trash by hand rather than relying solely on your vacuum. Sucking up things such as paper clips and coins can really take a toll on the machine, and avoiding these objects can prolong the life of your vacuum.

    Take vacuum in for routine maintenance about once a year. Vacuums are expensive and should be treated like an investment to really get the most for your money.

Let’s face it though... No matter how much love we give our vacuums, sometimes they just bite the dust. Unfortunately, I experienced some serious vacuum overload while trying to sort through all the reviews out there. So, hang tight. I am working on compiling a few different links to help guide you in your research if you’re in the market for a new vacuum. This way you can decide which qualities are best fitting for your needs and find the perfect vacuum for your home!

Until then, I’ll leave you with these comics, courtesy of Mark Parisi, to add some humor to the vacuum quandary.

Squeegee (aka Emily)