Sigh, this doesn't suck
December 9, 2022 8:30 PM Subscribe
My vacuum cleaner is constantly breaking. I don't want to get a new one right now. What kinds of fixes and diagnostics can I do myself even though I am unusually unhandy, to avoid taking it in to be repaired when it stops working?
I literally only know how to change the bag. What else should I know how to do?
This time, the suction has suddenly depleted. It's spitting instead of sucking.
Lots of times there is obviously a clog in there some place.
Other times the belt needs to be replaced.
I do not have any tools other than a screwdriver and I have zero skill or confidence with this kind of thing, and can't really ever learn by youtube videos.
I have been a customer of a local place that sold me this machine a decade ago, and want to support them, but they take a long time to fix even simple things and lately have gotten a lot more expensive. I just need to vacuum when I need to vacuum, not wait another few weeks.
What I do know: not to vacuum things I shouldn't, I try not to, and I should get a new one but I really don't want to right now for rea$ons.
TLDR: What can I do to maybe make my vacuum regain suction today, and in general what kinds of things can I reasonably do /check when it goes on the fritz again later?
I literally only know how to change the bag. What else should I know how to do?
This time, the suction has suddenly depleted. It's spitting instead of sucking.
Lots of times there is obviously a clog in there some place.
Other times the belt needs to be replaced.
I do not have any tools other than a screwdriver and I have zero skill or confidence with this kind of thing, and can't really ever learn by youtube videos.
I have been a customer of a local place that sold me this machine a decade ago, and want to support them, but they take a long time to fix even simple things and lately have gotten a lot more expensive. I just need to vacuum when I need to vacuum, not wait another few weeks.
What I do know: not to vacuum things I shouldn't, I try not to, and I should get a new one but I really don't want to right now for rea$ons.
TLDR: What can I do to maybe make my vacuum regain suction today, and in general what kinds of things can I reasonably do /check when it goes on the fritz again later?
Response by poster: It is a Riccar brand not sure of the model but basic upright, no bells and whistles.
posted by ojocaliente at 9:16 PM on December 9, 2022
posted by ojocaliente at 9:16 PM on December 9, 2022
Best answer: Maybe the hose is clogged?
It might also be time for a thermal reset.
posted by oceano at 9:32 PM on December 9, 2022
It might also be time for a thermal reset.
posted by oceano at 9:32 PM on December 9, 2022
Best answer: What else should I know how to do?
Work systematically through all the possible causes for loss of suction.
Vacuum cleaners are fairly straightforward machines. You've got a motor and impeller somewhere inside the guts that pulls air through the machine when the motor spins; upstream of the motor there's usually some kind of filter, then the collection bag, then some hoses and tubes to transport air and dust from the vacuum head into the bag, then the head itself which has usually got some kind of rotating brush built in. That brush assembly doesn't create any vacuum, just beats up the carpet to shake the dust loose. All the actual suction is driven by the motor inside the machine.
Uprights have the suction head at the bottom but feed the collection bag from the top, which means that the tubing from the head to the bag needs a U turn in it. If the machine sucks up something rigid that's too long to make it around the U turn, it will just stay there and eventually collect enough dust and hair behind it to clog the tube completely.
The manufacturers know that this can happen, so there's usually some reasonably obvious way to disconnect the hose from the head and from the U bend for inspection and cleaning.
If your machine has been clogging repeatedly, the cause might be as simple as a pencil or something similar stuck in the U bend. Removing all the built-up dust from a horribly clogged hose would get it going again for a while, but then the obstacle in the U bend would build up enough of a backlog of stuck-on bits to clog the hose again. So once you've unclogged the hose, shine a bright light into the part of the machine that the hose feeds to, and make sure there's nothing stuck in there that will seed the next big clog.
posted by flabdablet at 9:47 PM on December 9, 2022 [7 favorites]
Work systematically through all the possible causes for loss of suction.
Vacuum cleaners are fairly straightforward machines. You've got a motor and impeller somewhere inside the guts that pulls air through the machine when the motor spins; upstream of the motor there's usually some kind of filter, then the collection bag, then some hoses and tubes to transport air and dust from the vacuum head into the bag, then the head itself which has usually got some kind of rotating brush built in. That brush assembly doesn't create any vacuum, just beats up the carpet to shake the dust loose. All the actual suction is driven by the motor inside the machine.
Uprights have the suction head at the bottom but feed the collection bag from the top, which means that the tubing from the head to the bag needs a U turn in it. If the machine sucks up something rigid that's too long to make it around the U turn, it will just stay there and eventually collect enough dust and hair behind it to clog the tube completely.
The manufacturers know that this can happen, so there's usually some reasonably obvious way to disconnect the hose from the head and from the U bend for inspection and cleaning.
If your machine has been clogging repeatedly, the cause might be as simple as a pencil or something similar stuck in the U bend. Removing all the built-up dust from a horribly clogged hose would get it going again for a while, but then the obstacle in the U bend would build up enough of a backlog of stuck-on bits to clog the hose again. So once you've unclogged the hose, shine a bright light into the part of the machine that the hose feeds to, and make sure there's nothing stuck in there that will seed the next big clog.
posted by flabdablet at 9:47 PM on December 9, 2022 [7 favorites]
Best answer: By the way, my go-to tool for unclogging vacuum cleaner hoses is a wire coat hanger untwisted and straightened out, with a tight hook bent into one end. Work gently with this - you don't want to jab the wire through the side of the hose. Push the hook end into the clog, twist a bit so that the hook engages with dust and fluff, pull out a lump, and repeat.
Same tool works well for hauling gross slimy biofilm-on-hair blockages out of bath and handbasin drains.
posted by flabdablet at 9:50 PM on December 9, 2022 [8 favorites]
Same tool works well for hauling gross slimy biofilm-on-hair blockages out of bath and handbasin drains.
posted by flabdablet at 9:50 PM on December 9, 2022 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Also by the way, a vacuum cleaner that's been in regular use for ten years has probably got enough wear in assorted high-speed bearings, and enough wear and movement fatigue in assorted plastic parts, that unless it's something like an old Electrolux or Miele that was built like a tank in the first place, replacing it might well be your best move.
You might also consider acquiring a backup machine, something cheap and shitty to be used only when your good one's stuck in the repair shop.
posted by flabdablet at 9:58 PM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
You might also consider acquiring a backup machine, something cheap and shitty to be used only when your good one's stuck in the repair shop.
posted by flabdablet at 9:58 PM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: replacing it might well be your best move.
If this turns out to be the case, carpet sweepers are magic. They act like vacuums but without the noisy motor part. You power it by shoving. Nothing to break or clog, just clean the bristles and empty the dirt as needed. They just work.
They are also much cheaper.
posted by aniola at 11:59 PM on December 9, 2022 [7 favorites]
If this turns out to be the case, carpet sweepers are magic. They act like vacuums but without the noisy motor part. You power it by shoving. Nothing to break or clog, just clean the bristles and empty the dirt as needed. They just work.
They are also much cheaper.
posted by aniola at 11:59 PM on December 9, 2022 [7 favorites]
Best answer: I've clogged the drive rollers on a carpet sweeper with dog hair, so they're not totally maintenance free. But I agree that a carpet sweeper is a handy gadget to have around, especially when the vac is temporarily hospitalized.
posted by flabdablet at 12:22 AM on December 10, 2022
posted by flabdablet at 12:22 AM on December 10, 2022
Best answer: I am not a handy person, but vacuum cleaners are simple machines that make me feel vaguely competent.
They are all about air flow, so clogs in the tubing are my first stop and gentle coat hanger work usually does the job. They are designed so the tubing can be dismantled easily and cleared. Modern ones especially so.
Also check the exhaust section where you might have a filter of some kind. That might also get clogged.
Lastly the rollers can get gummed up with hair. I'll use scissors or a knife to cut the hair rather than try to unwind it.
posted by idb at 5:36 AM on December 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
They are all about air flow, so clogs in the tubing are my first stop and gentle coat hanger work usually does the job. They are designed so the tubing can be dismantled easily and cleared. Modern ones especially so.
Also check the exhaust section where you might have a filter of some kind. That might also get clogged.
Lastly the rollers can get gummed up with hair. I'll use scissors or a knife to cut the hair rather than try to unwind it.
posted by idb at 5:36 AM on December 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It is a Riccar brand not sure of the model but basic upright, no bells and whistles
This is a good thing. Riccars are really well-built and pretty simple to service.
As always, the first thing to check is whether the bag is full. If so, change it. If it’s not full, make sure it’s properly installed. Sometimes the bag can work itself loose from the tube it slips onto if it’s not solidly seated. While you’re there, look inside that tube and see if there’s a wad of junk plugging things up there.
Also, make sure you have been using the correct bag for your sweeper. Putting the wrong bag in a sweeper can cause issues.
I’m not sure about the newer Riccars, but my Riccar has a port on the back with a flip-up hatch. This is where you would attack the extension tube to use the accessories. That hatch can come open and the system lose suction.
Now look at the roller underneath the sweeper. You should be able to unscrew the plate on the bottom and get to the roller. You should see that the drive belt is/isn’t still connected or in one piece. There are plenty of places online to get a new belt if need be.
Clean off the roller. Look into the intake tube where dirt would be sucked into. Pull out anything obvious. I, too, use the above-mentioned coat-hanger method of removing clogs up in the tube. You can also use the hatch on the back to push clogs down toward the intake tube to get it out.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:49 AM on December 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
This is a good thing. Riccars are really well-built and pretty simple to service.
As always, the first thing to check is whether the bag is full. If so, change it. If it’s not full, make sure it’s properly installed. Sometimes the bag can work itself loose from the tube it slips onto if it’s not solidly seated. While you’re there, look inside that tube and see if there’s a wad of junk plugging things up there.
Also, make sure you have been using the correct bag for your sweeper. Putting the wrong bag in a sweeper can cause issues.
I’m not sure about the newer Riccars, but my Riccar has a port on the back with a flip-up hatch. This is where you would attack the extension tube to use the accessories. That hatch can come open and the system lose suction.
Now look at the roller underneath the sweeper. You should be able to unscrew the plate on the bottom and get to the roller. You should see that the drive belt is/isn’t still connected or in one piece. There are plenty of places online to get a new belt if need be.
Clean off the roller. Look into the intake tube where dirt would be sucked into. Pull out anything obvious. I, too, use the above-mentioned coat-hanger method of removing clogs up in the tube. You can also use the hatch on the back to push clogs down toward the intake tube to get it out.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:49 AM on December 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Best answer: If you have not taken it apart and changed all the filters recently, that's where I would start. You can almost always find the manual for your vacuum by searching for the brand and model number, and that should also tell you what kind of filters you need and how to properly remove them, clean the thing and put it all back together.
posted by In Your Shell Like at 7:41 AM on December 10, 2022
posted by In Your Shell Like at 7:41 AM on December 10, 2022
Best answer: Yeah, adding on what IYSL just said above, I did a full filter cleaning last week with my own vacuum cleaner (Kenmore, well over 10 years old, working great).
Besides the bag there may be a little filter between the bag compartment and the motor compartment, just a little foam thing as a last ditch protection against stuff getting sucked into the motor. So carefully remove that and knock the lint / dust out of it. It's tempting to soak it and clean it that way, but water might cause it to fall apart so I'd hesitate on that.
Then some vacuums have another filter on the exhaust. Our vac claims to be HEPA capable, which they did simply by sticking an extra corrugated filter on the exhaust. That could be clogged too, so do the same cleaning of that one, with same caution as above.
Finally, clean off the end of the vacuum hose and then blow into it with your mouth! (inhale away from the hose end) If no blow, then your hose is clogged, and you can resort to the coat hanger method. By no means should you be poking anything like that into the vacuum machine body itself.
posted by intermod at 8:02 AM on December 10, 2022
Besides the bag there may be a little filter between the bag compartment and the motor compartment, just a little foam thing as a last ditch protection against stuff getting sucked into the motor. So carefully remove that and knock the lint / dust out of it. It's tempting to soak it and clean it that way, but water might cause it to fall apart so I'd hesitate on that.
Then some vacuums have another filter on the exhaust. Our vac claims to be HEPA capable, which they did simply by sticking an extra corrugated filter on the exhaust. That could be clogged too, so do the same cleaning of that one, with same caution as above.
Finally, clean off the end of the vacuum hose and then blow into it with your mouth! (inhale away from the hose end) If no blow, then your hose is clogged, and you can resort to the coat hanger method. By no means should you be poking anything like that into the vacuum machine body itself.
posted by intermod at 8:02 AM on December 10, 2022
Response by poster: Update, based on all these tips I managed to clean out the gunk from inside it, and it works again. Will get a sweeper for backup. Thanks everyone!
posted by ojocaliente at 10:39 AM on December 10, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by ojocaliente at 10:39 AM on December 10, 2022 [5 favorites]
Where did the gunk turn out to be lodged? Was there indeed something rigid and awkward at its downstream end, or do you think it started with an over-full bag and just built itself up from there?
posted by flabdablet at 7:03 PM on December 10, 2022
posted by flabdablet at 7:03 PM on December 10, 2022
Yep, vacuum cleaners are actually pretty simple machines. Air goes in one end and out the other. If you're at all handy, you can just take them apart (note where it all comes from etc, of course). They often get clogs in places that are easily accessed by taking some or all of the body cover off but that are invisible otherwise, such as hidden filters.
Our Dyson vacuum stopped sucking and I found, despite the primary marketing message of Dyson being that there are no filters or bags, there is a cardboard filter buried inside that had clogged because I was using it to suck up things the instruction booklet explicitly and clearly told me not to suck up (plaster dust). I suspect any vacuum that mentions HEPA anywhere probably has one of these.
posted by dg at 3:19 PM on December 11, 2022
Our Dyson vacuum stopped sucking and I found, despite the primary marketing message of Dyson being that there are no filters or bags, there is a cardboard filter buried inside that had clogged because I was using it to suck up things the instruction booklet explicitly and clearly told me not to suck up (plaster dust). I suspect any vacuum that mentions HEPA anywhere probably has one of these.
posted by dg at 3:19 PM on December 11, 2022
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posted by extramundane at 8:57 PM on December 9, 2022 [1 favorite]