“They don’t make ’em like they used to” is sometimes an accurate statement about a poor-quality product. Other times, however, it’s more accurate to say, “I don’t know how to properly take care of this, so it wore out quickly.” (Sorry if that hits a little close to home). Fortunately, if you’re looking for how to make your vacuum cleaner last longer, you’ve come to the right place!
Yes, vacuum cleaners wear out, but if you’ve been treating yours like a Jeep or military tank, it’s probably wearing out fast. Below are some simple tips to keep your vacuum in good shape to clean your carpets for 10 years or more.*
4 Tips to Make Your Vacuum Cleaner Last Longer
1. Before you begin vacuuming, scan the room and pick up larger objects.
If you’re like me, you get a satisfied feeling at the crinkle crackle noise the vacuum makes when it picks up chip crumbs or tiny dirt clods. It’s audible feedback that you’re making your floor cleaner! However, you should cringe at the CLACKETY CLUNKETY sound when you vacuum up something big and hard like a key or a marble or a screw. These can crack or chip anything they hit inside your vacuum as they get slung around. Basic rule of thumb: if you would hesitate to throw it at your vacuum cleaner, don’t let your vacuum cleaner throw it around either. Pick it up with your hands first.
2. Change the bag/empty the canister regularly.
If the bag/canister is full and you fail to change or empty it, the airflow is reduced and the motor is forced to work harder. Harder work for the motor = higher heat = shorter life or even a sudden burnout. Oh, and change the filter often for the reason.
3. Do not ram the vacuum into walls or furniture.
This may seem obvious to you, but trust me—enough people do it to make it worth mentioning in the top four list. Forcefully bumping your vacuum into heavy or immovable objects will destroy it pretty quickly. The walls and furniture will get scuffed up, too.
4. Carry the vacuum when necessary.
If the wheels on your vacuum are smaller than lawn mower wheels, they were made for scooting, not for long-distance rolling. If they aren’t rubbery or have built-in suspension, they weren’t made for dropping, bouncing, or any withstanding other kind of impact. Don’t drag your vacuum cleaner over hard tile or concrete or down stairs. Pick it up and carry it. Dragging the vacuum will break the vacuum.
There you go: 4 tips to make your vacuum cleaner last longer, and none of them require changing the oil or rotating the tires. If you’ve got additional simple tips for vacuum care, I’d love to hear them!
*10 years actually feels pretty conservative, but every vacuum is different, and they don’t always make ’em like they used to.
