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Most people wouldn’t look at their humble hoover and assume that it needs much attention. It’s true that vacuum cleaners are relatively low maintenance, but things can go wrong - and the last thing you want is the bag exploding all over your newly spotless rug. The best way to keep your hoover in tip top condition is to give it a little bit of love from time to time. It’s simple enough to keep it working properly if you keep a few little things in mind - and obviously, remember to unplug it first!

Check the bag

We’ve all been there. You know the bag is getting a bit full but you can’t find a replacement, so you find yourself struggling on with the same one. But it might be worth bulk-buying when you find the right bags in the shop, because you might need to change the bag more often that you’d thought.

Air has to pass through all the gunk that’s already in there for the hoover to suck up any more, so even a bag that’s only half full will mean your vacuum has to work harder to do the same job. Of course, this means it will start to feel the strain sooner and wear and tear will set in - and the hoover won’t clean as well. Check the bag regularly and if there’s a line indicating the point where it needs changing, stick to it.

Similarly, even if you have a bagless appliance you should check and empty it regularly.

Brush rolls

That spinning brush that gets the muck out of the carpet is easily damaged, so you need to give it a look from time to time. Carefully put the hoover on its back and take a look at the bottom. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be horrified by the amount of bumph that gets stuck in the brushes. It might be quite an unpleasant task, but try and remove as much of it as you can soon after use (let it cool down first). Trust me, you do not want to deal with the consequences of letting it all build up for weeks until the brushes can’t spin anymore.

The best way to do this is to remove the brush roll completely as per the instruction manual, and slowly pull the nastiness off - you might need some scissors to help with this. Follow the direction of the brush, since that will be the path of least resistance. It doesn’t need to be perfect but the brushes need to be free of hair, fluff and other general unpleasantness.

Obviously, don’t do this on your carpet!

Hoses

This is one of the less common problems, but it can make a big difference to how well your hoover performs. You need to check the hoses for any obstructions that might be created by hairballs or clogs of dust.

If you think your vacuum cleaner might have lost a bit of suction, remove any of the tools you’ve attached to the hose. Then take something long and thin, like a broom handle or a bent wire coat hanger and push it down the hose to dislodge any obstructions. You need to be careful here, especially if you’re using wire or something also that could end up going straight through the hose, so be gentle but firm.


© Axonn 2015