Konichiwa!
The response to my “Best Lightweight Vacuum Series” has been incredible. As a result, your Sensei has decided to write a “Best Vacuum” series covering several categories from the best upright and canister vacuums to the best top of the line vacuums.
Best Vacuum Article Series
Best Lightweight Vacuum Cleaners
Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Best Stick Vacuum Cleaners
Best Allergenic Vacuum Cleaners
Best Cute Vacuum Cleaners
Best Car Vacuum Cleaners
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
How to Remove Pet Hair From a Vacuum Cleaner
Customer: So it was just dog hair? Really? Nothing else, just dog hair?
Me: Yup.
Customer: So, what do I owe ya?
Me: Wel, that was 5 minutes of work and I have a $10 minimum, so 10 bucks please.
Customer: Phew, I thought I was going to have to buy a new vacuum!
If you’re one of these people and want to avoid a $10 service fee and annoying trip to the vacuum repair shop, here’s exactly how I diagnose the problem.
1: Diagnosis
Okay, I know most people are probably sitting there thuming there nose at this post because “it’s so stupid, who needs to know this?” Well, I’m assuming at least 500 people because I get about 10 instances of this problem a week.
The classic sign of a pet hair clog is a sudden drop in noise. No, it’s not that your vacuum has inexplicably turned into a vacuum, the agitator brush has stopped spinning. The agitator brush hits against the carpet several times a second and generates a lot of noise.
2: Fixing
First, unplug your vacuum cleaner; unless you happen to be Superman or Static Shock from the WB’s Static Shock. Safety first!
Next, flip over your vacuum cleaner and inspect the head. Chances are, there’s going to be a lot of pet hair and possibly string from that YoYo your kid bought a week ago wrapped around the head. That’s what’s preventing your agitator brush from spinning and agitating.
Now, pick up a sharp pair of scissors and cut up the hair. Now, roll the agitator brush a quarter and cut along the hair again. Repeat one more time and the hair should be loose enough to allow the agitator brush to spin.
3: Flip and Pick
Final step is flipping over your vacuum cleaner, plugging it in, and turning it on. If it spins and works, congratulations, if it doesn’t, take it to a vacuum cleaner shop or try to diagnose the problem with another one of my vacuum cleaner repair tips.
Me: Yup.
Customer: So, what do I owe ya?
Me: Wel, that was 5 minutes of work and I have a $10 minimum, so 10 bucks please.
Customer: Phew, I thought I was going to have to buy a new vacuum!
If you’re one of these people and want to avoid a $10 service fee and annoying trip to the vacuum repair shop, here’s exactly how I diagnose the problem.
1: Diagnosis
Okay, I know most people are probably sitting there thuming there nose at this post because “it’s so stupid, who needs to know this?” Well, I’m assuming at least 500 people because I get about 10 instances of this problem a week.
The classic sign of a pet hair clog is a sudden drop in noise. No, it’s not that your vacuum has inexplicably turned into a vacuum, the agitator brush has stopped spinning. The agitator brush hits against the carpet several times a second and generates a lot of noise.
2: Fixing
First, unplug your vacuum cleaner; unless you happen to be Superman or Static Shock from the WB’s Static Shock. Safety first!
Next, flip over your vacuum cleaner and inspect the head. Chances are, there’s going to be a lot of pet hair and possibly string from that YoYo your kid bought a week ago wrapped around the head. That’s what’s preventing your agitator brush from spinning and agitating.
Now, pick up a sharp pair of scissors and cut up the hair. Now, roll the agitator brush a quarter and cut along the hair again. Repeat one more time and the hair should be loose enough to allow the agitator brush to spin.
3: Flip and Pick
Final step is flipping over your vacuum cleaner, plugging it in, and turning it on. If it spins and works, congratulations, if it doesn’t, take it to a vacuum cleaner shop or try to diagnose the problem with another one of my vacuum cleaner repair tips.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Ives W. McGaffey - A History of Vacuum Cleaners
Well, even though I’m not living the Orange County Dream, (House with a foundation that meets sand and an ocean in my backyard I can surf fish in.) I’m still extremely grateful for the lifestyle I live. I hated working for other people, being in at a certain time, doing things “their” way. It just wasn’t for me. Vacuum cleaners have enabled me leave for lunch when I want, take vacations at my leisure, and spend quality time with my family at work over the summer. (Though my sons have a different name for time spent at the shop, slave labor.)
I feel it’s time I pay homage to the people that developed my industry by writing a “History of Vacuum Cleaners”. I’ll cover who invented the first vacuum cleaner, how vacuum cleaners became an essential cleaning tool for most homes, and even poke fun at some of the nobler than useful vacuum cleaner designs. So, without further delay, here is my History of Vacuum Cleaners as told by the Vacuum Sensei.
Origins of the Modern Vacuum Cleaner
There were several precursors to the vacuum cleaner as we know it today. One of those monstrosities was a large, heavy, cart-like machine that was difficult to push and hard to maneuver. In 1868 a man by the name of Ives W. McGaffey started selling a vacuum cleaner more like the common household vacuum cleaner we know today. Even though his machine took off, it was still fairly heavy and extremely inconvenient for people to use.
Selling the First Vacuum Cleaner
After McGaffey patented his vacuum cleaner design on the 5th of June, 1969, McGaffey partnered with a company called The American Carpet Cleaning Co. The vacuum cleaners were sold to existing American Carpet Cleaning customers for a heft price tag of $25. That was an astounding $500 when adjusted for inflation! Clearly, the McGaffey’s vacuum cleaner was taking homes by storm. Only two of McGaffey’s original vacuum cleaners are known to still exist; they’re both held in a historical museum maintained by the Hoover Vacuum Cleaner company.
I feel it’s time I pay homage to the people that developed my industry by writing a “History of Vacuum Cleaners”. I’ll cover who invented the first vacuum cleaner, how vacuum cleaners became an essential cleaning tool for most homes, and even poke fun at some of the nobler than useful vacuum cleaner designs. So, without further delay, here is my History of Vacuum Cleaners as told by the Vacuum Sensei.
Origins of the Modern Vacuum Cleaner
There were several precursors to the vacuum cleaner as we know it today. One of those monstrosities was a large, heavy, cart-like machine that was difficult to push and hard to maneuver. In 1868 a man by the name of Ives W. McGaffey started selling a vacuum cleaner more like the common household vacuum cleaner we know today. Even though his machine took off, it was still fairly heavy and extremely inconvenient for people to use.
Selling the First Vacuum Cleaner
After McGaffey patented his vacuum cleaner design on the 5th of June, 1969, McGaffey partnered with a company called The American Carpet Cleaning Co. The vacuum cleaners were sold to existing American Carpet Cleaning customers for a heft price tag of $25. That was an astounding $500 when adjusted for inflation! Clearly, the McGaffey’s vacuum cleaner was taking homes by storm. Only two of McGaffey’s original vacuum cleaners are known to still exist; they’re both held in a historical museum maintained by the Hoover Vacuum Cleaner company.
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