The only time maintenance should suck is when you are working on vacuums. Clogged vacuums lose suction and make it harder to get your floors clean quickly.

This past month was all about vacuums. I have three: two uprights that are both Shark Navigator bagless vacuums, and a Black and Decker stick vac with a handheld unit that pops out.

I’ve had all three for eight years or more. Honestly, I thought the stick vacuum was a goner,  only good for a recycling opportunity. So, I am happy to report that all three are up and running! I often clean the vacuums (not often enough, TBH), but this time around, I bought replacement filters. The uprights have a felt filter, a foam filter, and a HEPA filter. I was just about today-years-old when I realized the HEPA filter could and should be removed and replaced annually. Oops. I tracked down replacements for both Shark models.

One small piece of bad news on one of the vacs: The hinge that opens the dust cup is broken in half. It has a rubber gasket and is held in place by three clips, so it’s not going anywhere, but I did find a replacement dust cup on the Shark website. (“Dust cup” is a misnomer for upright canister vacs. It’s more like a dust gallon.) We have both white and black uprights, and the white vacuum is really dinged up. I would not buy a white vacuum in the future.

The handheld portion of the stick vacuum had a clogged filter. I had to remove covers to do this, so it’s not for the faint of heart (or for anything under warranty). The stick vacuum also uses a filter that should be washed regularly and replaced eventually. Eventually came. The replacements were easy to find and readily available.

Do-it-yourself

If you have the manual, you can often find all the info you need on maintaining your vacuum. If you don’t, look for the model number and search for the manual and/or the parts you might need. Enterprising people will try to sell you manuals, but most can be found online free of charge.

Aftermarket parts are often available; depending on the part, they can work very well. There’s no hard and fast rule here. It’s a learn-by-doing kind of thing. I was lucky to find parts that look like identical replacements. Remember to clean the roller (a seam ripper is great for removing anything wrapped around the roller) and wipe down the vacuum with a damp cloth.

Photo by No Revisions on Unsplash