ronreeland
Member
This bag cleaner was used by my father and I back in the Forties, Fifties, and Sixties. I restored it and mounted on a large plywood base for stability, yet moveable. I still vacuum our carpets with a Hoover model 800 and regularly use the bag cleaner for its cloth bag. My father was known as the Hoover man. He began repairing and selling vacuums sometime in the Forties. He opened a store business in the mid Fifties selling Hoovers and repairing all brands, but Hoovers in particular. Cleaning the cloth bags added to the efficiency of the repaired cleaner and made a good impression on the owner.
He sold Hoovers door to door back in the early days. I recall the term "Canvassing the Neighborhood" which meant knocking on as many doors as possible asking to demonstrate the latest model Hoovers. Often, we did not sell a new vacuum, but took theirs for cleaning and greasing and repairs. We had a filter attachment that used a circular paper filter that fit into the attachment. The filter device replaced the vacuum bag temporarily. It had a glass cover or viewing pane so that a person could see the dirt being picked up by the vacuum in real time. It clogged quickly on dirty carpets. Prospects were often disappointed that their current cleaner left so much dirt behind. Some folks that could not afford a new one asked us see what was wrong with their current vacuum. Sometimes it was a broken belt so the cleaner agitator was not rotating. Another fault was the rug height adjustment was too high so that only surface debris was being sucked up. Making these minor repairs no charge meant a good future prospect and their name and address was added to our card file.
At other times, he would use the standard bag, but first open it and show that it was perfectly clean. Then vacuum a small area and allow the prospect to see for their self the amount of dirt inside. It was often surprising to see the accumulation in the bag. The amount was greatest at homes where they use a tank or cannister vacuum to clean their carpets.
Sometimes we took trade-ins which were repaired and resold. My Dad usually recommended that a home have both an upright and cannister or tank cleaner.
We kept a card file, that we could review and call people when it was time to have their vacuum serviced. This sometimes led to a sale.
Some ladies were very fussy about their Hoover. They would call us and ask that we pick up and service their cleaner right away. The owner had looked on the underside of their vacuum and noticed that the three years was near or elapsed and wanted it serviced immediately as the felt the three-year interval was the holy grail.
Sometimes, somewhat elderly customers asked us to stop by to just install a new belt. They are quite difficult to install if you are a little frail or suffer from arthritis and so forth. I recall some ladies that would not permit husband's or others to fool with their Hoover. Trusted the "Hoover Man" only.
Unfortunately, I was drafted into the Army in 1965. My father died in an auto accident a few months later. I had to obtain an emergency 30 day leave to close up the business. I finished all the repairs and asked people to pick up their vacuums if possible. Others I delivered. A few needed parts that we did not have in stock and there was no time to order, so folks were kind and picked them up and took elsewhere or bought new.
I repaired vacuums for about a year after I finished my hitch in the service, but was now married with a child on the way and a full-time job at Caterpillar. It was just too much, so I gave it up.
Regards,
Ron Reeland
He sold Hoovers door to door back in the early days. I recall the term "Canvassing the Neighborhood" which meant knocking on as many doors as possible asking to demonstrate the latest model Hoovers. Often, we did not sell a new vacuum, but took theirs for cleaning and greasing and repairs. We had a filter attachment that used a circular paper filter that fit into the attachment. The filter device replaced the vacuum bag temporarily. It had a glass cover or viewing pane so that a person could see the dirt being picked up by the vacuum in real time. It clogged quickly on dirty carpets. Prospects were often disappointed that their current cleaner left so much dirt behind. Some folks that could not afford a new one asked us see what was wrong with their current vacuum. Sometimes it was a broken belt so the cleaner agitator was not rotating. Another fault was the rug height adjustment was too high so that only surface debris was being sucked up. Making these minor repairs no charge meant a good future prospect and their name and address was added to our card file.
At other times, he would use the standard bag, but first open it and show that it was perfectly clean. Then vacuum a small area and allow the prospect to see for their self the amount of dirt inside. It was often surprising to see the accumulation in the bag. The amount was greatest at homes where they use a tank or cannister vacuum to clean their carpets.
Sometimes we took trade-ins which were repaired and resold. My Dad usually recommended that a home have both an upright and cannister or tank cleaner.
We kept a card file, that we could review and call people when it was time to have their vacuum serviced. This sometimes led to a sale.
Some ladies were very fussy about their Hoover. They would call us and ask that we pick up and service their cleaner right away. The owner had looked on the underside of their vacuum and noticed that the three years was near or elapsed and wanted it serviced immediately as the felt the three-year interval was the holy grail.
Sometimes, somewhat elderly customers asked us to stop by to just install a new belt. They are quite difficult to install if you are a little frail or suffer from arthritis and so forth. I recall some ladies that would not permit husband's or others to fool with their Hoover. Trusted the "Hoover Man" only.
Unfortunately, I was drafted into the Army in 1965. My father died in an auto accident a few months later. I had to obtain an emergency 30 day leave to close up the business. I finished all the repairs and asked people to pick up their vacuums if possible. Others I delivered. A few needed parts that we did not have in stock and there was no time to order, so folks were kind and picked them up and took elsewhere or bought new.
I repaired vacuums for about a year after I finished my hitch in the service, but was now married with a child on the way and a full-time job at Caterpillar. It was just too much, so I gave it up.
Regards,
Ron Reeland
