I dont think I'll EVER understand... *vent warning*

[godfreys_guy]

Ok guys, this is a survey of sorts and I think the people that work in vacuum shops like me and those that collect more 'modern' vacs will get where I am coming from.

Why, WHY is it that people are incapable of washing filters in bagless vacuums?

I have at least 2-3 customers a week who bring back 6-12 month vacuums, adimant that they were great and now are as useful as a pile of dog shit. You open the canister hold the filthy, dusty filter and ask 'when did you last wash this?' and the customer just looks at you blankly.

It's the same as customers who complain their machine overheats and don't check to see if the hose might be blocked... is it just me or are consumers completely oblivious to EVERYTHING?

Bet the dont treat their cars like this!

 

[kirbymodel2c]

I have no Idea...

To be honest I have no idea. Most of what you tell them when they buy it goes in one ear and out of another. Every bagless vac I've sold I tell them before they buy it to keep the filters washed/cleanned with a bursh etc regular. At least every 3 months if its a dyson and everytime they empty the cheapper bagless vacs.

Mind you its same with the drive belts. Some don't even notice that they have snapped.
Or its some how my fault when they snap when they keep sucking up children/dog toys,Socks,underwear,carpet tassels etc...

Hay hoooo.

James)

 

[henry200]

They just don't "get it"

Too many people these days have no idea that many household appliances need routine care in order to work properly.   It isn't just vacuums with clogged filters, worn belts or brush rolls wound full of hair.   They have furnace/ac filters that never get changed, refrigerator coils caked with dust, lawn mowers with dull blades...the list goes on and on.   I think for a lot of folks cleaning is the worst form of drudgery, to be put off as long as possible, and fewer and fewer people seem to have basic mechanical skills.  I had a date once with a guy who hired a handyman to hang the pictures on his walls!!!


 


My neighbors and friends are constantly amazed at the "miracles" I perform for them, doing the simple little things they could and should have been doing themselves.   My father was one of those poster child Popular Mechanics DIY types and I learned a ton from him.   I think we're witnessing the passing of an era.  We're the last of a dying breed.

 

[electroluxxxx]

I agree on both parts,


I had a woman come to me with 6, yes 6 Vacuums at once telling me that 5 of them didnt pick up and that one was just too loud, well 4 of them had clogged hoses and filters, the other needed to have the outer bag replaced and the 6th one was just a hoover elite that sounded like an elite. I asked the woman, " mam have you checked to see if the hose was clogged"? her reply was, " yes we sucked out the hose with the shop vac". what I should have asked. " was the shop vac clogged"? the 4 machines hoses were PACKED full with hair, dog hair, lint, dust, bobbie pins etc... I could have filled a vacuum bag with what was in these hoses. she had a kirby that she cleaned out the fireplace with, that machine's outerbag was TRASHED. I turned the machine on and POOF a massive cloud of dust covered at least 20 ft of my street no joke.  I usually charge $20 per machine and due to lack of smarts on her part I was going to charge at least $35 a machine seeing I had to do something that was soooo easy, but I left her charge at $20 per machine plus parts and let it slide.

 

[henry200]

maybe this is symptomatic of something deeper...

You see it everywhere these days.....people never think about the consequences of their actions, and they have no problem solving skills. 

 

[trebor]

The Tribe of Vac Killers...

The whole concept of responsible ownership has vanished and been replaced by "Throw it away and get another one" When people today by a Kirby or a Rainbow they fully expect that it will take care of itself. In other words, they expect that a quality machine will not require the simple, not-so-common-anymore-sense maintenance that a throw away vacuum does.

I have stood in my friend's vac shop times without number and heard customers sneer scornfully "There are no filters in MY vacuum-IT'S BAGLESS!" Only to see them blush in angry embarrassment when he removes the clogged main filter from the container, the pre-motor filter, the post-motor filter, and in some cases an exhaust filter, plus the debris in the hose. They are angry that they have been shown up by someone they consider their inferior over something they consider beneath their dignity to use. But they pay him 29.00 two, three, and four times a year to clean and unclog their vacuums, plus the cost of new filters and a belt because their bagless vacuum is "saving them money"

My aunt and her five daughter belong to what I refer to as "the tribe of vac killers" They have difficulty comprehending the subtle distinctions between a vacuum cleaner and a backhoe. The youngest one bought a G-4 from me, and managed to kill it. I found her a primo G-5 in a pawn shop, and she killed that one too! If it is lying on the floor and they don't feel like bending over to pick it up, the vacuum should suck it up, period. The money these five women have spent on vacuum cleaners and carpet cleaners over the past 40 years could easily buy me a Lexus.

 

[kenkart]

Some people!!!

Could..as my Dad would say...TEAR UP AN ANVIL!!!!

 

[jfalberti]

Man's desire to make

everything as idiot proof as possible is countered only by the Universe's desire to create bigger and better idiots.

 

[sireluxomatic]

<span style="font-family: tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I'm not a repair person, but based on people I've seen and heard, they just don't care about vacuums or know anything about them, and for them, that's just dandy. If something doesn't work they'll just trash it and get another. To be fair, we all probably feel this way about certain objects and items.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">What about in the past? Did people know more about vacuums, or know and care more about maintaining them? Is it merely a sign of the times, or have people always been careless about things like this? Presumably, years ago, when more machines were sold door-to-door or in dedicated stores, buyers could (hopefully) have been educated by the sellers first-hand on maintenance and care. I'm not sure, however, if this lead to more machines being maintained properly.</span>

 

[trebor]

In the old days...

A vacuum cleaner was a luxury. It was the invention which made wall-to-wall carpet affordable to the masses who did not have household help. Women who grew up learning to clean house without a vacuum cleaner were appreciative, and most likely heard a few words from Dad or Hubby about how many hours he had to work to save her some hours of drudgery (truth be told he was glad to not have to beat the rugs every spring and fall) but it was an investment, a sacrifice to have a vacuum cleaner, and it was something of a status symbol.

Nowadays, the vacuum cleaner is a throwaway item, not worthy of consideration. In some neighborhoods it is a status symbol to NOT own a vacuum, just a carpet sweeper and a dustbuster for pickups between cleaning service visits. Part of the problem I think is the reference to the vacuum cleaner as a 'sweeper'. A sweeper is a surface cleaning convenience. A vacuum cleaner is a serious appliance to keep the home clean and sanitary, and prolong the life of carpets, rugs, and furnishings. Those who don't care about the distinction are the ones who beat a steady path to the vacuum aisles of Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

 

[minivanmegafun]

> Bet the dont treat their cars like this!


ahahaha


hahah

hahahahaha

hah.

go talk to your trusted mechanic about that one.

 

[hooverbaby]

I also used to have a repair shop..

so it no longer surprises me that ordinary persons expect machinery to just carry on working indefinately with little attention; that they do not seem to know which end of the screwdriver is the handle and hate the sight of dirt and the thought of handling it!

Many times, something would come back with the slightest problem and customers could occasionally become quite wound up/angry/agitated about it. However, nine time out of ten, there would be no trouble or if there was it was sorted in an instant - a quick blast with the air line often did the trick!

I had to be careful not to let them get the better of me. Sometimes I would oblige by explaining the problem and doing it for nothing on the spot. On other occasions, depending on what sort of mood I was in I made them pay again, which tended to make them even more angry!

On the plus side, a lot of these easy little jobs were good money spinners. For instance I fitted a new cable on a hedgetrimmer and charged him again half an hour later when he cut through it for a second time. Another guy said that he would pay me double if I fixed it in an hour, since he had to return his neighbour's machine, which he had just broken..

Stephen

 

[jodan3399]

And think, these are just the ones that bring them into the shop that you "see".

I can't begin to count the number of them I've picked up curbside, quite a few of them like new, set out for trash because someone either sucked up a sock or something with them and they clogged or they can't change a broken belt.

 

[portable]

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">There is no hope for the human race!</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">I think you are all spot-on about the reasons why people treat/don't maintain the vacuums and other things they own. The human race has a million reasons why they don't do things (or DO do them).... </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">And I think one additional thing:</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">Though I'm not going to put in squarely on the shoulders of the internet, I think a large part of it has to do with it. And, that is because we have become addicted to instant answers, gratification, conclusions, and just plain easy-way-out thinking about the world we live in. One of you talked about personal responsibility, and I think that is a lot of it, too. If something doesn't work, just move on to the next thing. It might've been YOU that could've prevented it by acting differently, but who cares. Next! But, I'll never admit that I should've changed the filter.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">As a closing moment of levity about all this, I submit this story about my father......</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">He does not own a bagless vacuum - he owns a bagged Hoover from the early 90's. My sister complained to me one day while we were visiting my parents, and she was vacuuming the hallway rug, that the vacuum was not "working right". We turned it over and discovered that all the way from the nozzle right up into the CHOCK FULL bag was completely clogged. I knew that my father was in charge of changing bags - one of his unspoken jobs that he was assigned by my mother. So, I said to him "Dad, when was the last time you changed the bag in this vacuum?" His response? "Do you know how much those things COST?" I let 'em get full!" Yep...I see the rationale - ruin a $150+ appliance because you don't want to spend a dollar on a clean bag. I suspect that, if the vacuum was bagless, we would've heard a similar argument about not maintaining the filters. At least I can't blame HIM for developing an "internet attitude". He never touches a computer.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">Go figure!  </span>

 

[trebor]

Co$t of the bags....

Is not the issue. Usually if someone of that mindset has it explained to them that stuffing the bags 1) wears the vacuum out sooner 2) wears the carpet out sooner 3) costs more in periodic cleaning, they change it more often. People don't understand how a vacuum really works, not as far as newer bag, newer belt = better cleaning, longer carpet wear. Common sense, that is no longer so common.

The easiest way to get them to listen is to ask (usually the woman) "What color have you picked for your next carpet?" When he balks, you have his attention and can explain that stuffing the bags is hastening the purchase of new carpet, just like not changing the oil in the car makes for bigger and more frequent repair bills. What the bags are filling with is carpet fiber.

For 60.00 worth of bags, 15.00 worth of belts, a couple of brush rolls and 60 days of thorough, methodical, relentless vacuuming the buildup of dirt in the average home can be removed, and the bag changing much less frequent. If the vacuum in use is a canister and hose is more than 7 yrs old, a new hose may be needed to restore full cleaning efficiency. But the point is, the carpets can be made significantly cleaner with the existing vacuum cleaner, if it is given a chance.

 

[kirbyds80]

I've worked on many

Yes i've worked on many vacuums and i too don't understand the lack of care. Like for instance this one i worked on which was an Ultimate G was in horrable shape. Even the brushroll was wrapped with hair. I don't get how people could let something go without care expecting it to run forever. At some point in time something is going to break. Am i right?

 

[piano_god]

In my honest opinion, I believe a lot of this can be blamed on the questionable marketing practices that a lot of manufacturers of bagless vacuums utilize to sell their products.

When prospective buyers read something like "Bagless - No bags to buy!", but there is no mention on the packaging about filter maintenance, most read this as no maintenance other than dumping the bin. It does not help the situation when manufacturers hide the filters in various compartments around the machine too.

It's unfortunate that most will not read the owner's manual. If they did, it might help extend the life of their machine...

...that is if the bearing end caps on the brush roller had not already melted.

 

[kirbyds80]

If they made it more clear

If bagless brands made it more clear to people about service then maybe the customers would understand more. I do have to agree that not everyone will read the manual, and will either toss it aside never to be seen again, or throw it away.