What supplies do you use to clean/restore vacuums?

[fan-of-fans]

Lately I've been trying some different products for my vacuum cleaner cleanings. I've always used car wax such as Turtle Wax on my fans.

I also use the #7 Car Polish paste which I get at Ace Hardware. It works well, but somehow it all dried out. So Friday I got the Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound liquid at Walmart and this works really well too and really shines the paint. I also use the Turtle Wax car wax, and Turtle Wax Chrome Polish.

I also found the Turtle Wax Chrome polish works good on stainless steel, I polished my GE fryer with it. Just go in the direction of the graining.

For plastic and rubber parts I've just started using the Meguiar's Headlight Polish and I find this works really well.

On bare metal surfaces I use Mother's Mag Wheel & Aluminum Polish.

Also for polishing items I've started to use the microfiber towels which I was using to clean my car interior. These work great and don't leave lint or fingerprints.

What supplies have you been using?

 

[human]

I keep it pretty simple:

• 409 and paper towels (I prefer the blue Scott shop towels) for general cleaning
• Simple Green for deeper cleanng
• Mother's for polishing shiny metal like Kirby motor covers
• I have a polishing wheel for my cordless drill that I use with Mother's to get a good shine.
• When metal is heavily oxidized, I'll go over it first with a paste of Barkeeper's Friend and water.
• Once I've got everything polished up, a coating of Turtle Wax will keep things bright.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Forgot to mention Magic Erasers (I use the generic from Walmart or Dollar Tree) for removing scuffs and light scratches. As well as paper towels and Soft Scrub for oxidation and grime. Most of these things are just general cleaning supplies we use though.

Soft Scrub also has a nice scent as do most of the products I use.

For sticky adhesive, I use lighter fluid. I have some Goo Gone but it smells too strong as well as harsh on skin, and it doesn't work as well in my experience.

 

[kirbyklekter]

One thing I learned

from experience is to be careful when applying polish or paste wax on or near any lettering that is on an older machine. I took most of a letter and a stripe off when I went to buff the polish off. Not a problem if said stripes, lettering etc. are decal stickered, mostly if painted on. Really smeared the white lettering on a plastic upright vacuum, so a word to the wise. I like 409 and simple green but I avoid spraying directly on anything that's painted on.

 

[lesinutah]

Tape

Off the areas that could be ruined.

 

[huskyvacs]

Yes and use non-marring or no damage painters tape. Some vacuums they just used water-slide decals or did not bother to bake them into the plastic, and they are just on the surface. Some masking tapes that are super sticky will rip chunks off.