when storing

[vacuumssuck213]

when my collection is not in use i have certain standards of how they are to be stored. number one all vacs must be placed in the highest pile setting. number two vacs with optional tension belt relese such as kirby must be released or (belt off) does any one else have a specific way they store there collection when idle?

 

[suckolux]

works for me!

 

[dysonman1]

While all 672 cleaners in my collection sit idle, I keep the belts 'under tension' because I want to just grab any particular one at any particular moment and run it. As far as the carpet height setting, I don't think it makes any difference in storage.

 

[sbakerde]

Leave belt on

Most vacuums such as Kirby stretch the belt further to disengage it. It's best to leave it one while storing because keeping it stretched for a period of time will cause it to stay stretched out and need replacement much sooner.

 

[ctvacman]

I

Leave the belts on. I do raise the height or stand power nozzles on end to avoid bristle wear. With my rainbow I just rotate the brush roll so the brush is hidden a couple other vacs I can do this with as well. Depending on how stiff the the brush is I have seen some of my bristles lose their shape when stored fir a period. I also prop something under the nozzle of my lux uprights. When you develop a simple system it doesn't add any time to my cleaning.

 

[DesertTortoise]

The one and only precaution I take is to lay the hoses flat on the floor so they don't develop cracks.

I know my parents never worried about supporting the front of a Powermate to keep the roller off the floor in the closet and if 32 years of regular use didn't wear the bristles down (it didn't) then I doubt I need to worry about holding the roller off the floor now.

If the vac uses a cogged belt it should not be tensioned. The teeth take the load eliminating the need to keep the belt tensioned. Doesn't apply to all machines but it does apply to many.

 

[DesertTortoise]

I would worry more about using good quality HEPA dust bags, achieving a good seal at the bag and adding more modern pre-motor filtration, all to keep dust out of the vacuum after all the hard work we undertake to clean them up. On some vacs one bag full using a paper bag and normal, inadequate, stock filter media is enough to get a fine coating of dust everywhere inside the vac. It's work to clean the vac again.

 

[frkirby560]

I store my Kirbys with nozzle off, and belt completely released so it has no tension on it at all. When I want to use one of them, I simply reset the belt on the belt lifter and put the nozzle on. Of course, I may want to use it with simply the hose, in which case it is ready to go. I also make sure the hoses are not under any stress at any point and I keep clean bags in them.

 

[paul]

Good subject to entertain--thanks for mentioning it.

Although your ideas have merit I checked several of my Electrolux manuals and did not find any specific directions for storage in the older manuals except how one could store the attachment Companion (for the Model XXX or Model LX).

Here is what a Model 1205 manual states:


"Always stand the Cleaner on its storage end with wands beside it. Avoid bending hose sharply by hanging it over two clothes hooks spaced about a foot apart on the closet wall. Power Nozzle will stand with handle upright or may be hung on hook."


Although something to think about, too, is that a company will benefit from the sale of new parts if the old ones wear out from lack of customer care, so I think you are wise to be proactive against brush and belt deformation.

In addition, I would think if a vacuum cleaner were going to be stored for a long time without being used it would be a good idea to empty the cloth bag or dispose of the paper bag if it contains refuse. Mouse-proofing would also be a consideration for tanks by covering up the suction and blower openings and removing the cloth or vinyl outer bags of uprights--particularly if they were stored in a garage or shed. Also, dry and cool environments would be better than humid and hot ones if there is an option.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Hadn't thought about the problems of garage or shed storage. Not just mice but black widows might find a comfy home in a vacuum. I'm always killing big juicy ones here. Watch out for those irregular webs, like the spider was drunk.

You are going to laugh but I have one dirty Kenmore Q bag (HEPA cloth version of a normal 5055 or C bag) that I move around from vacuum to vacuum when I use one, while keeping a clean unused bag in the others. I do a bag swap before using a vac.

 

[vacuumman206]

On Kirbys I raise the nozzles just because it looks nicer when displayed...those bristles are spinning at 5-12k rpm depending on the vacuum and as already said if years of beating carpets didn't do it, resting on a floor won't either. A good thing to do is give your brushrolls a spin by hand every once in a while if you haven't used that machine or won't be using it in the near future; I've found out no matter the belt they will develop a 'bump' where the belt was stretched around the motor shaft for an extended period of time and then every time the belt rotates past that deformed section, it begins to stretch it out and slip. Especially true on round-belt vacs.