“People should use a vacuum cleaner conventionally.” This is Ed Maas’s most important tip. He is repairer at Repair Café Zaandijk in the Netherlands. Pulling the plug instead of the cord will prevent a lot of problems. Many people roll out the cord very hard. This quickly destroys the retractor or the cord in the machine, and then you will be worse off. If that happens, the vacuum has to be taken apart. Repair Café repairers see many vacuum cleaners with cable and plug problems. Both are easy to prevent.
Disassembling a vacuum cleaner
The biggest repair problem with vacuum cleaners is that they are very difficult to disassemble. This is because vacuum cleaners are largely clicked together rather than being screwed closed. You need to know where to apply pressure or something breaks off easily. Repairers often don’t know where to begin when trying to open it. According to Harmen Meijer, Delft-based Repair Café repairer, “it usually takes an hour to open while the repair is quick”. Fortunately, more and more disassembly films can be found on the internet when you search by brand and model number.
The cause of vacuum cleaner problems often remains unclear. In the RepairMonitor – the database in which Repair Café repairers keep track of what they are repairing and how – the cause of the defect of 16 percent of the recorded vacuum cleaners is not clear.
Vacuum cleaners are often not really broken
Vacuum cleaners are in the top 3 of most-popular products brought to Repair Cafés. The RepairMonitor shows that vacuum cleaner repairs are often effective. Two thirds of the repairs carried out were successful and 10 percent of the owners received advice from the Repair Café.
Many of the vacuum cleaners brought in are not really broken. For example, Repair Café Zaandijk receives a lot of vacuum cleaners that have not been properly maintained or used. Often the dust bag is full, which means that the machine no longer has any suction power.
Vacuum cleaner hose is sometimes clogged
Ed Maas asks visitors to first clean the vacuum cleaner and replace the dust bag. This often solves a lot of problems. If the suction is still not adequate, “check if the hose is clogged up. You do this by placing your hand on the end, no air means it’s clogged”. The blockage is usually very easy removed with, for example, a knitting needle or broom-handle. This is one of the five solutions that Repair Café repairers often use when dealing with vacuum cleaner problems.
Top solutions for vacuum cleaner problems
1. Repair or replace cord
2. Replace switch
3. Replace the filter or clean it
4. Replace plug
5. Clear blockage
(source: RepairMonitor.org)
Replacing carbon brushes of a vacuum cleaner
If the vacuum cleaner is really broken, it’s often the carbon brush that needs to be replaced. This essential component supplies the motor with current. Repair Café Zaandijk has a lot of these in stock. This part is easy to replace and is available via, for example, eBay. You can get help with this at the Repair Café.
When a vacuum cleaner can no longer be repaired, it’s usually due to the engine. In the RepairMonitor it was repeatedly reported that the motor had burnt out. In other cases, non-reparability was caused by parts that were non-replaceable, unavailable or too expensive.
Repairing the motor of a vacuum cleaner is possible
By the way, a broken motor does not always have to mean the end of a vacuum cleaner. In this YouTube video, a recent Miele C3 vacuum cleaner with a broken motor is successfully repaired for next to nothing….
Replacing buttons, plugs and cords of a vacuum cleaner
On the other hand, on/off buttons and plug-in knobs are easy to order and replace for many brands and models. Plugs and cables are also relatively easy to repair or replace. Vacuum cleaner parts are easily available via websites such as eVacuumStore.com.
Repair your vacuum cleaner yourself or drop by the Repair Café!
Do you need help repairing your vacuum cleaner? Then come to a Repair Café in your area. Want to do the repair yourself? Then find a repair guide at iFixit! You can also use these step-by-step guides to prepare your visit to the Repair Café. This way you can read what to expect.
Such a good idea. I unscrewed the part near the cable because I’m pretty sure it just has wires that have been pulled adrift – but the screws are out and the casing won’t budge! I took it to my local repair shop that, I discovered, has closed down. So, a machine that needs a simple job will probably hit the scrap heap.
Are you sure you will not find a Repair Café, close enough? It’s such a pity to throw away your vacuum cleaner, as a repairer might fix it quite easily. You’d better check our website for addresses first!
Where can I find a Repair Café? I have a sears Aristocrat brand vacuum. It makes loud noise when tuned on. I will appreciate any help.
Dear Nasir,
You can find all Repair Cafés around the world via our website.
Good luck!
the Repair Café team
Repaircafe, what a great idea!!
I really dislike our USA throw-it-away, you can buy a new one cheaper than getting it fixed approach!
Unfortunately there is no repair cafe close to me in southern California.
Wish I could fix something; I would help start one.
That’s a great idea! You could start by getting the starter kit. Good luck!