I have managed to keep my vacuum running strong with a complete disassembly and total cleaning every six months or so, as well as slashing and removing whatever has accumulated on the roller brush every week. So, I was disturbed when Jamie tried to clean our carpet, and the vacuum rattled something fierce. After six years of use, the roller brush's drive belt lost a few teeth, and was causing a terrible vibration as it struggled to keep the rollers in motion. Turns out you should replace it every six months. Oopsie!
After a week of waiting on a certain courier's "express" delivery, the replacement part arrived, and I was able to reassemble everything. I noticed a couple cracks in the plastic on the backside, and can you tell I'm a jet engine mechanic when I reinforced it with safety wire?
Now repaired, I tested it out by cleaning the apartment. It pulled two full bags of dirt, dust, leaves, carpet fuzz, and puppy fur out! Not bad for a piece of equipment whose manufacturer's warranty expired sixty months ago.
I usually end with some conclusion or moral. What could I pull out of this? Hmm, I guess it would have to be: "A vacuum cleaner is a power tool, and thus carpet cleaning is a man's job." I'm sure my Bride will have few objections.
Don't forget about your filters, either. We have a Bissell (other than the cat) that has filters we can wash after each use. If they aren't washable you should replace them every so often to make sure that they are doing their job properly.
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