Maintaining a Vacuum Cleaner. The first thought that came to my evil mind was to interpret Vacuum Cleaner in the Indian context of a “kaamwaali” like Kamala Bai who does the “jhaadu” and “pocha”. Maintaining Kamala Bai - restricting to 8000 words would do gross injustice to my imagination, I decided to stick to interpreting Vacuum Cleaner (VC) as in house hold appliance.
The invention of VC has simplified the cleaning process at home. The basic operating principle of a VC is suction – whereby dust particles are sucked in and deposited into a dust bag.
Components:
A VC has the following components:
# The Housing
# The Input Port with the Rotating Brush
# The Belt
# The Filter (near the Exhaust Port)
# The Dust Bag
# The Hose
# The Electric Motor and Fan
Tips on Maintenance:
1. The Housing has to be periodically cleaned with any household cleanser and stored away from the elements like water, heat and sunlight so that the body does not get damaged.
2. After every couple of vacuuming operations, turn the VC on its side and remove any dust particles or pieces of hair clinging to the Rotating Brush. The cleaner the brush, the easier it will be for the dust picking operations. Also ensure that the Input Ports are clear of any obstruction.
3. The Belt is the critical link between the Electric Motor and the Rotating Brush. Cleaning the belt involves just wiping it with a paper towel or cloth and ensuring that it is freely moving. Do not allow water near the belt as it tends to shrink when wet. If the VC is not stored in a cool place, the belt becomes brittle and cracks. Even if the belt breaks, do not panic – replacement belts are easily available and they are inexpensive and easy to install.
4. There is a Filter inside the Housing near the Exhaust Port. Casual inspection and removing of any obstructions will suffice.
5. Regarding the Dust Bag – ensure that it is replaced when it is about 70% - 80% full. Remember - the more dust in the bag, the less is the effectiveness of vacuuming. Pushing your luck could result in the bag bursting open and is highly undesirable.
6. The Hoses and the special attachments, if any, need only casual cleaning and proper handling to ensure that they do not get unnecessarily coiled up which can damage the hose material.
7. The best maintenance tip for the Electric Motor and Fan is preventive maintenance. Always operate the motor with the switch on the housing and not the main power switch – this will prevent the motor from accidental voltage fluctuations. If the motor is damaged, you might as well get a new VC.
I regret the day I offered to help with the vacuuming (it sounded fun) and have been stuck with it ever since (it has been years and counting….). All the above tips have helped me immensely over the years and I am still using the same VC for the past 6 years.
I dream of a world where I do not have to choose between Kamala Bai or a Vacuum Cleaner.
I dream of a world where Kamala Bai and a Vacuum Cleaner coexist.
Happy Kamala Baiing, I mean vacuuming.