Vacuums are often thought to be tough and hard to mess with but that’s not true! They are more delicate than we think and believe. They are very sensitive to what we put them through and for that, they need to be maintained as often as any other machine you may have at home or even more!
Think about how many times you use it in a week or a month!
So it’s logical if it stops working right after some time if you don’t take the time to clean it and maintain it.
Now, one of the many and most common problems that may appear is a clogged vacuum hose. So here in this article, you have everything you need to know about it and how to solve it!
Why does a vacuum hose gets clogged?
A vacuum hose will get clogged if you allow any of the following things to happen:
– Leave damaged filters on the vacuum and keep using it without replacing it for a new one.
– Letting your vacuum suck an excessive amount of hair and debris, along with large dirt and dust balls.
– Vacuuming wet surfaces.
– Poor maintenance of the hose and the vacuum itself.
Signs that your vacuum hose is clogged
It is very easy to detect a clog in your vacuum. The first consequence you’ll see immediately is a loss of suction power, hich will cause other problems if you don’t fix it right away.
Other signs you might see are:
– A burning smell or smoke coming out of the vacuum
– The vacuum makes an unusual louder noise.
– Due to the loss of suction, the vacuum will start leaving dirt and dust behind.
But as I said earlier, do not wait to see all these signs. Act immediately!
How to check if your hose is clogged
If you start seeing some of the signs I described before, then you should check if there’s really a clog and where is it. As not all clogs happen on the same place: they can occur in the vacuum head, where the actual vacuum meets the hose or right in the middle of it.
To check you can try the following experiment:
1. First, you need to detach the hose from the vacuum itself and the attachment.
2. Hold it upright so that it stays straight and through something small down the hose (like a coin or something that will make a sound when it falls).
3. If the coin makes it all the way down and falls out then there’s no clog and something else is damaged. If it doesn’t, then you’ve found the problem!
Now it’s time to fix it!
4 Unclogging Techniques and Tools
Now, there are 4 possible techniques to unclog a vacuum hose. You can choose the one that best fits you or try one by one until you get it fixed!
Technique 1: Broomstick Technique
You can use a broomstick or any hard object you may have at home. You just need to introduce it in the hose and push out the clog using a bit of force but be careful at the same time. You don’t want to break the hose along the way!
These type of objects are perfect for removing large clogs of hair and debris.
Technique 2: Bent wire Technique
A bent wire is also very helpful when trying to remove a clog. You have to carefully insert it into the hose and twist it in a way you get the clog tangled in the wire. Once you make sure it is tangled, you have to pull it out as you continue to twist it. This way you’ll remove as much dirt and dust as possible.
But you should keep in mind that wires can be very dangerous, as they can damage delicate parts of your vacuum.
Technique 3: Shop Vacuum Technique
Using another vacuum to draw the clog out can do the trick!
You just have to use its suction power an place it right next to the clogged part and wait for it to come out. But you have to make sure the vacuum you use has a stronger suction power.
Technique 4: Water Technique
If nothing else has worked, then I recommend you try using water to take the clog out. You have two options:
– You have to detach the clogged hose and fill it with hot water. To make the water stay inside, you must hold it in a “u” shape position. Shake it and then rinse it on each side until you soak the clog enough to loosen it up and make it fall out.
– Another water technique would be to take the hose and connect it to the garden hose and let a powerful jet of water into your vacuum hose. With that pressure, the clog should come out pretty soon.
Step by Step guide to unclog a vacuum hose
Here are the general steps you should follow to unclog a vacuum hose:
Step 1: Unplug the vacuum
Step 2: Detach the hose from the vacuum
Usually, you can just pull it out carefully by twisting it or there is a pressure button that will release it automatically. If not, check the user manual for instructions.
PRO TIP
Don’t apply excessive force. They’re not designed to be difficult, so if you have to apply a lot of force, you’ll probably break it.
Step 3: Determine where the clog is
There are 3 possible locations:
– In the head: you’ll see it there if you take the head, turn it upright and inspect it.
– In the hose: you’ll have to detach the hose from the vacuum and the attachment and do the experiment I described above (on “How to check if your hose is clogged”)
– In the entrance of the vacuum itself: using your fingers (and with gloves on is possible) poke inside the area where the hose is attached to the vacuum, there you should be able to find the clog if there is one.
Step 4: Fix it!
Depending on where the clog is, you’ll have to do one thing or another. Generally, all the unclogging techniques are valid in any situation but they might be unnecessary. Choose the one you feel fits best.
Here are some tips:
– If it’s in the head: try to pull it out with your fingers or use a screwdriver or something thin to twist it around and push it out.
– If it’s in the hose: here all the unclogging techniques will come in handy to get that clog out. Try one by one until you fix it!
– If it’s in the vacuum: in this situation, you should be able to pull it out with your own fingers. Use a small and thin tool if you need it. If your vacuum is a bag model, then pull the bag out and you should be able to see also the clog coming out from there.
Step 5: Put the hose back on.
Follow the same procedure you followed before when detaching it.
Step 6: Test it!
Try turning the vacuum cleaner on and see if it works correctly. If not, then you should take it to a professional and have it repaired.
Tips to prevent future clogs
Once you’re done unclogging your vacuum hose, I’m sure you don’t want it to happen ever again. So, here are some tips for you to follow if you want to prevent future clogs:
– Keep your vacuum cleaner and hose all clean
– Pick any large piece of dirt, dust and debris before the vacuum does.
– Using attachments will prevent larger things to go through, as they are narrower than the hose.
– Before vacuuming somewhere you don’t have visibility (for example, under a bed) check there isn’t anything laying there that could possibly clog your vacuum.
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Conclusion
You should have an unclogged vacuum hose by now, or getting ready for action!
One way or another, you’ll be glad you did it and followed this guide. I promise you it’s the easiest and most complete guide you’ll ever find!
But the best way to unclog a vacuum hose is to never let it get clogged! And that’s only possible if you follow the tips I gave you above.