We’ve all done it… you’re happily vacuuming away when suddenly you realise you’ve sucked a stray sock into the machine and now the brushes won’t turn anymore. But what can be done? Luckily our Expert has a few ideas…
Vax Expert says:
Your machine is working perfectly and it is a good cleaning day. Then you hear a strange sound and your machine sounds as though it is getting louder and sometimes you hear a rattling sound. What on earth has happened?
You switch off and realise that you’ve pulled something into the front of the machine. Don’t panic!
The first thing to do is unplug your machine and then carefully pull the item out.
Next, you’ll need to check if the belt has broken or the brushbar motor needs to be reset. The best way to do this is to switch on the machine and lean it over so that you can see if the brushbar is turning. DO NOT put your fingers near the brushbar area when carrying out this check!
If the brushbar is turning, great, you can continue with your cleaning. But please do be aware of where you are vacuuming next time!
It’s always a good idea before you start to go around the room and pick up any large items that may cause this sort of problem. Tassels on rugs etc can cause the same issue, so make sure you give them a wide berth.
If the brushbar isn’t turning, now is the time to dig out that user guide and look at the troubleshooting section. There are a couple of ways in which a brushbar can be driven but most are still driven by a belt. There are also direct drive brushbars, but these may also have a belt. Your user guide will explain how to change a belt (usually this involves removing a number of screws) or it will explain how to reset the brushbar, if appropriate.
If your machine does have a belt, it’s a very good idea to buy a spare one to keep in your cupboard on standby. That’s because it’s a real pain for this problem to happen when you don’t have a spare at hand. Contact your vacuum cleaner’s manufacturer and see what is the easiest way to get a spare and check the user guide, as the information maybe in there. You will probably be asked to pay for the new belt, even if your machine is still under warranty, as it is considered by most manufacturers to be a ‘consumable’, as are filters and brushbars.
Broken belts or tripped reset buttons are the most common reasons for brushbars not turning, but there are some other less common reasons too. These include:
1. The bearings on the end of the brushbar have seized and so it can’t turn. However, this will result in a broken belt as well, so be aware of this when checking the belt as above.
2. If your machine has a brushbar control switch, is this set to on?
3. If the brushbar control switch is on, does the handle need to be pulled back to the vacuuming position to activate the brushbar? Most machines like this stop the brushbar when the handle is put into the upright position.
If your brushbar is still not working after following the above steps, then you should contact your vacuum cleaner’s manufacturer for further assistance.
