Tuesday, October 19, 2010

So then I broke the new vacuum ..

 *
Remember when I asked about what vacuum to buy?  Uh huh.  Well, the winner was the Hoover Wind Tunnel T-Series Pet Rewind Bagless Upright Vacuum, because you know, I was going for the vacuum with the longest name.  Heh.  And then I broke it.  The end.

Lest you think it's a crap vacuum, I will confess to being really stupid with it the very first time I used it.  The very first time.  Yay me! 

I was using the hand tool and I was reaching to get the corner of the ceiling/wall place behind the couch and over the little cabinet that holds all the exercise videos and DVDs I never use.  I sucked up the cobwebs and noticed when I stepped up onto the couch that there were all kinds of webs, probably of the spider variety behind said cabinet.  So I did what anybody would do who has a new vacuum and thinks they are super-new-vacuum-lady - I pulled the vacuum up with me.  Okay, it was eating the throw that I have on the couch and I didn't notice until I heard a high pitched whine.  And there was smoke.  Honestly.  Smoke.

Turns out if I want to drag my whole vacuum up onto the couch (which I really want to call a counch tonight for some reason) I can because there is a button that I can press with my foot to disengage the brushes that spin a million miles an hour and eat whatever they are set upon.  Mainly when they are set upon something they don't belong on.  Ahem.  I found the button after I made the smoke.

So not only did I unadvisedly pull my whole upright vacuum onto my couch which was covered with a loose throw, I didn't read the manual first to find out I could have pushed that handy dandy button. 

It was the belt.  Tore that thing right in half and let me tell you - that was one sturdy belt until I got to it!  Had to order the belt and when it came in the mail I ...

a) rolled it around on the floor to amuse the cats for a while...

b) consoled myself with a plate full of jalapeno poppers (the cream cheese kind) and felt sorry for myself for not having a full time man in the house to do things like put belts on vacuums for me .. or

c) got out the manual to find out how to put the belt on properly, myself.

Well a) - my cats are way too sophisticated to be amused by a mere rubber loop and would never let me live it down for simply offering it to them .. b) I never need an excuse to dive into a plate of jalapeno poppers (the cream cheese kind)..  and c) the vacuum is working fabulously now of course!  And I am ridiculously proud of myself for fixing it myself!

And don't let anyone tell you I fixed it myself because I didn't want to put up with the head shaking and the side-long glances punctuated by "women!" or "HAD to drag it up on the couch ..."

I did it because I could!

THE END.
*

6 Comments:

Mahala said...

we must have been separated at birth

Anonymous said...

I am thinking triplets seperated at birth. Sounds just like something I would (actually have) done. Only I threw my throw (is that right?) on the floor and forgot it was there. And those things will flat tear up a belt (and the rollers,I had to buy a new vacuum.) So know you are not alone on these things. We are a sisterhood.

thotlady said...

The whole destroying the belt in a vacuum has happened to me several time.

Let's just say, I now know how to buy and install a new belt on my vacuum cleaner.

The interesting thing is...the motor keeps running even though the belt is not moving or is broken, so it takes a moment to realize, hey, this vacuum is not picking up the dirt. Hmmm...so I will look underneath, and lo and behold the belt is not rotating. That can't be right.

Since this has happened a few times, I am a master at belt installation.

Lavender said...

Hooray for BetteJo! Well done, doing the repair yourself - and yeah - breaking it on the first go was actually pretty cool too LOL

Diane at Crafty Passions said...

Never had a vacuum eat a throw before but I believe you simply because things like that do happen... I once had it suck up socks on the floor and my curtains too... but it only plugged up the hose, dosen't count as nearly as exciting as your throw story.
I am so proud of you for fixing it, we women rock !!
Diane

BetteJo said...

Yes, we women rock! I agree. Thank you. Thank you very much.