Your Vacuum Cleaner is one of the most important tools, in your arsenal of cleaning equipment. Tub Vacs, come in all shapes and sizes, from the Numatic International range of tub vacs, (Henry, Hetty, George etc) to machines that can do wet and dry, shampooing and machines specialising in picking up hazardous materials.
So it is important that we keep our tub vacs properly maintained. If dirt builds up in the machine, it can lose suction power, making it less efficient, or cause it to block or even overheat, which can lead to a fire. A well maintained tub vac is a happy tub vac and will give you years of faithful service, if it is well looked after.
In this guide, we will look at how to maintain your tub vac and keep it at it’s best.
Clean the Filters Monthly
Dust and debris can build up quickly on your vacuum’s filter, reducing its suction power. That’s why it’s important for you to clean it out every month.
If they are washable, rinse them under luke warm water. Do not use any chemicals, as this can damage the filter. If it is non washable, take it outside and give it a hard whack against a wall, to dislodge any debris.
Think Health and Safety: Make sure to wear a dust mask and protective clothing when cleaning non washable filters. The face mask, will stop you inhaling the dust, while the protective clothing, will prevent you from getting dirty!
Clear any Blockages
Tube and/or hose blockages in your vacuum cleaner are another cause of poor suction. Fortunately, it’s easy to clear them.
- For the floor brush, use a screwdriver to undo the screws holding the brush assembly. Be careful when removing the brush, as the plate is spring loaded. You can then use a flat head screwdriver, to pull the gunk out the neck of the the pipe. On some models, the neck has a clip, which allows you to disassemble it.
- For the pipes: Disconnect the pipes from your tub hoover and use a hose to wash out the inside. You can feed the hose down the pipe, is it is easier. You can also do this for the telescopic poles too. Make sure to wait for the pipes \ poles to dry, before recaching them to your tub hoover.
Empty the Bag When Full
Your Tub Vac will loose suction, once the bag is full. Once it is full, it will need changing. You risk causing the bag to explode, if you carry on using the tub vac with a full bag. So it is important to stop when the bag is full and swap it for a new bag.
Keep your Tub Vac Clean
I wash out my Tub Vacs once a week. Thankfully, the motor casing, clips onto the top, so I can wash out the tub where the bag sits. This involves removing the motor off the top and removing the bag. Then I wash out the tub out with mild disinfectant and warm water. Once washed out, I tip out the water and use blue paper roll to dry it out, before reattaching the bag and motor casing.
I also give the outside of the casing a wipe, with a damp cloth, making sure to be careful around the switches. Alternatively, cleaning wipes, is another good way to give the outside of your tub vac a good clean.
The wheels are what keeps your tub vac moving and they can also get caked up. I spray mine with a little DW40, to get the gunk loosened and then use my flathead, to remove the grease and gunk from the wheels.
Check the Hoses, Plug and Cabling Regularly
You should check your hoses, to make sure they are not kinked or have tears in them. This can inevitably cause loss of suction. Kinks can easily be fixed, by gently untwisting the hose. Tears on the other hand, will require a replacement hose. This will be something that your supervisor will normally need to order.
It is important to check the cabling, to make sure it isn’t damaged and inspect the plug, to make sure that it is secure, isn’t damaged and the pins are not loose. I also check the cabling for nicks in the sheath and for any damage to the cable itself. I check both my tub vacs, each time I use the Tub Vac. If your machine has a damaged plug or cabling, DO NOT USE IT – Put a Notice on it to warn others not to use it and report it to your supervisor.
The same goes, if the motor is making fully sounds or if you smell burning. In these cases, yank out the plug, alert your supervisor and put a do not use notice on it.
Talking of cabling, it is important not to overstretch the cabling when vacuuming. This can cause the cable to become damaged. It is also important not to allow cables to trail across a room, as this can be a tripping hazard. Where possible, unplug and move to another socket, when hoovering a large space. If this is not possible, put a Cleaning In Progress Sign, over the cable, so people can see you are cleaning.
Make sure to use the cable rewind, if your tub vac has one. If not, make sure to securely wrap the cable round the machine and secure the plug, when storing.