Vacuum cleaners are not quite as simple as they appear. Most vacuum cleaners these days include a variety of attachments, and more surprisingly, many vacuum cleaners utilize more than one filter. Use this guide to identify a particular attachment or filter you’re trying to replace on your vacuum. 

Pictured above is an Electrolux JetMaxx canister and its corresponding filters and attachments. If your vacuum is from a different manufacturer these parts may not look identical, but they function the same and most canister vacuums ship with at least a floor nozzle and crevice tool and use a canister filter and motor filter.

1. Power Nozzle (power head) – The motorized power nozzle is designed to clean medium to high pile carpets. Its rotating brushroll is able to kick up deep-seated dirt and debris. For home owners with mostly carpeted floors, it is imperative that they choose a model with a power nozzle.

2. Wand – The vacuum cleaner wand usually comes as either two detachable pieces or one extendable, telescopic piece. Depending on whether you use a power nozzle, you’ll need an electric or non-electric wand.

3. Hose - Hoses come in various lengths and typically range between 5 and 9 feet. Most are flexible and made from plastic.

4. Canister (tank) – The canister houses the vacuum bag and the vacuum motor that creates suction; they are usually made from metal or plastic or sometimes a combination of both. The canister weight typically ranges from 9 to 15 pounds, depending on the manufacturer.

5. Filter - HEPA Filter - The filter is an integral part of the vacuum, and helps give you the most thorough clean. Many filters these days use super-efficient HEPA filtration that removes 99.97% of allergens. Generally, it is recommended that the filter is replaced after every 6 bags.

For newer Electrolux canisters: Green means regular filter, Blue means it’s washable and Gray means it is anti-odor

6. Exhaust Filter – Although not standard in all models, the exhaust filter serves the important function of filtering motor exhaust, and whatever particles make their way into the canister. This necessary filter helps prevent air contamination in your home.

7. Motor Filter – Aside from the primary canister filter, the vacuum’s motor filter is probably the most important. It typically rests on top of the vacuum motor and prevents motor clogging and damage. Regularly changing your motor filter will lengthen your vacuum’s lifespan.

8. Dusting Brush/Upholstery Tool – The dusting brush is a handy attachment that is useful for cleaning and removing settled dust on counter-tops and other surfaces. Depending on the manufacturer, the bristles can be hard or soft—made from delicate horse hair or coarse nylon. The dusting brush is a standard attachment that is included with most new vacuums.

9. Hard Floor Brush - A standard attachment that is designed for use on smooth floor surfaces like hardwood floors and tile. Power nozzles are not recommended for use on smooth floor surfaces, so in cases like that you’ll want to use the hard floor brush to preserve your floors.

10. Crevice Tool – This nifty attachment works great for reaching and vacuuming those hard-to-reach places like kitchen counter corners. The crevice tool comes standard with most new vacuum cleaners.

11. Furniture Nozzle – Although not quite a vacuum standard, the furniture nozzle works great at cleaning all sorts of upholstery without damaging the material.

12. Hand Turbo Nozzle – This motorized attachment comes in all sorts and sizes (depending on the manufacturer) and it’s thin width makes it ideal for cleaning stairs and rugs. 

13. Belts – Power nozzle drive belts are usually either cogged or flat, depending on your vacuum, and are used to rotate the brushroll. This part is absolutely necessary for a functional power nozzle.

14. Brushroll (agitator, distribulator) – This is an essential power nozzle component and  necessary for carpet cleaning. Its bristle strips are designed to kick up any deep-seated dirt hiding your rugs and carpets. It is recommended that you periodically check the bristle strips for signs of wear, as they do need to be changed once in a while to maintain maximum performance.

I hope that this short guide is useful in helping you maintain and keep your vacuum running at peak performance. If you have further questions please give us a call at 1-866-972-8227!

The holiday season is upon us—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years…This must be everyone’s favorite time of year. We all have memories of gathering with our families to sing songs and talk fondly of memories past. What I look forward to most during this time of year is setting up the Christmas tree. I can remember joyously stringing up lights as a child, and my father giving my little sister a boost to crown the top of our tree with a luminous golden angel.

Fast-forward two weeks—pine needles and water all over the floor, sticking to socks and creeping underneath the couch. During moments like these I would usually see my mother looking down at our canister vacuum cleaner exasperated. Sure, it’ll probably get rid of the pine needles, but what about the wet puddle underneath the tree? For large holiday messes, it takes a more powerful machine—a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. These vacuums are able to remove both wet and dry debris left over from the holidays. The pine-needles, the scraps of wrapping paper, tinsel and the wet puddle at the base of the tree, all can be easily removed with a proper wet/dry. But a wet/dry vacuum cleaner is not just a device you take out once a year after the holidays. They also work well for seasonal clean-up jobs and are an invaluable assistant for home improvement work and garage cleaning. Most wet/dry vacuums can be easily converted into a blower, and most come with a few specialty attachments that will make cleaning those hard to reach places simple and fun.

Holiday messes aren’t like regular messes. They’re larger and unpredictable, and you’re really in for it if you have a big family. For times like these it’s a good idea to prepare yourself with a proper wet/dry unit, or at least a portable. So don’t settle for an artificial tree, get a real one. And get a nice wet/dry vacuum too, so you can handle the mess afterwards—make it #1 on your holiday wishlist.