She called me today and said the vacuum needed a new belt because she ran over something. It’s an old Hoover that works great (unlike the typical modern vacuum) but because it’s older, it’s hard to find the belts. I actually have to use a Eureka J belt that I learned about through trial and error.
Anyway, I came home after securing the belt and not only did it need a belt, but the bag had exploded, there was a black paste all over the thing, the bottom was removed, the brush was across the room, the casing that holds the bag was off and the handle was on backwards somehow. It just made no sense. Not only that, but there was some mysterious piece of plastic jutting out of the thing that was the same color as the vacuum plastic, but I’d never seen anything like it before (I used to like taking apart various electronics as a kid and putting them back together, and thought I’d seen everything).
In any case, this vacuum needed MAJOR work.
So I did my surgery, looking like a coalminer after, and get it working as good as new. (The only thing is, the on-off switch no longer works — I guess that’s what that piece of plastic was about. Now, to turn it off, one simply has to unplug it.)
I went into the bedroom and asked my wife what she did to the vacuum. She kept insisting nothing, but she had a look like she knew more. What the frig could have happened? Why would she not tell me?
Sunny: But she wouldn’t try to fix it, as she didn’t have the belt. I asked her if it were smoking a lot and she said yes. The thing looked like it had been through a war.
And Wal-mart doesn’t sell vacuums as good as thing one.
The belt blew and she tried to fix it herself. Couldn’t figure out which screws fastened the bottom (which explains the handle AND the on off switch). The likely culprit was a nail or screw that stuck long enough to break the belt, then popped through into the bag at high speed thus exploding it. While trying to get to the belt, the spinner was removed and thrown across the room in frustration. The black paste was the burnt rubber from the belt.
Oh yeah, I’ve been there. None of my boyfriends ever learned to repair a vacuum, either. Good thing I’m handy.
Edit: Eddie, I bet you anything she didn’t think the belt broke at first and she was trying to unstick whatever she sucked up.
For a private eye, you sure do need a lot of our help solving your cases.
Cute story LOL but I have no clue. What does it smell like? Keep on her if you feel like she’s not telling you everything she’ll eventually spill her guts.
LOL @ lola…………
Eddie, IF the belt "went", she ran over something that twisted around the brushes therefore snapping the belt! It could have been another cord, the ends of a throw rug or something that got twisted in the brush. I don’t believe you fixed that mess tho…lol Oh yes, she knows what she ran over, don’t let her fool you. I’d say that IF you have any of that inheritance money left, why don’t you allow your aunt to buy you a new bag less vacuum cleaner?! That would be a nice remembrance just from her…:)
boy eddie you’re lame, if it was me i’d have thrown it out and bought a new one
Very funny story! Love it! Your wife did what every wife does to the vacuum, tried to fix it herself, then when she realized she messed it up more, she decided to let you know.
Ha ha ha! Don’t be surprised if it blows up again. Lol Give the old beat up vacuum cleaner a burial. I think your wife will agree, it’s time to buy a new vacuum. Try buying a Dyson. They’re excellent vacuum cleaners. No bags and no belts! I promise nothing will happen to this vacuum cleaner, because your wife will love it : )
OK I’ll play along. My crazy theory is that she was pleasing herself and spilled the lube. Worried about the carpet she stops what she was doing to vacuum it up not realizing that it would ruin the belt and the bag causing a black paste. The stress of her unfinished pleasure combined with the knowledge of your obsession with your 30 year old vacuum cleaner sent her into a rage causing her to beat the hell out of it. When she finally calmed down she tried to fix it herself hoping you wouldn’t find out but when she couldn’t even figure out which way the handle was supposed to go back on she broke down and called you.
So there’s my story. You don’t have to believe it but if you do then go in there and give her what she needed when she dropped the lube. If you do it right neither of you will care what happened to the vacuum anymore. Best of luck to you. (;
Wow – when I cleaned houses for a living, we used and abused our vacuums till one day, it caught on fire! It was scary but hilarious at the same time. Once we stopped the flames from shooting out all over the customer’s house, we had a good laugh.
Not sure what she did…sounds like someone planted a bomb in it. Funny!