Like anything made of rubber, vacuum cleaner belt stretches, wears out and finally breaks.
Instead of just paying lots of money for a repair service or instead of jumping too fast to conclusions and go to buy a new vacuum, read those simple steps to change your vacuum cleaner belt at home.
Time: 5-10 minutes
Tools: Screw driver (electric or regular) – new vacuum belt (matching your vacuum type)
How Do I Know If My Vacuum Belt Needs Fixing or Replacing?
Before we replace something, we need to make sure that there is a problem with it at the first place. So how do you know it is the time to change the belt?
A worn out belt can make the brush rolls slower making it hard to move the vacuum head on the carpets.
Also when you notice that the vacuum doesn’t pick up things off your carpet efficiently, it may be the time to replace the vacuum cleaner belt.
When the belt is broken, you will hear a louder noise, and although the engine is running, your brush roller won’t roll. After noticing one of these symptoms you will need to proceed with changing the vacuum belt.
Steps To Fix & Replace Your Vacuum Belt
1 - Do You Need A New Vacuum Belt?Â
Before you start the changing steps, make sure you have the needed tools - your screwdriver and a new belt.
You should also know what kind of belt to buy depending on the type of the vacuum cleaner you owned.
The belt usually won’t cost you more than £5, you might want to consider to buy more the one for saving time in the future.
2 - Finding The Old Vacuum Belt
The place of the vacuum belt, no matter what type of upright vacuum you use, is the same. Since the belt holds the brush roller, it would be there in the vacuum head somewhere around the roller.
Get your screwdriver and look for the screws holding the bottom plate of the vacuum head. It can be in different places. In most cases it is in the bottom but sometimes it can be on the top of vacuum head.
After taking the screws out, remove the plat and follow with your finger in the belt until you find the place where it is attached in the motor.
Remembering the place of the pulley spindle in the motor is important so you can attach the new belt in the right place later.
3 - Take Out The Brush Roller And Clean It
Free out the brush roller along with the old belt and use this chance to clean the brush from any hair or dirt, before you put it back with a new belt.
4 - Using The New Vacuum Belt
Now put the new belt around the roller, find the pulley spindle and attach the new belt back to it. It needs to be firm and well-stretched but not too much so you don’t face the same problem of it being broken or worn out quickly.
5 - Manually Check Your Vacuum Is Back Together
Before jumping to the next step and putting the plate back, manually roll the brush roller to see how smoothly the process is and to see if the belt is attached to its place correctly.
You don’t want to repeat the process if you just put the plate back without checking the results.
6 - Put The Plate Back On Your Vacuum Cleaner
Put the plate of the vacuum head back, and use the screwdriver once more to fix the screws. Now you are done.
Get that vacuum back to the floor and check your successful work only in less than 10 minutes and less than £5. Enjoy your success and get those small tiny crumbs to where they belong.
PS: Replace the belt every 6 months to 1 year, depending on how excessively you use your vacuum cleaner.
You can also watch this video about changing the vacuum belts. In this video, three types of popular vacuum cleaners get their belt changed in only 4 minutes following the same above mentioned steps.
Read Here: How to unclog your vacuum cleaner
Last Updated on February 26, 2021 by Gemma Tyler
Gemma Tyler is a freelance journalist with 15 years of experience writing for consumer publications. She has tested and reviewed a wide range of household items from vacuum cleaners to washing machines and dehumidifiers to steam irons. Her attention to detail and exhaustive testing certainly makes her an expert in her field.
What type of screwdriver do I need for a Miele S7 upright? Ta