Ah, Sunday. Usually we don’t have much free time on Sunday. But last Sunday Charlie had no afternoon gigs (he’s a piano player and is booked most Sundays) and the evening church service had been cancelled. That meant that after the morning service we were free for the rest of the day. My plan was to shampoo the living room rug so before church I moved all the furniture off the rug.
Living room furniture moved off the rug and a couple of small rugs ready for cleaning.
In addition I lugged the Bissell rug shampooer over from The Cottage.
This old machine doesn’t get much action so I hope it’s up to the challenge.
First, I wanted to give the rug a good vacuuming. Oddly, the vacuum was running but not picking up any debris unless I used the wand attachment. When I checked more closely I found the beater brush on the bottom of the vacuum was not turning. Arghhh!
Why don’t these machines work right when you need them?
Charlie and I both agreed it probably needed a belt. (I’m pretty sure I had broken the belt recently when I caught a piece of clothing in the vacuum and let it run until it started to smoke.) He took the casing off the machine and sure enough found the broken belt. (Directions for this entire process are in the manual that comes with the machine which I keep in a file box in the attic. There are probably detailed videos on youtube also.)
The working parts of the vacuum are in the base.
We headed out to Lowes to get a replacement belt (and an attachment for the Bissell which is a story for another day).
The last 2-pack at Lowes had one belt.
They had one bag which was supposed to have 2 belts for our Fantom cleaner. It only had one so we headed up to the service desk where we bought it for half price with the full assurance that if it didn’t fit (it was wider and shorter than the original) we could return it for a full refund.
The belt goes around the motor first.
Charlie ran the belt around the motor drive.
The belt slips over the beater bar second.
Then he lifted the beater bar and slid the belt around it and stretched the bar back into position.
Stretch the belt into place by returning the beater bar into position.
Yippee! Whoppee! Woo hoo! The beater bar turns and the vacuum works again.
Turn, Baby, turn.
Of course I had already put all the furniture back into place because I was in such state of piqued frustration. The saga will continue with the Bissell rug shampooer story.
Are you easily frustrated when your plans go awry?
Sidebar: Later in the evening when Charlie was making peach smoothies both of our wand blenders failed (after all the ingredients were poured into the mixing cup).
