Household Cleaning On A Budget My Vacuum Cleaners Broken What Shall I do
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What do you do if your Vacuum cleaner suddenly stops working and you don’t have the money to buy a new one? Don’t panic. There are loads of ways to get around this, you just have to use your head. Household cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore, with a bit of common sense you can make your house sparkle again with just a little know how.
Vacuum Cleaners are the most temperamental out of all your electrical appliances. Why is it they always get so blocked? Or maybe they keep churning out the dust that they've just sucked in! At the end of the day you know for certain when it has finally given up and there is nothing you can do to get it working again. You’ve cleaned it out, changed all the innards and still it just sits there looking smug in the corner.
So its back to the good old reliable broom. But it’s a big house you scream, how can I clean a whole house with just a broom? Well, don’t panic, there are certain little tricks that you can use to make your carpets look and feel clean again.
A New Broom Sweeps Clean
First of all there is one rule and one rule only for cleaning a house. Never clean one room at a time. Why? Well two reasons. 1. Because you will spend so much time on it, trying to get the dust off everything you won’t have time to do the rest. 2. You will track all the dirt from the other rooms in and out while you are cleaning.
So if your Vacuum packs up, sweep all the way through the house first. Make sure you start upstairs, this way you brush all the dust and fluff into the upstairs hallway. Then you can see exactly where it is and and not put your foot in it!
So now you are standing there with the broom. And I know what you are thinking. What about all the dust flying in the air when I start to brush the floor? Well, here’s a little trick that I use sometimes when the Hoover, or Vacuum has gone to that great big appliance in the sky.
Get a bottle with a water jet attached to the top, and fill it up with water. You can add a drop of lemon juice to the water to make your carpets smell nice too. Before sweeping the room, gently squirt the water onto the carpet. Make sure that you turn it on to spray first, you don’t want a great big jet of water soaking your floor. So, spray it on the carpet first. This will keep the dust and fluff on the floor, and when you sweep, your broom will collect the dirt and dust and pile it onto the dustpan. Don’t forget to spray the broom too. It really does work, and its great if you have allergies. No flying dust.
When you have finished sweeping the floor in one room, go back in and do it again! Sorry, it’s the only way to make sure you got all the stray dirt up. This time it will be so much easier. Just gently glide a wet broom around to pick up the extra dust. Then open the windows to make sure it dries off quickly. Or if you prefer, turn the central heating on full blast. That will dry it off nicely.
Pet Hairs And Fur Balls
That’s all very well you might say, but what about all the animal hair? Its stuck to my carpet and it won’t come off. Well, there are a number of ways to sort this out. And one of the best is a garden hoe! Whether you have a big prong fork or a smaller one, it works just like it does on your grass.
Before sweeping with a broom, go over the carpet and gently rake up the hair. This should pick up most of it, but if it doesn’t, then you will have to take drastic measures! What does that mean?
Get on your knees! Sorry, but drastic is as drastic does. Find an old hair brush. A sweeping brush is either too hard or too soft, and also much too big and bulky to use. The best sort of brush is one with a lot of bendy bristles. And just go over the carpet inch by inch and brush it up. Sorry, hard on the knees but it does work! And don't forget to cover your face, you don't want to be coughing up fir balls!
Paint Roller Or Spungy Mop
If you really want to get at all the dirt and grime that sticks right down into the carpet, then another good idea is to get a paint roller! Yep, you heard me! Preferably one of those on a long pole. Make sure its dry, and then add sticky paper, sticky side up you understand, onto the roller. Then just go over the carpet a few times. If you have a spungy mop, then do the same thing. Loads of sticky tape or paper. You will be amazed at how much dust and dirt comes up.
If you are cleaning small mats, then do what our mothers used to do. Put them out on the washing line, or over the balcony and give them a good whack with a broom! But cover your mouth first, you don’t want to be eating dogs hair! And while you are there, get the paint roller again and give it a once over. Works every time.
To save you putting the small carpets in the washing machine, just hang them on the line and get out the hose. Lather them up with carpet wash and then just rinse them down. Leave on the washing line until dry.
Washing Your Carpets
If you usually use a washer vacuum, and you definitely need your carpets to look nice for visitors, but your vacuum is broken, there are a number of ways to give them a quick wash that won’t leave your house smelling mouldy because you put too much water down.
Its back to the broom again! Just get a bucket of soapy water, and dip the broom in. Using a broom will stop you slopping water everywhere because the broom will not hold water like a sponge or cloth. Using circular motions go around the carpet making sure that you don’t get it too soapy. When you have finished, go over it again with clean water. When you have finished, get either plain paper or old cloths and lay them over the area that you have washed.
Then comes the fun bit! Jump up and down on the cloths to make the water penetrate into the cloth or paper. If you just leave it, it will dry slowly and maybe start to smell. When you have done your jumping and you think it has worked, take off the cloths or paper, and open the window, or turn on the heating to dry it out. Either way the quicker you dry it, the less smelly it will become.
So, if you have to clean your Household On A Budget and your Vacuum breaks down. Don’t panic, with a bit of hard work it will look as good as new. But don’t let the dog back in just yet. Or the cat!
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Good advice! I hate housecleaning, even with the proper tools, it is not a favorite job of mine. If I could afford it, I'd hire a housecleaner!
Hi, Quill, whos that, your wife? ha ha! seriously, it is a pain when you haven't got one, and all the above tips I have done myself, totally true and totally worth trying, apart from me getting in a temper with the hoover of course, I left that bit out! lol! thanks as always, nell
Hi, mary, Oh so would I! lol! I hate it so much, I thought it would be nice once I got my own house, but no, never! thanks again, nell
If and when my vacuum every breaks down(heaven forbid and touch wood) I'll head to this hub!:)
Whoah! You've shared some cleaning tips here I've NEVER heard of before! Pairing a broom with a spray bottle? Who woulda thunk it? Very cool. Thanks for sharing these tips!
I love these tips! My favorite is using a paint roller. I would have never thought of this. Very ingenious. Thanks so much!
There certainly was a time vacuumw did nott exist (but wal;-to wall did not either). Make friends with a neighbor?
Hi, barry, thanks! trust me its not easy, luckily my hoover decided to work today, temperamental thing! but I have been known to do this, so everything is authentic! lol! cheers
Hi, Simone, yep! lol its amazing what you can do with a spray and a broom! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, vocal, thanks for reading, its amazing what you have to come up with when your hoover breaks down! lol
Hi, Laura, thats sounds like the best option, I will go and knock on a few doors! lol thanks nell
Outstanding!! We forget just how well good-ole elbow grease works. I found the pet hair removal technique right up my alley. With two cats and a dog (and 6 chickens, but they don't leave hair on the carpet, just a few feathers around the yard) getting the hair out of the carpet is an imperative! I think I will put your hoe idea to work this weekend, Nell! Great hub! Thanks for the ideas.
HubHugs~
K9
Hi, K9, lol! sounds like you got your hands full! seriously it really does work, I have been stuck in this situation quite a few times in my life, and I think I have tried everything from garden hoe's to getting on my hands and knees with sticky tape! I can't stand dust! lol thanks for reading, cheers nell
Interesting read and I'm sure it's all really useful, effective advice Nell, which I may try one day. But as a man who lives alone and doesn't get many visitors, I work on the principal that a build up of dust just makes the carpet softer and more cushiony under foot. (Or is that the reason WHY I don't get many visitors??)
PS: If you want a vaccuum cleaner, I think mine works - leastways, it did last time I found it and switched it on :-)
Hi, Greensleeves, LOL! am I allowed to say typical male? ha ha! maybe thats why my sons bedroom is always like that, well it is until I tackle it! thanks for reading and the laugh! cheers nell
Oh, I so hate carpet! Mine is burgundy and I have a white cat! Even with a VC I was getting ready to get on my knees to get all the allergies out before winter. I read here or somewhere about baking soda and peroxide in carpet to do that so I am starting up against the walls first which a cleaner can never get good but your broom idea does sound good to save me much time! Useful and interesting! If it doesn't work I will jump on it and ride it right over there and hit you with it! lol I am sure it will and that will save me so much time. Thanks!
Hi, Polly, ha ha! thanks for the laugh! I had better get out the way if I see a madwoman on a broom heading my way! good luck with the white cat hairs! and thanks!
Whew! All of that sweeping, raking, hoeing, picking-tedious. My solution: go out and buy another vacuum cleaner.
Great tips. My favorite? The spray bottle with lemon juice. I'm going to give that one a try.
Hi, Denise, lol! I know just what you mean! but this is for those times when we either don't have the cash or the time, thanks for reading, cheers nell
I Hate Vacuuming...and cleaning, but alas, it must be done. Good, Good, pointers Nell. Might even break down and use some...NOT...I want to hire a Cleaning Woman...But in the End, I Bitch and Complain, and Eventually get it done!
Hi, b. Malin, I want a cleaning woman too! and one that will cook, drive me to work, pick me up and just about anything else menial! ha ha! such is life, back to the sweeping! thanks again nell
This is a very useful hub, Nell! You have some great ideas for cleaning carpets, most of which I've never heard of. I've bookmarked your hub for future reference, because my vacuum cleaners never last for as long as I expect them too!
These are creative and useful tips that I am going to put to use. I am "anti-vacuum" personally, and appreciate any ideas that will get me out of it!
Hi, Alicia, all tried and tested! lol! my hoover totally packs up so many times I have thrown it out the window! well not literally but metaphorically! thanks as always nell
Hi, grinnin, glad you like the ideas, and thanks, it took me a while to perfect it, I usually ended up covered in dust!
Great hub, as always. I have to try your ideas about the pet hair.
All the Best!
Hi, Ibiddm thanks so much, hope it gets up the pet hair! thanks
Oh dear, everyone is just so upbeat about these ideas Nell, but it really makes my heart sink. Hands and knees with hairbrush in hand or sticky tape? If vacuum cleaners are not an option, then I'm going to go one better than Greensleeves and cover my floors with hay! Thank goodness that our French B&B has wooden floors - warm and easy to sweep and keep clean (our gite has tiles, cool in the summer and mopable). Thank you, though, for making me realise how much I love my vac when it comes to fitted carpets and rugs!
Hi, Les Trois Chenes, luckily my vacuum is okay now, but believe me, I have had to do this! ha ha! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Just reading that leaves me knackered. If my vacuum cleaner breaks, I prefer to morph into "confirmed bachelor" mode, and let the house get dirty, until I can afford a new one. People expect me to be a "slob", so it doesn't matter so much.
interesting and chock full of good tips. I hate house cleaning and I have a sucky vacumn cleaner. I have hardwood floors and a small apartment, so I end up getting down on my hands and knees with a brush and collector
that was some things i have never thought of very useful. have to get my family to start helping. some of those things i forgot.
My vacuum has broken in the past and I could have done with this article during those times. Now, we've invested in a really good vacuum which I'm hoping will last for a good few years. Not sure I could face sweeping all our rooms!
I hate the noise of a vacuum cleaner, but I didn't think the broom would work. Thanks! But what is the sticky paper?
hey nell those are great tips!! i specially loved the hair brush carpet cleaning!! but i seriously hope the vaccume never goes up to that great big appliance in the sky.:))
carrie
Up and useful Nell. Hope all is well. This seems to happen to me a lot. These are some great tips and know how. Very nice job Nell:) Take care.
Hi, christopher, my carpet always seems to be wanting a good sweep, even when I have hoovered! drives me insane, I think I will do what you said, I will call myself artistic, surround myself with paint, sculpture and everything else and just say, 'well we artists just don't clean darling!' ha ha! thanks again nell
Hi, jfay, sometimes its easier to use a dustpan and brush, gets in all the corners! lol thanks!
Hi, jdatwell, thanks, I am glad you found it helpful, cheers nell
Hi, Lou, I know just what you mean, try singing at the top of your voice while doing it! ha ha! it does help to keep you sweeping, but it drives the neighbours, cats dogs and everything else mad!
Hi, connect, the sticky paper is so that when you run it over your carpet, it picks up the little bits and pieces that you have missed, or that the broom doesn't grab, you should see the paper after running it across your floor! ugghh! lol! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, carrie, sadly mine did! ha ha! but I have the old one that seems to have got a second life! but I have been known to do this! thanks again, nell
Hi, Lyric, its one of those appliances that always seems to pack up! you would have thought with all that tech no how they would have invented something different by now! lol! thanks again, nell
Very useful information. Thanks!
Some great ideas! Out hoover keeps playing up and I keep taking it to pieces to sort it. I may take some of your points on board just to take the strain off the poor old thing. Thank you.
You certainly went through it all. Now you have done it all I let you come and do mine. lol
Sorry to be a stickler, haha, but I don't know how to go to the store (shop) and ask for sticky paper. What size is it? What is it normally used for? We have lint rollers for your clothes, but they wouldn't be big enough... they might tell me to use masking tape...
Thanks for reading Leah, cheers nell
Hi, itsmonkeyboy, seems like no hoover can take it these days, bring on the new technology! lol! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, Hello hello, lol! I can just about do mine! it is hard work, but when your hoover packs up I didn't have a choice, mind you it was a great workout! thanks again nell
Hi, connect, I used copier stickers! lol! you can buy really wide ones that will go all around the roller, or just sellotape, bit of a sticky situation! ha ha! but it does work, just gets the main dirt up, but only use it in drastic situations! you wouldn't believe some of the things I have had to do when things break! lol! thanks again nell
I wish I had read your hub a month back when I needed to vacuum my carpet and the cleaner broke down.
Gonna keep these tips handy since; they sure sound useful.
Thanks Nell :)
Hi, Ruchira, what is it with vacuums? lol! they give up after a week! glad you found it helpful, thanks!
Great tips. I remember using an old hair brush to remove the dog hair before vacuuming so that the vacuum didn't get clogged :). Brooms are great and that is what they used before the vacuum was affordable or available. I like many of your ideas especially the spray bottle and paint roller with sticky paper.
Voted up and useful, Nell! Great tips, as always. Loved the first picture, too. :)
I didn't think of some of thoses ideas you had.
I do wash my laying rugs, but didn't think about using a broom to get stuff up. Great tip!
Thank you for sharing some helpful ideas!
Hi, Susan, I always used a brush on the floor from our dog hairs too! they were everywhere, I should have collected them and made a jumper! lol! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Hi, kitty, I love that first picture too! I couldn't have picked a better one! thats me on my cleaning day! ha ha! thanks again, nell
Hi, Mystical, brooms are good to give them a good whacking! but make sure you wear a cloth around your mouth first or else you will end up with a mouth full of dust! lol! cheers nell
As always a great read. I thought my broom was just for riding ;)
Great advice Nell! Reminds me of the days when I was a newly wed ~ My first marriage that is. I couldn't afford a vaccum so a wet broom worked wonders.
Thanks for the tips Nell! I would have never thought of using a paint roller with tape to help pick things up off the floor. So clever! Nice hub!!
Hi, tillsontitan, lol! you can use mine if you like! its super powered and flies me everywhere! ha ha! thanks!
Hi, Jlava, yes I remember that too, so broke but I didn't care back then, as long as I was married! lol! changed my mind since then! thanks as always, nell
Hi, Pinkchick, yep, it does work! lol! thanks for reading, cheers nell
Nell, I have an old recipe and housekeeping book from the 1800s. Haven't looked at it in ages, but am guessing homemakers back then used some of the same great tips you describe here.
A beautician friend who used to cut patrons' hair in their homes routinely used a hair brush instead of a broom to sweep up cuttings from carpet. Works equally well for breaking up dried mud on an entry-way mat. Had to laugh at using a rake on carpet! Back in the days of long-shag carpet, I'd rake before vacuuming, but never thought of raking non-shag to loosen whatever was lurking in the pile!
For what it's worth, the wide, clear tape used to seal packing cartons is great for picking up pet AND human hair from upholstered furniture. Just loosely wrap a length of it sticky-side out around your hand and "wipe" away.
Hi, Jama, never thought of sticking around my hand to wipe away the stuff! great idea! I think we all have to go back to those times sometimes, especially when the hoover packs up or something else, at least I could live back then, wouldn't make much of a difference! lol! thanks again, nell
Hey Nell,this is an interesting hub. In my home country "India" people still rely on broom than vaccum cleaners!For day to day cleaning activities I think broom is best!
Hi, Sunita, yes I agree, I think they are great especially if you have large things to pick up off the floor, the vacuum always gets blocked! lol! thanks for reading, cheers nell
"Quill Again" 6 months ago
Hugs and as always a great read... the reason I have a built in vacum in the house... never breaks down.
Blessings