Like all appliances, upright vacuum cleaners lose a bit of their oomph over time. While a routine check at the vacuum repair shop is relatively cheap, we can save money by doing a little maintenance upkeep of our own. To boost performance and increase suction in your upright vacuum, all you need is a couple of screw drivers (both phillips and flat), a shop vac, and replacements parts as needed.
Test and replace the belt as needed. The belt is what turns the roller bar and propels dust and lint into the vacuum cleaner. A belt that's stretched out or loose means that the roller bar isn't working at full strength. This super easy fix can be remedied by removing the base plate from underneath your upright cleaner using the Phillips screw driver. Pop off the roller bar, then remove the belt and replace with a new one.
Need more details? Read What kind of belt does my vacuum cleaner take for information about replacement belts and how to install them.
Clean off the roller bar. As long as the base plate is off, check the condition of the roller bar. These bars brush and beat the carpet as it's being vacuumed. To clean the roller bar, snip away at the entwined bits of string and hair using a manicure scissors, then give it a good washing before reinstalling.