Cleaning My Kirby Vacuum Beater Bar Roller, So I Can Remove The String & Hair

My Kirby vacuum sucked up some string, and then sounded funny. So I thought I better unplug it and have a look see. It was easy enough to remove the vacuum head, and to snap open the beater bar protector, and removing the beater bar roller. The hard part was removing all the string and long hair that I found caught, wrapped around both ends of the roller. (See photos posted at the bottom of my blog...)

Once I stopped trying to pull out the hair and string with my fingers, and went and got the proper tools to do the work for me. It was just a matter of using my scissors to cut it all loose and then pulling it out, using my needlenose pliers. Didn't take too much time, just a little elbow grease!

Putting everything back together, after I got all the string and hair out of the roller, was a little bit different situation. For some reason, as always, it seems it's always easier to take something apart, or take it out of the package, but, when you go to put it back together, or back in the box, it never wants to cooperate!

So it was with the beater bar roller, it took me a little more time to have the end screws cooperate with me, in hooking the beater bar roller back into the vacuum head. After a little frustration on my part, I asked my husband for a little help, and he being the handyman that he is, of course, the roller went into place in a snap!

Now to put the Kirby vacuum head back onto the machine. Now, that's a little harder, you have to know what the little trick is! I figured it out, because I'm pretty good at that kind of thing, especially since I hang out with my handyman husband, and I'm always watching him take things apart and put them back together again, and if he needs an extra hand, I'm always right there to help out! Anyway, back to putting the vacuum head back on the machine...

Have you had this problem too?

Soooo, you want to know what the trick is to putting the Kirby vaccum head back on the machine?

You have to make sure you push hard, so the little black button will catch, as you also make sure you have the head lined up, in the groove, that's on the other side of the notch, and little black button on the machine.

Sorry to say, I tried, and tried, but, until I called in my husband for help, I was going nowhere! I was doing the right thing, as I tried to put it back together, and I even figured out that I needed to push in the little black button, but, I couldn't quite do it myself. So you too, may need a second person to help you put it back together again. So I hope this helps you, if you've taken your machine apart to clean it, and it "won't fit back together" again!

Don't forget to look at my photos below...

Till next time, see ya! ....

Dumping My Kirby Vacuum Bag

Okay, so it's a little messy when I dump the bag. But, really, I still can't believe my eyes, when I see what my red plaid Kirby vacuum has sucked out of my carpet!

Again, yesterday, when I dumped my bag, I was astounded at all the dirt and especially the dog hair that it sucked out of the carpet, and off the floors.

I couldn't see any dog hair on the floor or carpet, so, where did it all that dog hair come from?

Sure, I have two dogs, which have, and I guess still are shedding their winter coats! I thought my dogs were done shedding! Because when I brush them, I'm barely getting any hair out of them. Humm...

But my Red Plaid Kirby vacuum doesn't lie! When I dump the bag, there it all is! Whew! Lots, and lots of dog hair! Besides the dirt my dogs haul into the house and shake all over the place.

Sure, dumping the bag can be a little "messy", but it's well worth it, this vacuum is 53 years old and is still a powerful sucking dirt and dog hair cleaning machine!!

See for yourself, see my photos below, each time I dump my bag, this is what I see...

See ya later, til next time...

How Do You, Dump Your Vacuum Bag?

Last time I ended with this possible suggestion:

"If you were to rubber band a trash bag directly under the opening, (make sure you empty it outside), you could probally shake out the contents without it getting all over the vacuum or you!! I've never tried to do it this way, but I bet it would work... Any other suggestions?"

Soooo, Kirby admirers, what is your experiences, when you empty your vaccum bags???

I'd really enjoy hearing from other Kirby owners....

Just a short post today, gotta go, pretty busy helping my sister.

Until next time, see ya!

I Think My Kirby Model 515 Is 53 Years Old!!

Another thing I like about my old red plaid Kirby vacuum, is that it has a reasonably quite motor too.

The newer vaccums, I've noticed, seem to have raucously loud motors, I wear earplugs when I use them! They are in good working condition, if they need a new belt, etc, my husband replaces and cleans them up before I use them.

The newer vacuums having loud motors, are not because of something being wrong with them. Yet they don't seem to have the cleaning suction power, for the amount of noise they make!

I've been trying to do a little research, to find out how old my red plaid Kirby vacuum is. It has on a metal plate on the bottom of the metal vacuum head, "Kirby", with machine #114029 WS, patent #'s 2538464, 2598120 and 2268970, other patents are pending, and Model 515. Because of wear, we can't quite read all the small print on the metal plate.

It doesn't have any "Kirby" logos anywhere on the vacuum bag or on the front aluminum cleaning head. It only has a round red circle, with what looks like the "sun" or outline of an "eye, with eyelashes". See detailed photos below...

It has a very long red power cord, red wheels, and a full aluminum body and round handle. You push the aluminum on/off power foot button switch on the left side of the vacuum head, near the bottom, where the power cord plugs into the machine.

However, my research shows, the closest description of a "red plaid vacuum bag", puts it to be the "Kirby Classic lll, and was made from 1976-1979. However, because of the medal plate on the bottom of the machine which shows what looks like Model 515, seems to be a Kirby made in 1955.

But things don't quite match up with the description of this vacuum either. None of the rest of my description fits, because there is NO logo anywhere on the bag or medallion on the front of the vacuum head, and the vacuum bag seems to be the wrong color. My research shows that Kirby didn't start using the logo until the 1930's.

However, the "Kirby Classic lll", has the red plaid bag, which seems to be the only thing that matches up with my vacuum, and has a red on/off power foot button, and has the "Kirby" logo on the front vacuum head medallion.

The only thing that matches up with my Kirby Classic lll vacuum, is the red plaid bag!

So it's a little confusing, to try and match which machine this actually is, or how old it really is.

Humm, my Kirby is either, around 30 years old (1976), or 53 years old (1955), or much, much older (no logo, pre-1930's)!!! However, because it's a Model 515, it seems that it is 53 years old.

Either way it still works great!!!

Anybody got any ideas on what's going on with my Kirby, no logo, red plaid bag, model 515?? Could it be a "re-conditioned" Kirby with parts from different years???

See my detailed photos below, titled:
"Kirby Red Plaid-No Logo" to "Kirby Red Plaid-Aluminum Handle Detail"
(They post at the bottom of my blogs...)

Gotta go, see ya, until next time....

Old But Reliable! New-To-Me Kirby Vacuum

WOW!!! See my photos below...
...Titled: "Who Me??" to "That's Allot Of Dirt and Dog Hair !!!
(They post at the bottom of my blogs...)

I guess at this point in time, I should " fess-up"...

I've only really been using this old red plaid Kirby vaccum for the last month or so! I call it "old faithful", because it's the old heavy duty upright vacuum. That's why I'm so surprised every time I use it!! It vacuums up sooo much dirt, dust, and dog hair, I'm amazed every time I dump out the bag. I dump the bag after each use.

Let me explain... my husband found this Kirby vacuum in the trash hopper at the apartment complex where he works. He's always bringing me home different vaccuum cleaners. It seems when people move out of their apartments, for some strange reason they throw away their perfectly good vaccuums when they move.

That makes it nice for me, I can use the different vacuums, and decide which ones clean the best, handle the best, pick up dog hair and dirt the best, if there too heavy or hard to push, etc... and which ones I like the best...

I really like this old red plaid Kirby Upright Vacuum Cleaner!!!

I really like this Kirby vacuum because, besides the fact that it has the power to really suck up sooo much dirt, and dog hair, I also find it's easy to handle, push and pull, when vacuuming. It's made out of aluminum, so it's not super heavy. It's vacuuming head is about 13 inches wide, adjustable, up and down according to the height of your carpet, or floor. I like that it goes from vacuuming the carpet, to the floor, to vacuuming over throw rugs without, "eating" the throw rugs!! It has a very long electric cord too. I like the fact that I can see all the dirt, dog hair, etc, when I dump the bag each time after vacuuming.

The only "down side", is when you dump out the vacuum bag, it can be messy. But for the power it has for getting the dog hair and dirt sucked out of my carpets and floors, it's well worth a little "mess" to me. Since I dump my bag outside, all the dirt and dog hair goes back into my dirt backyard, so it's not a problem for me. I make sure that I'm standing up wind, so the dirt and hair blows away from me when I'm shaking out the bag.

However, as a suggestion, if you were to rubber band a trash bag directly under the opening, (make sure you empty it outside), you could probally shake out the contents without it getting all over the vacuum or you!! I've never tried to do it this way, but I bet it would work... Any other suggestions?

Since I have all these different vaccums to choose from, I'll be discussing the others as I go along, like the "old faithful" blue bag upright...

Gotta go, until next time... see ya!

My Kirby Vacuum Really Did It This Time!!!

My old reliable Kirby vaccum has done it again!!
I can see my results, and so can you.....

Here are some pictures to prove it... These photos were taken after I vacuumed my house, two from my last vacuuming, and this was what came out ...

Since the weather has warmed up... pretty hot this last week or so. Our two Puppy dogs have a pretty thick under coat, that sheds in the Spring, and Summer.... and since it's been unusually hot lately, they've been shedding a little...

WOW!!! See my photos below...
...Titled: "Who Me??" to "That's Allot Of Dirt and Dog Hair !!!
(They post at the bottom of my blogs...)

Gotta go... see ya next time...

Today, My Favorite Kirby, To The Rescue...

So you now know I get a humongous amount of dust clouds from my dirt road in front of my house, and dirt being brought in on my puppy dog's fur as the shake it all out after coming into the house after playing in our backyard dirt area.

Out comes my red plaid upright Kirby to the rescue! I have about 915 square foot of mostly carpeted area, the kitchen and dining room is vinyl flooring.

I always try to vacuum in every direction, not just back and forth, one way. I'll turn around, and go in the opposite direction, and then side to side, and at an angle.

Vacuuming this way, helps to really get all the dirt, sand, grass and what ever else we've tracked in from outside.

Anyone who owns a Kirby, knows how great they are! The model I am using is bagless, in the since that it has a heavy duty canvas like clothe bag, that you dump the dirt out, by opening the bottom of the clothe bag, and shaking everything out through the bottom.

Whew! I dump my vaccum out after each vacuuming, my Kirby has really sucked up allot of dirt and sand! I'm always surprised at how much dog hair has been removed from my carpets, too! I couldn't see any dog hair in my carpets.

I feel successful, today, my favorite, faithful Kirby has done it again, I feel that I actually haven't wasted my time!!
I can see my results.

I also have used other vacuums with success too, depending on what I'm using them for...

Gotta go, till next time, see ya!

The Dirt and Dust My Dogs... Brought Home

It's not just the cars, that brings in this huge billowing cloud of, powdery, gritty, dirt and dust.

What, with the static interactions from the dust, dirt, sand, rocks, leaves and sticks, it doesn't really matter who or what is the culprit, i.e., cars, husband, myself, our pets, neighbors four kids, their pets, horses, goat, pig and dog... Oh!, and we can't forget the 35 mile an hour or more winds!

We are amazed!, at how much dust we bring into the house, just from our clothing. This is after we've been walking around our back quarter part of our powdery dirt acre with our two pup's, or after playing "Chuckit!" (a ball launcher toy), with our two dogs. The clouds of dust swirl all around us, as our pup's run to chase the ball and bring it back to us.

We try to shake off as much of the dirty dust from our clothes and shoes as possible, before we go back into the house. But, of course, we don't seem to get as much off as we thought we did...

...And whenever we're outside playing ball with our pup's, anybody who has a dog for a pet knows, that your puppy dog's, seem to become a super, static attractor of dusty dirt, leaves and grass. Swoosh!!!!, as all the grass and dirt clings to their fur coats like an electro-magnet!!!

Of course, the more you try to brush all of this static magnetized stuff out of their fur, the brushing only makes it twice as bad. All the grass, leaves, and dust, just seems to go deeper into their fur. Nope! brushing, to try to get all that stuff off their backs, only makes it worse.

The end result? Our puppy dog's, dust, sand, and grass is hauled into the house, and as they happily rub and shake, or just walk around and play with their toys, what seeems to happen, is a ton of dust, some grass, and allot of dog hair flying everywhere!

Somehow, it all "magically" separates, from their fur, into a huge cloud puff, that ends up all over everything, onto the floor, and into the carpet.

One of my favorite vac's today, my faithful Kirby, to the rescue! .... ...

Opps, got to go, ring, ring, got a call from my mom, till next time, see ya!

Emu, Reminded Us Of A Funny Bird At The S.D. Wild Animal Park ...

Our neighbor's pick up truck, was one of the causes of allot of our dust clouds that would billow dirt and powdery sand everywhere.

We gave him the nick-name Emu, as his actions struck us as being humorous.

We remember going to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, prior to moving to this state, where they had a live wild bird show, and they introduced an Emu that, the only thing he would do was walk very slowly, back and forth, back and forth, between the trainers who had a cup of food that they would offer him. The Emu's attitude being, "who are you, and what am I suppose to be doing".

The trainer would joke with the audience, that every time the bird came out, he'd forget who the trainers were, and it was as if the Emu had forgotten what he was doing there.

Sooo, that's how our neighbor got his nick-name, going back and forth, back and forth down our dirt road, as if he kept forgetting things and going back to get them...

Back then we didn't have to much going on in town, we pretty much only had a hardware store, a gas station at either end of town, and the post office.

We didn't even have any fast food places, the whole town was only about two miles long, and most of that was just empty space between the small motel, a hometown restaurant, gas stations, hardware, equipment rental store, two Banks, and a couple of churches, that was about it!

You'd have to drive fifteen miles into the "big city", if you wanted to eat out at the Sizzler, or go to the only department stores at the time, Kmart and Sears.

But, Boy! did he make allot of dust coming and going, where ever it was he was going, back and forth, back and forth...

It's not just the cars either, that brings in all this expanding cloud of, powdery, gritty, dirt and dust.

What I've learned from the interactions of our dust, dirt, sand, rocks, leaves and sticks, vs. cars, husband and I, pets, neighbors and my many assorted vacuum cleaners...

It's getting late, and one of my pup's, is tapping my foot, and the other one is giving me the "stare at you until you come and play ball with me."

I'll continue this conversation later... see ya!

The Dirt and Dust My Car... Brought Home

Oh, how wonderful, we're moving out of the city, to the country! When we first moved to this dry high desert climate, we thought, "oh, how nice, we can breath!"

However, we lived on a dusty dirt road.

Our house is on a long acre, and is set back some 97 feet from the main dirt road, and our long curvy driveway is dirt too. Most of the acre is just dirt, only a few mature Poplar trees scattered here and there, with three Lilac bushes along our northwest fence.

Well, every time we drove our car, and when ever we came and went, or our neighbors drove back and forth down our road, dirt and dust would start spreading everywhere!

We had one neighbor, who lived on the other side of the gully, east of us, about a quarter of a mile away, who drove his pickup truck back and forth down our dirt road, not very fast, but it still picked up allot of billowing dust, as many as eight to ten times a day!

Guess where all that dirt and dust ended up?!

You betcha! It sucked strait into my living room, into my carpets, on my floors and all over everything! It would creep and seep into our house, and grind into the carpet!

My first question was, "How in the world am I going to get rid of all this dust and dirt?!!!"

I'm sure, I'm not the only person out there whose felt this way, or whose had this kind of dirt and dust problem. However, where we used to live, in a much moister climate, there was hardly any dust and dirt compared to where we live now!

In fact, if the problem ever were to completely stop, the vacuum cleaner companies would certainly close down and go out of business. Fat chance of that ever happening! They must love dry desert climates!

But let me tell you, every time I vacuum, you can literally hear the little sandy rocks being sucked up. Whew! Moving from a relatively low-dust state, into this new dry high dust environment has proven to me now, that house cleaning and vaccuming is a never ending job.

I have found that this struggle with the "dust from hell", has led me into this discussion of house cleaning, and comparing different kinds of vacuum cleaners I have used, and which vaccum cleaner/s has proven to work best for me, begins!!! ... ...

Oops, Look at the time!
Gotta go, it's time to cook up something for us to eat.

I'll continue this conversation in my next post...
I want you to hear all the little-gritty details ;-)

Be sure you bookmark this blog, so you can enjoy more of my entries...