Next, cut the bottom out of the Clorox wipe canister, then make a cut down two thirds of the canister from the new edge you just made. If you still have the original packaging of the vacuum, that could add to the value of what you sell it for. Amy enjoys having an absolutely spotless home and has worked hard to develop strategies to keep it that way, despite having 2 kids and 3 dogs! Try a local repair store. When disposed with the regular garbage, vacuums will likely be burnt. This is something that looks cool enough for me to try. Keep the hoses for your new vacuum if you know that they fit, even if you sell or recycle the rest of the vacuum. Now, this only proves that being resourceful can help transform a simple household appliance create something masterful from scratch. Thats right just drop it off and well handle recycling it! If the motor is reversed as a blower and has enough power to move light vegetation, you could clear away leaves with it during the autumn and winter months. Electronic waste is goods, typically consumer electronics, thrown away and discarded as trash. E-wastes economic value represents about $62.5 billion yearly. So how can someone responsibly dispose of a broken vacuum cleaner? ), Dyson Repair Guide 101 How to Fix the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner, Achoo Bless You! Most times, they depend on music or other ambient sound to help keep a calm slumber. Dont relegate your old vacuum to the landfill when a more sustainable solution exists at no cost to you. DIY enthusiasts can take portions of a vacuum and use them in workshops. The amount of it is large and growing. To be certain that what you give them is accepted, notify the company during their business hours by disclosing the material that it's made from, and the manufacturer's recommendations. Note that the bracket is now secured inside the pipe. Sorensen was inspired by the classic design of these cleaners that he decided to transform them into something new and usable. Before putting it on, do one more test to confirm everything is still connected. By logging into your account, you agree to our, I have a partially broken vacuum and the parts are just crying out to be transformed into something fun. It fell victim to a garage cleaning spree. As a result, they're commonly found in dumps and make up a significant percentage of the total amount of e-waste being discarded. With this kind of value, recycling helps to facilitate the development of jobs, new industries, and even the building of infrastructure. If youre giving it away, you might also want to try Freecycle (14). Then, place the strap over your shoulder, adjust it's length to make the cone aimed at the ground in an almost parallel angle to the ground, and try it out. Thanks! But the motor in the old one is still good. The global vacuum cleaner market is estimated to reach US$20.5 billion in 2024. You can donate, sell, or break down the parts and sell them on your own. There are two places that need to be covered reasonably well, the wire notch and the gap between the pipe edge and the motor. Contact your local electronics stores and pick the one that offers you the most funds for your old vacuum, or the biggest voucher. Scrap yards are easy places to take your old vacuum for repurposing. I've done this with two motors now and found that one produces a stronger output than the other. To keep everything tightly attached, and to limit air loss, cover both connections with a couple rounds of tape. Nah, I have enough women in my life as it is. 6 December 2011. Thats right. Make sure the wires inside continue to be a little loose inside the pipe. | Log In & Post It does pretty well. You might also have to disassemble the device and separate the pieces. While we may not think our little vacuum can help in the big scheme of things, every single action counts. [sm=RAINFRO.gif]. Vacuums contain metal parts that are easy to melt down for the creation of newer parts, either for new vacuum cleaners or other products incorporating the use of the same kind of metal. Such places will list the kind of items you're able to discard at the facility, how to give them to them, and whether pick-up service is an option. However, it is still very useful when combined with the first. Some countries, such as the United State, recycle metals in the tens of millions in tons annually. This vacuum was built to clean up the world, so help me resist the urge to just toss it into a landfull. Copyright 2021 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Next, confirm everything still runs, and you have air outflow through the mouth of the pipe. It may not be much, but you might get a free coffee out of it. Vacuum cleaners are bought for their functionality and nothing else; however, there are a number of ways in which vacuums can be used for a different purpose if we let our creativity and handiness do its work. Overall, the kind of material being recycled is a gauge for how much is needed for another machine's manufacture. Next, loosen the hose clamp around the motor end of the barrel, and insert two pieces of bailing wire. Some of the chemicals they produce are carcinogenic or even poisonous. Oops! A good note is that more and more retail outlets and electronics stores now feature recycling centers. If you decide to proceed with repairing your vacuum cleaner, we get to work right away. Not the best picture for your application, but a great idea for drying your helmet in the hotel. Plastic is one of the most recycled materials, but so is metal. I wouldn't personally use a leaf blower, just because I find some quite raking therapeutic, but I love the idea and simple implementation. According to these percentages, many vacuums aren't being reused as they should be since approximately 90% of them are recyclable. However the third, which I'll post some pictures of in a new step at the end, relies on it's plastic casing to create an inflow and an out. All rights reserved. Like something straight out of a futuristic sci-fi movie, Australian computer scientist Thomas Tilley managed to make a hovercraft. Recycling also helps to save an incredible amount of energy. And thats exactly what were here to teach you. In some places, tossing an old vacuum in the dumpster is downright illegal. Today, electronic products are purposely built to be recyclable - it's rare to find a product that isn't. The login page will open in a new tab. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites. Gemma Tyler is a freelance journalist with 15 years of experience writing for consumer publications. Vacuum manufacturers may also have recycling centers, either those where you send them the vacuum through the mail or take it to a facility nearby to where you live. Next, the motor needs to be placed into the larger female end of the pipe. Recycling is no longer a costly thing for the average person to do. Her attention to detail and exhaustive testing certainly makes her an expert in her field. If your donation center doesnt offer a pick-up service, you might want to look at Donation Town. Located in various cities across the United States, theyll collect your device for free and bring it to the center of your choice (12). Here's why it all of a sudden made sense to try to make a blower. 6) Clorox canister Hopefully it still works! The pipes that come with them make great hoses for sawdust vacuums. Even a small handheld vacuum can make a difference in reducing pollution to the earth. Make the instructable will show you how to make a trash bagging system cheaper and better than commercially available units. Maybe there's a business nearby, such as a motel or office, that could use a new vacuum. Those vacuum motors are everywhere, and reasonably hard to find things to do with (because they need that air blasting through or they burn up). All content found on this website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. - one end of the pipe needs to be the female end, so it'll be slightly wider than the normal four inches (the extra diameter will be needed for the motor) If your old vacuum cleaner is beyond repair, too expensive to maintain, or you just simply have no need for it anymore, then dont throw it away recycle it! Nozzles, brushes, hoses, and other attachments can be washed, removed, and sold. In reality, though, unwanted vacuums become part of the large category of electronic waste items. When metal is salvaged, less energy is burned. People are constantly looking for parts for various electronics since buying them directly from the manufacturer could be an expensive hassle. Keep in mind that any recycling method is better than not recycling. vacuum bagging setup for fiberglass layup. If the bracket still appears too large to fit inside, apply more pressure by tightening the vise (you're temporarily warping the pipe to make it large enough to fit the bracket). It seems to work better on smoother surfaces, as opposed to the yard, which makes sense I guess. Let it run for a minute, note whether the bulb still works, and whether air is being pushed. If you have filters that haven't been used before, the value of the vacuum you're trying to sell could increase from that alone. 11) shoulder strapTools used: In such a case, you should still take good photos of the vacuum so that whoever you give it to knows that it works. A professional handyman can fix a loose wire or make other minor repairs. Recycled metal is even more beneficial in energy savings. Slide the wires into the notch and down to the bottom. any ideas? I also managed to keep from breaking the light, and figured out a way to rig the switch, which requires constant pressure to complete the circuit. Learn how to recycle a vacuum cleaner today (easily) and contribute to a healthier environment. Have you found out the local regulations for recycling your vacuum cleaner? HowStuffWorks "How to Repair Small Appliances: Tips and Guidelines". But maybe you're in the spirit of donating the unit. Since vacuums are mostly a bundle of metal and plastic, they can be taken to most recycling centers. It kind of looks like it's meant to fit in or around a big piece of four inch pipe, right? If you can't trash the broke-down upright, you should be able to recycle it, right? However, throwing one away isn't always as simple as chucking it into your dumpster. Just to be safe, with it unplugged, flip the switch to on, put the motor in the the clamp to keep it held in place, and just to be a little extra safe from small lightweight projectiles, place something between you and the motor. Hold the cords with one hand, guiding them into the notch and keeping them there. Maybe not, but I at least wondered how well they'd pair upand with a little assistance they did.Test the motor: If your device can be plugged in or comes with a battery, it can be reused. Like many electronic devices, they contain heavy metals such as copper, iron, or aluminum. When existing pieces needed to finish building a vacuum are added, less energy is consumed from not having to build the part or parts for it to go into the vacuum itself. The majority of them end up in landfills or as ground or ocean pollution. You may be tempted to drop it off in your recycling bin, hoping someone will pick it up. Over time, they accumulate in our biosphere, soil, and water. Recycling your vacuum might take you a bit longer than dropping it off by a bin but it provides countless benefits. bar clamp, c-clamp Reattach the switch to it's wires. Today's vacuums are riddled with parts that contain value on their own. They were given one week to prepare for the competition with the strict rule of only using parts from handheld vacuum cleaners. Although many of them are recyclable, some must be handled by professionals that know how to properly dispose of them. If youre not sure in which bin to place your device, onsite staff can assist you. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Manufacturing items of all kinds come with the unfortunate creation of carbon dioxide. update: just added new step at the end, so the second blower I reference above is now detailed in not the last step, but the second to last. But maybe you would rather build another vacuum with the parts that you already own? Reply Such an amount of wiring is a little frightening to me, and I didn't have the guts to remove most of it. I also added in notches that held onto the lip of the switch housing. Plastic can also be reused to become car dashboards, plant pots, or even furniture. When you shop through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Have you ever wondered if there was any other way to use your vacuum cleaner aside from, well, cleaning? Failing to do so could lead to the production of 120 million tons of e-waste by 2050 (4). Recycle your vacuum cleaner and contribute to a healthier environment. Cords, hoses, body housing, and plastic parts can all be recuperated. Curious what it will take to get that old vacuum cleaner up and running again? If any good has come from the stay-at-home order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, its that our homes have received extra attention. Some even offer a rebate or credit when giving your old device back (10). BISSELL SpotClean ProHeat Portable Spot and Stain Carpet Cleaner, Bissell CLEANVIEW Swivel PET Bagless Vacuum 2316. Grab the 3/4 inch length of pipe, measure out roughly 10 inches, and cut it. After taking out the drum, I did my best to do what I think might help alleviate some of the risk, in isolating all of the wires that I could to prevent arcing, and to prevent me coming in contact with them. This wouldn't mean it's not usable, it just may require some different tinkering. | Advertising And since some of the e-waste created is transferred to developing nations, they benefit economically from recycling as well. sell it to some sap for about $15. Those with rechargeable batteries are a potential safety hazard since they're usually powered by lithium-ion cells. Remember, metal is valuable and you can earn money by selling your vacuum to a scrap yard. Before starting to put things together, test your motor out to make sure it still functions after being removed from the vacuum body. From a retro lamp, hovercraft, ambient noise, toys cars, halloween costume and go karts. Initially, I thought the motor would work well in making a large scale shop-vac that I could use to suck up leaves (pretty much a leaf vacuum). Could Tim Kaiser make a musical instrument out of it? What should I make it into? Please log in again. Millions of tons of plastic material are added to the oceans every year, much of it being very small in size. Share it with us! Detach the switch from the wires (note the configuration of the wires before doing so), snake the wires through the pipe length, into the bottom end of the pipe, with the switch wires coming out the top end. Just make sure that the reason it's not recyclable has nothing to do with it potentially contaminating the environment or creating a hazard. Theyre often organized to promote environmental or social issues. All these ailments are simple and inexpensive to fix. Be sure it's on as far as it will go. i did that with two motors out of vaccums i found laying in alleys of poor neighborhoods and i sold them to a kid at school for $15 each. In the United State, Dyson has nearly 30 service centers spread across the country. I didn't consider this and it's subsequent thrashing about caused the bulb's filaments to break. Keep reading for all the reasons you should recycle your vacuum cleaner and the best five methods. Every year, each Canadian and American produces about 20 kilograms of e-waste. Of the metals recycled, iron and steel in varied grades such as steel, alloy, tool, and carbon make up about three-quarters of all-metal recycled. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. This contributes to the national economy. Did you know that all vacuums have a life expectancy? By offering recycling options, a few major electronic stores are doing their best to impact e-waste management positively. So the bottom line is: yes, you can recycle your vacuum cleaner. I love to spend $1000 of my labour to build a $100 part I could have bought for $10. Reuse is also an option, especially if yours is equipped with a battery and plug. Once all the way in, remove the clamp which will cause the pipe to tighten down on the casing and hold it snugly. If it's functioning properly, you could sell the whole unit online and even have someone else pay for the shipping costs. Any links to someone who has use a vacuum motor to power an rc car? Whether youre selling or giving it away, the internet is a good place to advertise it. I've attached a video of it being switched on using the wheel switch. Take the 4 inch 45 degree elbow and place it on the end of the barrel. The metal and plastic that it's made from could be repurposed for another vacuum cleaner that you own, such as one for a garage workshop. Even a small amount of recycled material, such as plastic, can be a tremendous saver in power. on Introduction. Challenge, Participated in the Craftsman Tools Contest. drill It was replaced with a new Hoover about two years ago. This will confirm the switch is attached to it's wires snugly and correctly. Do Not Sell My Personal Information -. How Much Money Will a New Vacuum Cleaner Cost? (I've noted how this particular motor works below in the image) The question is whether or not yours can be recycled. Theyre often found close to heavy industry headquarters in suburban and urban areas. Use an online directory to find a homeless shelter in your area (13). Just ask ahead of your visit, or before leaving it out for pick-up. Did you know that nearly 90% of a typical vacuum cleaner is recyclable? At this point, once the bracket is pushed all the way in, loosen the vise and remove the handle. Can't wait to make my own! Donation centers run the same concept, such as the Salvation Army. - The second more obvious shortcoming was the barrel itself: it would fill up with leaves quickly since they weren't being compressed as you would if bagging, and then to empty the contents of the barrel into a bag was difficult due to how big, heavy, and unwieldy it was.