Ideas for reusing a vacuum cleaner

Paul Lundgren Nov 22, 2009 22 Comments

HooverVacuum2We’ve got this old Hoover vacuum cleaner taking up space in the basement. It kind of still works, but mostly it just makes a bunch of noise and reorganizes the dirt on the floor. It was replaced with a new Hoover about two years ago.

I haven’t looked into whether the garbage man will take it or if it needs to be brought to a materials recovery center or what. In the meantime, here’s what I’m wondering:

If I were a creative or moderately handy person, what kind of reuses for this vacuum could there be? Could Tim Kaiser make a musical instrument out of it? Would the brush roll make a good dog brush? Can I donate the hose to Last Place on Earth as drug paraphernilia or maybe a sex toy?

This vacuum was built to clean up the world, so help me resist the urge to just toss it into a landfull. Or at least help me come up with a bunch of entertaining and impractical ideas for reuse before I  just go ahead and  throw it out anyway.

Whatever you do, don’t try to explain to me how it can be fixed. The ship already sailed on that when it was replaced. If you want it fixed, I’ll glady give it to you and you can fix it all you want.

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22 Comments

Barrett Chase

about 14 years ago 

I think you should turn it into a robot friend and watch cheesy movies with it.

Gwanto

about 14 years ago 

Beck used to use a leaf blower as an instrument on stage way back before he reached godlike fame status. A vacuum cleaner isn't far off. 

If I'm not mistaken, someone (probably from the Duluth band Bratwurst or perhaps even myself) used a vacuum cleaner during a performance at E.T. around 2004 or so. Wait, no maybe that was a chainsaw  ..... ah, memories. 

You could always pull a Randy Jorgensen and get a couple of cheap cans of gold spray paint, paint it thoroughly, and voila.... kitsch sculpture.  

Good luck in your quest!

TimK

about 14 years ago 

Sorry, I don't do plastic.

Hillsider Newspaper editor

about 14 years ago 

Hmmm, if I were back home I would know. Lots of people throw old vacuums away and my mom gathers them up and takes them to a repair place. The guy there fixes them up and resells them.

That reminds me that I need to do a Biz Buzz blurb about a new vacuum business on First Street. It is one 1 block from St. Luke's and I block north of Sir Ben's. 

Okay, I found it on an Internet search. It is named Midwest Vac & Sewing Center and the address is 801 E 1st Street, Duluth, MN 55805, phone (218) 727-6452

Don't know if they fix household vacuums but it is a start. Good for you for not wanted to junk it.
Naomi

Hillsider Newspaper editor

about 14 years ago 

Cool, I leave a comment about a vacuum and the sidebar shows an ad for one.
N

baci

about 14 years ago 

Take the hose and duct tape it to the exhaust port. If you give it unlimited power, it'll create a dyson-hoover continually imploding lint anomaly. You can then travel into it, retrieving all of our single socks which disappear. Leave bread crumbs for a return path.

tamara

about 14 years ago 

echo to Gwanto:

Jon Fishman (drummer - phish) used to "play" a vacuum onstage.

Sticks

about 14 years ago 

Yep, Tamara beat me to it. Here's a link for the skeptics, although the sound is blaring/leaves something to be desired:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL7phSI0IWE&feature=related

vicarious

about 14 years ago 

I imagine most of it is recyclable, if you broke down the parts piece by peice. You should make that a research/do project and submit a report to PDD.

adam

about 14 years ago 

Flowbee.

the Big E

about 14 years ago 

I bet someone has converted a vacuum into drug paraphernalia. 

Oh, huh.  I'm right.

huitz

about 14 years ago 

If the motor is good, it's probably worth something.

In high school, two of our profs evilly conspired to have the students make a hovercraft out of an industrial strength one.  It worked, um, somewhat.

pH

about 14 years ago 

Faintly recall "That's Incredible" episode in which a Frenchman ate a whole bicycle.  

Verified, was not a dream:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Lotito

Calk

about 14 years ago 

Paul, you should talk to that guy in Proctor and maybe he could help you put wheels on the vac and then you could sit on it and ride around town. That'd be so cool.

chadp

about 14 years ago 

Hovercraft!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/804099/diy_hovercraft/

I wonder if you could swap the leaf blower for the vacuum?

brian

about 14 years ago

Beverly

about 14 years ago 

Hamster habitrail.

Camila

about 14 years ago 

Hoovercraft's got my vote.

Or maybe this kid would might have room for just one more. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5wn7St3A14#watch-main-area

Peter

about 14 years ago 

My Dad made a weed wacker out of an old vacuum. The thing was so powerful it could have cut down a tree .

Hunter

about 14 years ago 

I am 8 years old. I collect vacuum cleaners.  I have been looking for a Hoover Dimension Supreme for a while now with no luck. My grandmother will pay for the shipping if you still have it.  Please let me know if it is still available.

Hunter Byers

Jude

about 14 years ago 

This would be great in the garden, all spray painted and with plants sprouting and drooping out of all the orifices, like those plastic bags where they poke holes and plant things and then you hang it up on a tree. Of course you could plant the thing upside down and drape a few twinkle lights around the hoses and have a motion detector which activates the theme from "I Love Lucy." Very new-agey.

Paul Lundgren

about 14 years ago 

Sorry, Hunter. I dismantled the vacuum last winter and threw it in the garbage, along with all my good intentions.

I did contact Midwest Vac & Sewing Center and had a long conversation with the guy there about whether it would be worth it for him to try and fix it and sell it if I delivered it to him. In the end, he didn't want it.

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