Repairing Woven Cloth Hoses

[The topic of re-sealing vintage woven-cloth hoses came up on one of the Facebook Vacuum Forums. I blew the dust off of an article I wrote about it, revised it a bit, and posted it. I thought I'd post it here as well.]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

THOSE OLD CLOTH HOSES

How To Restore Old, Inefficient Hoses To Their Former Airtight Glory

by Charles Richard Lester

How many of you have old vacuum cleaner cloth or woven vinyl hoses that look great but fall far short of having a good seal for cleaning?

Those old hoses were pretty complicated affairs - their construction and manufacturing details vary somewhat from brand to brand; but basically, first there was an inner cloth or rubberized cloth layer, then a coiled steel innerspring to keep the hose's round wall shape, then a layer of tightly wound twine, then a layer of thin canvas or other cloth, then a thick rubber layer and finally the outer decorative woven cloth or vinyl layer.

In many cases, the old hoses may, from the outside, look brand-new yet are not functional for cleaning because they leak air so badly from the inside.

The reason for this is that the rubber and cloth inner linings have deteriorated, in some cases to the point where all that's left inside is some dry-rotted fabric and the steel innerspring - the rubber having long-ago crumbled away.

I have many beautiful hoses in my collection, most of which - in fact, ALL of which, except for one or two notable exceptions, are absolutely useless for cleaning. Yes, the machines sit around looking beautiful but I can't have any fun vacuuming with them because I have to use some hideous plastic replacement hose so the darned things will actually cleaned!

And I don't know about anyone else ... but to me the original hose is very important in terms of having the machines "look right." Those who know what I mean "will know what I mean;" the others among us will just think I really have lost it and am totally certifiable, and that's fine. Just keep your nets and straitjackets away from me!

Anyway ... over the years I had tried to devise various ways to remedy this. I looked around for some sort of plastic sleeves to insert into the hoses to make a seal. Even if I could have ever found such a sleeve, which I never could, it would probably not have worked very well. The plastic would not be very flexible so the hose would not bend properly, and there would be a problem in sealing the plastic lining to the inner wall of the hose to hold it in place and to give a tight seal at both ends.

Well, one day I had an enormous brainstorm -- no little feat given the little amount of brain matter in my skull!

I was looking at some of my hoses and musing about the inner linings being made of rubber. Then that word hit me in the head like a brick - RUBBER!! Of course!! They key to the tight seals inside these hoses is the RUBBER lining! So then, the next matter for consideration was, "How do I get a tight rubber seal inside this old hose?"

In a flash, my mind shot back to the old days when I was active in community theatre and became very proficient at elaborate character makeup. One of the tools of that trade is latex, in various forms - foam, solid, liquid, sponge, and so on. Liquid latex is readily available (at least, it's readily available here in Los Angeles -- Land of Make Believe!). It is used for many things, including old-age makeup and making rubber "appliances" such as noses, cheeks, jowls, bald heads, wounds, monster and alien masks, and so on.

The makeup artist can either apply the latex directly to an actor's face, which is quite an ordeal because the latex is suspended in ammonia and smells like a nasty old cat-box! Or, it can be poured and "sloshed" into molds to make artificial features.

And this is where the old hoses come in! I just happened to have in my closet a gallon jar of liquid latex left over from a very ambitious Halloween project a couple of years ago. I got to thinking, I wonder if I could slosh some latex into an old hose, let it dry, and produce a tight seal?

To cut to the chase ... IT WORKED!!

-ooOoo-

HERE'S HOW I DID IT.

If you try this, please heed a couple of warnings and save yourself some heartaches:

First, make sure the hose is clean inside. Connect it to the vacuum cleaner and let it run for a minute or two to remove any dust or excess loose rubber or cloth.

To make sure there are no clogs or obstructions in the hose, get a long 3/4"-diameter wooden dowel that's about a foot longer than the hose. Carefully push the dowel through the hose. If there is a curved handle end, you'll need to remove it first -- which you will need to do anyway before the latex treatment. Anyway, push the dowel all the way into the hose and then jiggle it around and back and forth.

If there's a really bad obstruction that won't give way, then forget about trying to give it the latex treatment. If there is a bad clog, dumping latex into the hose will soak into the clogged matter and totally and completely clog up the hose for all eternity!

Second, DO NOT try to hasten the drying process by connecting the hose to the blower OR the suction end of a cleaner and turning the motor on.

If you connect it to the suction end you are going to suck liquid latex into the dust bag. If it's a cloth bag it is going to get ruined. Once latex has solidified, there is absolutely no way to remove it from fabric. Which is a good thing in terms of sealing your hose, but a bad thing in terms of what it will do to the bag. If it's a paper bag, the latex could seep through the paper lining and get into the motor, which would make a terrific mess and probably ruin the motor.

And if you put the hose into the blower end, it will cause the liquid latex to bubble up and close off the inner walls, ruining the hose. Trust me. I learned the hard way and ruined a perfectly good Electrolux XXX hose on my experiments. Well, not really ruined. It still looks beautiful. But it's totally blocked up; no air can pass through at all.

You must let the latex dry slowly and naturally.

-ooOoo-

OKAY, =NOW= HERE'S HOW I DID IT. (FINALLY - GEEZ!)

Okay, first off you'll need to remove the curved handle end if the hose has one. How to do this depends on the type of hose you're treating.

Get a cardboard core from a paper towel roll and cut it into four equal pieces. Then slit two of the pieces lengthwise. (Discard the other two pieces.)

Coil up one of the cores and stick about half of it into one end of the hose. Use your fingers to work it around to the same diameter as the inside of the hose. Holding the core between your thumb and index finger to maintain its diameter, pull it out and secure it with duct tape to hold its shape. Then stick it back into the hose and make sure it fits snugly and stays in place. Do the same for the other end. (The purpose for this is to keep the latex from building up inside the ends of the hose as it drips out. It will build up on the cardboard collars instead, which will be removed.)

Make a hanger for one end of the hose from a wire coat hanger. Pull apart a hanger into a straight line. Cut off a length about 2 ft. long. Coil it a couple of times around one end of the hose and tape it in place with duct tape. Make the other end of the hanger wire into a hook by which you will hang the hose on your clothes line or a nail high off of the ground. The hose will need to hang straight and free. It can't be looped or coiled and it can't touch the ground.

You'll want to be very careful not to slop any of the latex onto the outside of the hose. Wrap the hose in saran wrap and tape it in place on both ends.

OKAY, HERE WE GO!

Vigorously shake the bottle of latex. Pour about 2 cups into a measuring cup. (Don't worry about using your good glass measuring cup -- the latex will not stick to it!)

Take the hose in one hand, holding both ends of it. Carefully and slowly pour the latex from the measuring cup into one end of the hose. Gently manipulate the hose up and down to slosh the latex all around inside the hose. If a little bit slops out of the ends, that's okay -- as long as you took care to cover the hose with saran wrap.

Hang the hose up and leave it alone. You should put a large piece of cardboard or a plastic tarp under the hose to capture the latex that drips out of the end.

After the latex has thoroughly dried (I would allow at least overnight; preferably a couple of days to be safe), dump a pretty good amount of talcum powder into the hose and work it around so that all the latex gets covered.

The reason to do this is that fresh latex sticks to itself, and to a lot of other things, so you could get a nasty clog either by sucked-up stuff clinging to the sticky latex, or by it's clinging to itself when the hose bends and flexes. The talc renders the latex UN-sticky so this extra precaution will help avoid possible trouble.

Carefully remove the saran wrap and the cardboard cores from each end. Re-attach the handle.

If you did this correctly, you'll have a beautiful woven hose with a perfectly tight seal!!

-ooOoo-

I conclude with the caveat that you must do this carefully! If you ruin a prized old hose, I cannot take any blame or responsibility. Do this at your own risk! I say this not to scare you or discourage you, or to make you think it won't work. It will work. At least, it did for me. But I'm making this disclaimer to protect myself from some lawsuit-happy member who ruins her beautiful 1921 Hoover cloth hose and starts looking for someone to blame!

I would strongly suggest doing your first tryout on an old hose that's not all that important to you. Pick one you have doubles of, or that is not cosmetically immaculate. Don't start with your ONE gorgeous Electrolux XXX hose.

Do not get any liquid latex on good clothing. It will never come out. If you do happen to slop a little on your shirt or pants, immediately douse it with cold water to thin the latex spot and gently rub it with your fingertip until it dissolves. There's no guarantee that it will completely come out, however, so it would be better to wear old clothes when doing this.

Oh --- I guess you'll want to know where to get the latex. Those who live in large cities can start with theatrical makeup supply stores. Some costume shops also sell theatrical makeup but those that do usually have limited inventories, and probably won't carry liquid latex in large quantities. They usually sell ounce bottles and at, what, 5 or 10 dollars an ounce -- your hose restoration project will get quite expensive! The best way to go is to buy it in bulk on-line. LiquidLatex.com has the best prices I've found. You'll want to get "Clear Body Paint - Liquid Latex."

I'd be thrilled to hear of other's hose restoration projects --- let me know how it goes! And if you have any tips to share from doing your own hoses I'd love to hear them.

-ooOoo-

THE ROGER PROEHL HOSE TEST

There is a very simple, foolproof method to test woven hoses for their effectiveness -- the Roger Proehl Hose Test.

1. Put the hose in a single loop and hold both metal ends in one hand, the ends pointing upward. Make sure the suction reduction valve (if there is one) is fully closed.

2. With the flat palm (not fingers) of the other hand, vigorously pat-pat-pat the opening of the larger end of the hose.

3. If you hear a resonant, hollow "tonk-tonk-tonk" sound -- an almost percussive or bell-like sound-- then the hose is good. If you hear a flat "pfft-pfft-pfft" sound -- a flat, flaccid and dull sound -- then the hose is shot. This is relative to the condition of the hose. Most older cloth or woven vinyl hoses will fall somewhere between perfect and lousy --- you may get some "tonk-tonk" but it won't be as clear and "resonant" as it would be with a new solid-vinyl hose.

The reason for this is simple physics: In a good, sealed hose, when you pat one end of it, the resultant air-pressured sound wave (caused by the patting of your hand) has to travel through the entire length of the hose and out the other end, because the airtight walls of the hose prevent any air or soundwaves from escaping. It's the same sort of effect as singing in a large, resonant room. An "echo" or "reverberation" is made by the resonant space.

On the other hand, a lousy hose allows air to escape and thus you don't have that hollow, airtight-seal sound because the sound wave diffuses out all over the place through all the leaks in the hose's layers.

A good aural benchmark for determining what a really well-sealed hose sounds like would be to use a new coiled-plastic hose. These hoses - while hideous in appearance - do have a perfect seal and will allow you to hear what a perfectly efficient hose sounds like.

Roger Proehl, a long-time friend and fellow collector, was the first to demonstrate this simple but effective test to me, so in his honor I have unofficially named the test the "Roger Proehl Hose Test!"


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Post# 253180 10/17/2013 at 16:55 (3,840 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes 2 [The topic of re-sealing vintage woven-cloth hoses came up on one of the Facebook Vacuum Forums. I blew the dust off of an article I wrote about it, revised it a bit, and posted it. I thought I'd post it here as well.] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THOSE OLD CLOTH HOSES How To Restore Old, Inefficient Hoses To Their Former Airtight Glory by Charles Richard Lester How many of you have old vacuum cleaner cloth or woven vinyl hoses that look great but fall far short of having a good seal for cleaning? Those old hoses were pretty complicated affairs - their construction and manufacturing details vary somewhat from brand to brand; but basically, first there was an inner cloth or rubberized cloth layer, then a coiled steel innerspring to keep the hose's round wall shape, then a layer of tightly wound twine, then a layer of thin canvas or other cloth, then a thick rubber layer and finally the outer decorative woven cloth or vinyl layer. In many cases, the old hoses may, from the outside, look brand-new yet are not functional for cleaning because they leak air so badly from the inside. The reason for this is that the rubber and cloth inner linings have deteriorated, in some cases to the point where all that's left inside is some dry-rotted fabric and the steel innerspring - the rubber having long-ago crumbled away. I have many beautiful hoses in my collection, most of which - in fact, ALL of which, except for one or two notable exceptions, are absolutely useless for cleaning. Yes, the machines sit around looking beautiful but I can't have any fun vacuuming with them because I have to use some hideous plastic replacement hose so the darned things will actually cleaned! And I don't know about anyone else ... but to me the original hose is very important in terms of having the machines "look right." Those who know what I mean "will know what I mean;" the others among us will just think I really have lost it and am totally certifiable, and that's fine. Just keep your nets and straitjackets away from me! Anyway ... over the years I had tried to devise various ways to remedy this. I looked around for some sort of plastic sleeves to insert into the hoses to make a seal. Even if I could have ever found such a sleeve, which I never could, it would probably not have worked very well. The plastic would not be very flexible so the hose would not bend properly, and there would be a problem in sealing the plastic lining to the inner wall of the hose to hold it in place and to give a tight seal at both ends. Well, one day I had an enormous brainstorm -- no little feat given the little amount of brain matter in my skull! I was looking at some of my hoses and musing about the inner linings being made of rubber. Then that word hit me in the head like a brick - RUBBER!! Of course!! They key to the tight seals inside these hoses is the RUBBER lining! So then, the next matter for consideration was, "How do I get a tight rubber seal inside this old hose?" In a flash, my mind shot back to the old days when I was active in community theatre and became very proficient at elaborate character makeup. One of the tools of that trade is latex, in various forms - foam, solid, liquid, sponge, and so on. Liquid latex is readily available (at least, it's readily available here in Los Angeles -- Land of Make Believe!). It is used for many things, including old-age makeup and making rubber "appliances" such as noses, cheeks, jowls, bald heads, wounds, monster and alien masks, and so on. The makeup artist can either apply the latex directly to an actor's face, which is quite an ordeal because the latex is suspended in ammonia and smells like a nasty old cat-box! Or, it can be poured and "sloshed" into molds to make artificial features. And this is where the old hoses come in! I just happened to have in my closet a gallon jar of liquid latex left over from a very ambitious Halloween project a couple of years ago. I got to thinking, I wonder if I could slosh some latex into an old hose, let it dry, and produce a tight seal? To cut to the chase ... IT WORKED!! -ooOoo- HERE'S HOW I DID IT. If you try this, please heed a couple of warnings and save yourself some heartaches: First, make sure the hose is clean inside. Connect it to the vacuum cleaner and let it run for a minute or two to remove any dust or excess loose rubber or cloth. To make sure there are no clogs or obstructions in the hose, get a long 3/4"-diameter wooden dowel that's about a foot longer than the hose. Carefully push the dowel through the hose. If there is a curved handle end, you'll need to remove it first -- which you will need to do anyway before the latex treatment. Anyway, push the dowel all the way into the hose and then jiggle it around and back and forth. If there's a really bad obstruction that won't give way, then forget about trying to give it the latex treatment. If there is a bad clog, dumping latex into the hose will soak into the clogged matter and totally and completely clog up the hose for all eternity! Second, DO NOT try to hasten the drying process by connecting the hose to the blower OR the suction end of a cleaner and turning the motor on. If you connect it to the suction end you are going to suck liquid latex into the dust bag. If it's a cloth bag it is going to get ruined. Once latex has solidified, there is absolutely no way to remove it from fabric. Which is a good thing in terms of sealing your hose, but a bad thing in terms of what it will do to the bag. If it's a paper bag, the latex could seep through the paper lining and get into the motor, which would make a terrific mess and probably ruin the motor. And if you put the hose into the blower end, it will cause the liquid latex to bubble up and close off the inner walls, ruining the hose. Trust me. I learned the hard way and ruined a perfectly good Electrolux XXX hose on my experiments. Well, not really ruined. It still looks beautiful. But it's totally blocked up; no air can pass through at all. You must let the latex dry slowly and naturally. -ooOoo- OKAY, =NOW= HERE'S HOW I DID IT. (FINALLY - GEEZ!) Okay, first off you'll need to remove the curved handle end if the hose has one. How to do this depends on the type of hose you're treating. Get a cardboard core from a paper towel roll and cut it into four equal pieces. Then slit two of the pieces lengthwise. (Discard the other two pieces.) Coil up one of the cores and stick about half of it into one end of the hose. Use your fingers to work it around to the same diameter as the inside of the hose. Holding the core between your thumb and index finger to maintain its diameter, pull it out and secure it with duct tape to hold its shape. Then stick it back into the hose and make sure it fits snugly and stays in place. Do the same for the other end. (The purpose for this is to keep the latex from building up inside the ends of the hose as it drips out. It will build up on the cardboard collars instead, which will be removed.) Make a hanger for one end of the hose from a wire coat hanger. Pull apart a hanger into a straight line. Cut off a length about 2 ft. long. Coil it a couple of times around one end of the hose and tape it in place with duct tape. Make the other end of the hanger wire into a hook by which you will hang the hose on your clothes line or a nail high off of the ground. The hose will need to hang straight and free. It can't be looped or coiled and it can't touch the ground. You'll want to be very careful not to slop any of the latex onto the outside of the hose. Wrap the hose in saran wrap and tape it in place on both ends. OKAY, HERE WE GO! Vigorously shake the bottle of latex. Pour about 2 cups into a measuring cup. (Don't worry about using your good glass measuring cup -- the latex will not stick to it!) Take the hose in one hand, holding both ends of it. Carefully and slowly pour the latex from the measuring cup into one end of the hose. Gently manipulate the hose up and down to slosh the latex all around inside the hose. If a little bit slops out of the ends, that's okay -- as long as you took care to cover the hose with saran wrap. Hang the hose up and leave it alone. You should put a large piece of cardboard or a plastic tarp under the hose to capture the latex that drips out of the end. After the latex has thoroughly dried (I would allow at least overnight; preferably a couple of days to be safe), dump a pretty good amount of talcum powder into the hose and work it around so that all the latex gets covered. The reason to do this is that fresh latex sticks to itself, and to a lot of other things, so you could get a nasty clog either by sucked-up stuff clinging to the sticky latex, or by it's clinging to itself when the hose bends and flexes. The talc renders the latex UN-sticky so this extra precaution will help avoid possible trouble. Carefully remove the saran wrap and the cardboard cores from each end. Re-attach the handle. If you did this correctly, you'll have a beautiful woven hose with a perfectly tight seal!! -ooOoo- I conclude with the caveat that you must do this carefully! If you ruin a prized old hose, I cannot take any blame or responsibility. Do this at your own risk! I say this not to scare you or discourage you, or to make you think it won't work. It will work. At least, it did for me. But I'm making this disclaimer to protect myself from some lawsuit-happy member who ruins her beautiful 1921 Hoover cloth hose and starts looking for someone to blame! I would strongly suggest doing your first tryout on an old hose that's not all that important to you. Pick one you have doubles of, or that is not cosmetically immaculate. Don't start with your ONE gorgeous Electrolux XXX hose. Do not get any liquid latex on good clothing. It will never come out. If you do happen to slop a little on your shirt or pants, immediately douse it with cold water to thin the latex spot and gently rub it with your fingertip until it dissolves. There's no guarantee that it will completely come out, however, so it would be better to wear old clothes when doing this. Oh --- I guess you'll want to know where to get the latex. Those who live in large cities can start with theatrical makeup supply stores. Some costume shops also sell theatrical makeup but those that do usually have limited inventories, and probably won't carry liquid latex in large quantities. They usually sell ounce bottles and at, what, 5 or 10 dollars an ounce -- your hose restoration project will get quite expensive! The best way to go is to buy it in bulk on-line. LiquidLatex.com has the best prices I've found. You'll want to get "Clear Body Paint - Liquid Latex." I'd be thrilled to hear of other's hose restoration projects --- let me know how it goes! And if you have any tips to share from doing your own hoses I'd love to hear them. -ooOoo- THE ROGER PROEHL HOSE TEST There is a very simple, foolproof method to test woven hoses for their effectiveness -- the Roger Proehl Hose Test. 1. Put the hose in a single loop and hold both metal ends in one hand, the ends pointing upward. Make sure the suction reduction valve (if there is one) is fully closed. 2. With the flat palm (not fingers) of the other hand, vigorously pat-pat-pat the opening of the larger end of the hose. 3. If you hear a resonant, hollow "tonk-tonk-tonk" sound -- an almost percussive or bell-like sound-- then the hose is good. If you hear a flat "pfft-pfft-pfft" sound -- a flat, flaccid and dull sound -- then the hose is shot. This is relative to the condition of the hose. Most older cloth or woven vinyl hoses will fall somewhere between perfect and lousy --- you may get some "tonk-tonk" but it won't be as clear and "resonant" as it would be with a new solid-vinyl hose. The reason for this is simple physics: In a good, sealed hose, when you pat one end of it, the resultant air-pressured sound wave (caused by the patting of your hand) has to travel through the entire length of the hose and out the other end, because the airtight walls of the hose prevent any air or soundwaves from escaping. It's the same sort of effect as singing in a large, resonant room. An "echo" or "reverberation" is made by the resonant space. On the other hand, a lousy hose allows air to escape and thus you don't have that hollow, airtight-seal sound because the sound wave diffuses out all over the place through all the leaks in the hose's layers. A good aural benchmark for determining what a really well-sealed hose sounds like would be to use a new coiled-plastic hose. These hoses - while hideous in appearance - do have a perfect seal and will allow you to hear what a perfectly efficient hose sounds like. Roger Proehl, a long-time friend and fellow collector, was the first to demonstrate this simple but effective test to me, so in his honor I have unofficially named the test the "Roger Proehl Hose Test!"

Post# 253203 , Reply# 1 10/18/2013 at 01:45 (3,840 days old) by DaveTranter (Central England, U.K.)
Checkrate/Likes *Useful* Thanks, Charles, for a really useful and informative post. Vacuum cleaners aren't the only things to get leaky rubberised hoses. The caveat about trying to hasten the drying process has probably saved me some heartache. I'm not known for my patience.... ;-) All best Dave T

Post# 253375 , Reply# 2 10/20/2013 at 16:02 (3,837 days old) by luxman107 (USA )
Checkrate/Likes I absolutely love old woven hoses, You are right, vintage machines don't look the same even with the new style hoses Aerus Electrolux makes today.

Post# 291822 , Reply# 3 8/3/2014 at 21:26 (3,550 days old) by Paul (USA)
Checkrate/Likes Another way to check a hose's air-tightness is to attach it to the blower end, then mist spray a general cleaner or diluted dish soap around the outside of the hose and turn on the machine. Bubbles will appear where the rubber membrane has been compromised. I learned this from an Aerus franchisee.

Post# 291862 , Reply# 4 8/4/2014 at 01:21 (3,550 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)
Checkrate/Likes Paul, that tip has used for decades by repairman, to detect super-dangerous leaks in gas pipes, stoves, and heating equipment. This was done by presurizing the line with compressed air.works best when you mix water and dish-soap in a spray-bottle! Charles, you blew dust off a virtual document? I have to put the Kirby in blower mode when I reach for a diskette!

Post# 291913 , Reply# 5 8/4/2014 at 14:34 (3,549 days old) by DesertTortoise ()
Checkrate/Likes Someone just bought a new old stock ivory colored original Kenmore straight end two wire ten foot long hose. Someone paid dearly too. Just sayin' ..............

Post# 300281 , Reply# 6 9/30/2014 at 21:17 (3,492 days old) by oolah ()
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Thanks!* I just took the time to go through the process of joining the forum just so I could say THANK YOU! This is a fix that is right up my alley. I just got an Electrolux XXX, like the one I grew up with. The bearings are dry, and fortunately I recognized this, because it has a beautiful clean, quiet motor. It's only that little 'need oil' sound when the fan just stops turning that told me to not start using it until I get it serviced. The cloth hose is useless, but it's also an ugly early replacement. I was in a pickle, since I would never want to look at this vacuum sitting under my grand piano with a replacement hose (yes, I plan to keep it under my 1930 Golden Age baby grand piano, in plain sight). Now I still have to find a nice looking hose, but I don't have to worry about it functioning perfectly. If reproduction hose had been available, I'd fix it that way, but I'm thrilled that there is at least SOME way to make it usable as well as elegant. Thanks again, Mrs. Oolah Boudreau-Taylor CA

Post# 433292 , Reply# 7 10/9/2020 at 19:22 (1,291 days old) by dustywalker (Calgary, Alberta , Canada)
Checkrate/Likes *Latex in the 89 hose.* I just bought a model 89 with all the attachments, and power nozzle. The motor had a bit of a noise , so I replaced it with another good one I had. now everything works very well, and the next step is to do the hose. So far I have taken off the handle end and got it all wrapped up in cellophane. It took me awhile to source out some liquid latex,but it will be done this week. I like this model of electrolux the best, because I used to sell that model when the came out. Dan in Calgary

Post# 433293 , Reply# 8 10/9/2020 at 19:43 (1,291 days old) by Thevacomaticiec (Bathurst New Brunswick Canada )
Checkrate/Likes Altho cloth hose look period correct id just replace it whit a vinyl hose cheaper faster safer . Say waht ya want but im not one to mess whti the chemicals to jerry rig the cloth hose i prefer the safe option of the vinyl hose modern touch more air flow than a cloth whill ever have sorry to the purist but no latex on my vac hsoe for me . period

Post# 433452 , Reply# 22 10/13/2020 at 09:25 (1,288 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)
Checkrate/Likes *I did.....* find a commercial outlet online that sold long section of thin, clear heat shrink. I always wanted to try that as a possible hose repair. How stiff the hose would be after applying the heat shrink, I haven't a clue. Was about $40 for the material a few yrs ago........ Kevin

Post# 433502 , Reply# 24 10/14/2020 at 00:30 (1,287 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *NIB.......* can still age out. Just like a car that just sits in a garage, it will continue to age out. Kevin

Post# 434811 , Reply# 30 11/11/2020 at 07:54 (1,259 days old) by detroitdirtbag (Bottom of the Bag)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Your rite, maybe get a teal colored tape. These days black hoses matter though. Lmao

Post# 434813 , Reply# 31 11/11/2020 at 09:59 (1,259 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *ololol* "ALL hoses matter". Sorry, was too easy. HAD to do it.

Post# 433294 , Reply# 9 10/9/2020 at 20:58 (1,291 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)
Checkrate/Likes 2 I agree with you. The woven hoses are nice for display purposes but for functionality, a good OEM vinyl hose is the only way to go.

Post# 433297 , Reply# 10 10/9/2020 at 21:35 (1,291 days old) by Thevacomaticiec (Bathurst New Brunswick Canada )
Checkrate/Likes Yeppers

Post# 433314 , Reply# 11 10/10/2020 at 09:12 (1,291 days old) by detroitdirtbag (Bottom of the Bag)
Checkrate/Likes I posted a nos hose from eBay, anyone here have the machine to attach both ends?

Post# 433357 , Reply# 12 10/10/2020 at 17:48 (1,290 days old) by johnnyb59c (13240 n 3980 rd dewey oklahoma)
Checkrate/Likes *i have idea* i'd like to find a way to make reproduction type hoses like they do the old cloth cords- my idea would be to take new vinyl hose and cover with braided type cover. the repro cloth cords are just modern wires covered with a cloth sleeve

Post# 433393 , Reply# 13 10/11/2020 at 10:38 (1,290 days old) by Jo (Dallas,TX)
Checkrate/Likes *Yes* Funny I was thinking the same thing! If you look at Lux of Switzerland�s S115 it has a braided style hose. I wonder if they are doing just what you mention. The more recent Electrolux braided hoses have a rubber lining that was I think interwoven with the spring coil wire. It seems like it�s a dark charcoal gray rubber band like material. And now, 30-40 years later most of that rubber band like material is crumbling and drying and breaking into bits as the hose is flexed in use and sucked into the bag. I�ve also experienced some of these hoses where this material started coming undone at the high abuse points close to the hose handle early on before the rubber dries out. The rubber band strip material would still be flexible and would end up no longer up on the outer walls and just suspended in the �tunnel� of the hose which would then lead to clogs as fuzz or small objects such as a bit of paper would catch on it and then build up. I�ve had several of these hoses where I�ve had to pull, push, and even blow out several feet of fuzz dirt out of the hose. I�ve had to remove the handle and put a broomstick completely through the hose to clear it when attaching it to the blower and wouldn�t free the clog. I think in some cases I managed to get a 3 foot section of clog in the hose out and was amazed at how much the hose had filled. This was often when the disintegration occurred in the middle of the hose. So they did try to improve the hoses from the original fabric like inner coating but this later style just didn�t last either. Finally the vinyl hoses seem to have been the answer. Admittedly making a flexible hose that lasts, is kink and flatten resistant when stepped on has been a challenge for vacuum manufacturers and I think they have come a long way. Most people who have used the rubber and string reinforced hoses like Aerus Currently uses will pretty much say that this is the best design to date. Covering the vinyl hose with the braided plastic while could be pretty...it isn�t necessary and the braiding often snags and tears over time or wears down and rips so then it becomes �ugly� so really while it�s nice looking at first, is totally unnecessary and just an extra cost. I do wonder what the entire construction of the S115 hoses is though. And while Lux of Switzerland makes the Guardian Platinum for Aerus I find it interesting that Aerus doesn�t use that hose. Perhaps those braided hoses flat out have a �reputation� of being problematic now in the US by people who have had them in the past. Even if it is an advanced design I think people who have had bad experience with the braided hoses would see that and say...�I�m not buying that with that hose, the one I had long ago didn�t last and I had to get a new hose or vacuum� and Aerus would lose sales. People know the rubber hoses tend to last longer and honestly the good quality ones that are polyester cord reinforced look nice, are far more flexible, and really last over some lesser quality rubber ones and definitely over plastic hoses. I don�t care for Hoover and Miele and Dyson canisters because the plastic hoses are too soft and tend to kink and stay that way over time especially near the machine end and or handle end where they encounter a lot of sharp bending. And that�s another issue, so many people store the canisters assembled so the hose ends up getting sharply kinked at the ends and shoved in a closet this way left this way for days, or weeks at a time repeatedly because people are lazy to take the hose off and hang it per manufacturers recommendations over two hooks so it is not bent at a sharp arc and the ends dangle straight so they are not stored bin a kinked position. Jon

Post# 433400 , Reply# 14 10/11/2020 at 14:58 (1,289 days old) by johnnyb59c (13240 n 3980 rd dewey oklahoma)
Checkrate/Likes *i wonder* why the hose on our model G when I was younger the hose stayed looking nice all since we had it. and it was also late 80's when we got it so it must have been taken well care of before we got it- (I can't remember what ever happened to the old thing)

Post# 433410 , Reply# 15 10/11/2020 at 22:33 (1,289 days old) by detroitdirtbag (Bottom of the Bag)
Checkrate/Likes If you had them made, say in China, how many can you really sell. I�m in on one. Then is the problem of all the diff colors you gotta make.

Post# 433420 , Reply# 16 10/12/2020 at 10:37 (1,289 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)
Checkrate/Likes Yes, the vinyl hoses simply work and last better than the braided ones. I have retired all of my braided hoses at this point and would not consider buying another one, even if it's brand new. I've got what works and that's good enough for me. But that's not to say the vinyl hoses are indestructible. I have one that has a flat spot that catches debris and clogs. It is also among the retired. I have another one that has a tear that I have repaired with a bead of clear silicone. So far, it's holding. We'll see what happens long term. I definitely agree with Jon on storing hoses. Most of my Electrolux hoses are stretched across the support arms of a shelf in my laundry room with the aforementioned retired hoses at the bottom to provide protection for those still in use. I've gotten to the point that I can't fit any more hoses there, so perhaps that's a good deterrent from buying any more vacuums.

Post# 433422 , Reply# 17 10/12/2020 at 10:44 (1,289 days old) by Louvac (A)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *More information* Hello Guys! From what I was told by a reputable authorized Electrolux Shop (Aerus), the old saran braided hoses were an issue and prone to replacement and far from ideal. Rob had told me that in the day, a customer would bring in the old hose which was then sent to an authorized Electrolux repair center (somewhere) designed for the purpose of repairing these hoses by a special machine. The dealers would collect several of them from customers and send them off in a bunch for repair. There was a machine designed to remove the bad blank (the soft material hose) while keeping the customer's ends. In other words, these hoses were not meant to be repaired/replaced by the dealer by hand because there was a specific machine process for doing this. I have personally reached the point where there is no reason for me to keep these old useless saran hoses that were too short to begin and where they caused the machine to always be nipping at your ankles. They may have been beautiful and well constructed by they didn't stand the test of time. Don't let the dealers fool you and tell that the after market replacements are inferior because they are not. At least I have never found any issue with them and they make the vacuum a sheer joy to use. No more knocking things off of the coffee tables and end tables and the machine follows you much better. And, many of the after market hoses comes with a switch to conveniently turn off the power nozzle. See for yourself! Try replacing an old Lux electric hose (even a non electric with a crushproof version) and see how incredible the suction is! The machine will have new life!

Post# 433424 , Reply# 18 10/12/2020 at 12:30 (1,289 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)
Checkrate/Likes *I couldn't agree more...* A couple of months ago, I bought a collection of Electrolux hose ends to get the two handles that were in the lot and can easily be transferred to a new hose. The seller accepted my low-ball 'best offer', which made it a feasible purchase. The hose ends themselves were dead weight in the package and are now resting comfortably in the local landfill. And I concur with Lou's assessment of generic hoses. The three I have work just fine, although two of them needed slightly larger screws at the wand coupling end as the originals didn't get a sufficient bite into the plastic. I also really like the handle-mounted power switch for the power nozzles, although it can get a bit confusing if the nozzle itself also has a power switch, which most of mine don't. The only downside is the sliding suction control on the top of the handle but that's easily remedied with one of those fat rubber bands off of a bunch of broccoli or celery.

Post# 433425 , Reply# 19 10/12/2020 at 13:30 (1,289 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.)
Checkrate/Likes *First of all.* Thank you for taking the time to put the information out there for anyone too use. I've replaced my hissy hoses, all but one which isn't the braided vinyl on the outside, its more like the texture of a tennis ball. A well worn tennis ball. So sometime in the near future I'm going to do this project just for the experience. The vinyl-rubber-plastic hoses aren't perfect either. They dry out and start cracking and tearing near both ends with age. Seen more than one of them in the trash literally mummified with tape. 100% silicone has worked well for those repairs. One of my non-electrified hoses has a few pin holes along the length and I was wondering if I could use your method to re-line said hose? It's about 25 years old and is on my daily driver so lots of use. This is a vinyl hose, so wondering if the latex will adhere to that. Thanks, Billy

Post# 433439 , Reply# 20 10/12/2020 at 20:36 (1,288 days old) by Louvac (A)
Checkrate/Likes *The Latex may adhere.....but* Hey Billy! We share the same birthdate! LOL!! Edgar, sometimes some of the plastic could be questionable but then again I have seen OEM parts be somewhat inferior, too, at times! Quality is not so important these days as is price point. My educated guess is that the rubber treatment may or may not work, but the sensible part of me tells me that though you may be sealing holes or weakened spots, you are ultimately also decreasing the circumference of the hose. You also may not be able to control the thickness of the application and thereby further decrease the circumference of the hose. Edgar, you can take a rubber mallet and gently bang out the flat spot by hitting from the opposite side. Don't use the "step on it" method! LOL. I also hate to admit it but the crushproof hoses though they don't have the luxurious feel, are more durable and work very well!

Post# 433443 , Reply# 21 10/13/2020 at 00:15 (1,288 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.)
Checkrate/Likes *I do agree* that it's questionable how the results will pan out using the Latex to line hoses. As was mentioned using any coating will reduce the inside circumference. I was thinking that in the case of the lighter weight vinyl hoses that it would also add noticeable weight and reduce flexibility. So I'll stick with silicone to repair those hoses. The cloth covered hose I have in mind to use as sacrificial, has suffered Rigor Mortis for ever,so I may try it for the learning experience. @Louvac Belated Happy Birthday! Our birth date puts us on the cusp between Cancer and Leo as you know. I'm totally Cancer,just saying!

Post# 433472 , Reply# 23 10/13/2020 at 16:04 (1,287 days old) by detroitdirtbag (Bottom of the Bag)
Checkrate/Likes Who has found a new hose in the box still, how much are they usually?

Post# 434169 , Reply# 25 10/25/2020 at 09:30 (1,276 days old) by dustywalker (Calgary, Alberta , Canada)
Checkrate/Likes *Repair of hose using latex* I just finished doing the latex procedure on my model 89 green hose,and it turned out very good. NOW I don't know how long the hose will last having the good suction it has now. But it works very well . Dan in Calgary

Post# 434218 , Reply# 26 10/25/2020 at 22:17 (1,275 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.)
Checkrate/Likes *dustywalker* Glad you were successful relining the hose! Just curious, about how thick is the coating now that it's dry? Is the hose noticeably heavier? Now that you have done this any tips? Thanks, Billy

Post# 434222 , Reply# 27 10/26/2020 at 00:00 (1,275 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)
Checkrate/Likes The diameter does not reduce that much, and it is still flexible. Also even if it did, the smaller diameter will help the vacuum be more efficient as well. That's how vacuum companies today try and make smaller weaker motors more powerful, by reducing the diameter of the hose/tube.

Post# 434285 , Reply# 28 10/27/2020 at 17:01 (1,273 days old) by Jo (Dallas,TX)
Checkrate/Likes *All the hose talk* Yes the rubber vinyl hoses will eventually wear out too and the generics seem to do so sooner in my experience. The wire reinforced rubber ones, if they get a bent or flattened section can be repaired to be almost round again carefully inserting it in a vice and applying pressure. I did it to one I had that I bought used and it had a section that was oval from whatever someone did to crush that spot. It took several careful tries to be careful to not overdo it but also do it enough to bend it back. Ultimately any hose should never be stored with the ends or any part of it for that matter bent or curved sharply, it will indeed shorten it�s life at those spots. So while a lot of people tend to store their canisters with the hose attached to the wands and the wand upright, the hose end near the handle will end up ripping and wearing out much sooner than if it is not stored in such a position but rather with such ends allowed to hang straight. An Electrolux man told me this. My friend�s Mom always stored hers over a bent wire coat hanger. She bent the two shoulders of the hanger down towards the bottom and then the two corners of the hanger up some. It made for a very nice bracket to store the hose on in the closet and avoided any sharp bends of more than 90 degrees. Any hose will wear out eventually especially under high use. It�s just the nature of things but a well cared for rubber one will last a long time. Old unused braided ones though still do dry out. I have a Silverado new one barely used and it is dried out inside despite it looking beautiful. Though I have a model E one with the fabric (not plastic) braiding and interestingly enough it is in good shape and barely leaks. It appear the interior construction is quite different from the later versions. It does have a funny twist to it likely from having been stored in that position for a long time before I acquired it but I don�t try to force it out for fear I might damage it and it works just fine for when I feel like using it which is mostly for fun. Interesting that people above mention the generics as being great but then go on to say that the screws are too short and the suction valve annoyingly won�t stay shut And having to use rubber bands or tape ...doesn�t that make it not so great and perhaps just a mediocre product? And some of them don�t work with sidekicks properly! They may be cheaper alternatives but I think it�s a bit far fetched to say they are as good as the genuine. Some of the generics don�t have swivel handles either which is a big drawback to me. Others rip more easily at the ends, depends on the material they use. The ones with the clear outer coating where you can see the white and gray electric wires running through it seem to last the longest in my experience but a lot depends on how it is used, stored and cared for over time. Jon

Post# 434570 , Reply# 29 11/4/2020 at 15:15 (1,265 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes ~ ~ Here's an excellent way to seal cloth hoses. (Look at the third photo from the top.) CLICK HERE TO GO TO electrolux137's LINK on eBay

Post# 434818 , Reply# 32 11/11/2020 at 11:55 (1,259 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)
Checkrate/Likes *As I've said.....* many times, the aftermarket hoses going into the early 2000's were fine. I have quite a few. Then to make maximum profit and keep costs down they were made in Asia. That's when the chrome started flaking off and not fitting Sidekicks, etc, etc. There ARE issues with the current aftermarket hoses, don't anyone kid the kidder. Best storage if you have the room, is to lay them flat out straight on a shelf. Lacking that you can use two large, coated bicycle hooks that are spread apart and put the hose middle on those two hooks. That makes a gentle curve for the hose....that's what your after, with the ends free. Kevin