Overheard a janitor say the same vacuum has lasted 12 years and it got me thinking

He said they only change the belts and filters every few months, but our office just bought a new one every year because the old one got 'gross'. Makes me wonder how much money we waste on new equipment that could just be maintained. Anyone else ever notice weird buying habits like this at your boring job?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan5938d ago

Are you serious, a janitor got 12 years out of a vacuum? That's wild. My old job went through a new one every 18 months like clockwork because the boss said they were "unsanitary" just from looking dusty. I worked there for 5 years and saw them toss at least 3 perfectly good vacuums that just needed a good cleaning and a new belt. It makes me mad thinking about all that plastic and metal going to a landfill for no reason. Have you ever tried to fix one yourself after work or did they just refuse to let you touch it?

barbara_hall98d agoMost Upvoted

Oh hell no, @rowan593, I gotta push back here lol. Throwing out vacuums that fast is crazy wasteful but I sorta get why your boss did it. If you're running a business, especially something like a hospital or a school, liability is a real thing if a dusty old vac stirs up allergens and someone gets sick. Plus fixing stuff takes time and know-how that most places just don't have. I bet that janitor who kept his vacuum alive for 12 years had the time and freedom to tinker with it on the clock, which most workers don't get. So yeah it sucks for the planet but sometimes cheap and easy wins out in the real world, ya know?