Okay guys, today I gotta tell you about my little struggle session with my vacuum cleaner and washing machine. Seriously, they were both throwing tantrums. The vacuum sounded like a dying jet engine and barely sucked anything up, and the washer? It left this weird, musty smell on my clothes. Not cool.

I knew I couldn't just keep ignoring it or whacking them when they acted up. Figured it was time for a proper clean-out, but didn't wanna go crazy. Remembered some stuff the manuals said ages ago and what my friend Mike mumbled once when his washer was smelly. Here’s how I tackled it in four pretty simple steps:

Step 1: Yank Out the Filters & Traps

Literally my first move. Found the dust bin on my vacuum – it was absolutely stuffed. Clumps of dust and hair packed in like concrete. Gross. Emptied the whole thing into the bin. Then looked for the filters. The main filter just popped out with a button push. It was grey, almost black! Tapped it over the bin, loads of fine dust rained out.

• Vacuum: Dumped the bin, pulled the main filter and knocked the heck out of it. Felt kinda gross touching all that dust.
• Washer: Found that little drawer where I chuck the detergent. Pulled the whole thing out – surprise! Slimy gel goo and some old powder stuck in the corners. Washed the drawer under hot water in the sink.

Step 2: Scrub Down the Dirty Bits

Time for some elbow grease. Grabbed my old toothbrush and some warm soapy water.

• Vacuum: Scrub-a-dub-dub time! Used the toothbrush to get right into the filter grooves under running water. Also noticed the roller brush underneath was wrapped tight with hair and string. Carefully cut all that gunk off with scissors. Felt satisfying.
• Washer: That drawer got the toothbrush treatment too in the sink, especially the little holes where the water comes out. Then peeked inside the machine drum where the door shuts – found a nasty ring of grime. Wiped it down hard with a cloth soaked in hot, soapy water. Took a few goes to get it off.

Step 3: Dump in the Vinegar Magic (For Washer)

Remembered Mike saying vinegar fights the funk. Filled up the detergent drawer with plain white vinegar – probably about a cup and a half. Didn’t want to splash it everywhere. Closed the door and ran the empty washer on the hottest, longest cycle it had. Figured if heat cleans the kettle, why not the washer? Smelled like a chip shop inside for a while! But hey, vinegar smell means it’s working.

Step 4: Let Everything Dry Out Properly

This part is easy but you gotta wait. After rinsing the vacuum filter clean, I left it sitting on the kitchen counter overnight. Didn't shove it back in wet – that's probably how it got grimed up in the first place. Let the washer door hang open a bit after its vinegar bath to air out. Didn’t trap the dampness inside.

So, did it actually fix things? Honestly, yeah! Next day, dried filter back in the vacuum. Turned it on… whoa! That old sucking power was back! It sounded smooth, not strained, and actually picked stuff up off the rug. As for the washer, threw in a load of sheets after the vinegar cycle. Took them out – no stink! Just smelled… clean! Felt kinda proud making my dumb machines work properly again without spending a dime.