As part of my income, I pick/recycle free vacuum cleaners off the curbs on recycling nights to part out for resale. This is a substantial niche for me since I'm able to find a lot of this free inventory in my city. It's also helps our environment.

Some luxury / high end vacuums cost $300-$1,000 new. People often keep them for until something breaks, jams, or it gets replaced. Many of these become discontinued, so genuine replacement parts become harder to obtain. This is where I come in. I can't tell you how many perfectly good vacuums I've found that simply had a broken $4 rubber belt, a basic clog, a damaged cord, or even nothing wrong at all! Many people sadly cut the cord due to recycling rules, but a lot don't. Either way, there's plenty of money to be made from both scenarios.

If you don't take anything away from my post but this, please note that internal rubber belts snap over time, or clogs happen outside of the hose, both of which can be easily fixed. Try to troubleshoot the basics before throwing it out and buying a new one you might not have needed.

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Now, let's get down to business!

Resale prices for common parts:

• Motorized brushroll base (complete): $40-$125
• Electric power hose: $50-$115
• Motor (brushroll or main): $30-$100
• Specialized floor attachment: $20-$65
• Power cord winder: $25-$50
• Standard hose $19-$60
• Canister: $29-$45
• Brushroll bar w/ belt: $20-$35
• Rechargeable Battery: $30-$45
• Assorted Other Parts (handle, wheels, canister clips, valves, soleplates, circuit board, power cord, etc.): $10-$35

You can sell the entire working vacuum on Craigslist for cash, but you usually won't make as much. If you find a valuable unit, you can easily make a few hundred from its parts, and have some fun learning about their internal mechanics.

Step 1 - Identifying Valuable Brands (look up the label & model # under eBay's recently sold items)

• Miele, Electrolux, Dyson, Shark, Rainbow, iRobot, Neato & Kirby are some of the most profitable.
• Depending on the model or part, some second tier vacuums can include Bissel, Hoover & Eureka.

Step 2 - Take The Entire Vacuum -or- Just Strip A Few Parts On The Spot?

• If you find a luxury or top tier vacuum, grab the entire thing and bring it back to test or part out.
• If you find a mediocre vacuum and can easily grab something the hose, canister, and brushroll, take the easy stuff. Take a picture of the vacuum's label so you don't forget.

Step 3 - Test the motor if you can and strip the parts in an organized fashion. Save the screws for certain parts to add value to your listing.

Here's a Miele vacuum I found in a clear plastic bag. It was scratched up, but the plug was intact so I could test the motor and electronics. If it was in better shape with its motorized brushroll (couldn't find), I could've sold it for $300 as a set on eBay. It's a bit easier than parting, but shipping could be a hassle and expensive.

From just this one vacuum, I'll confidently bring in about $325 in revenue (even with it missing a $50-$60 part and one other part I behind.)

Here's the basic workflow below. You usually just need a phillips head or a 5 point star-like screwdriver head. You can buy a set very inexpensively and consider it a tax write-off.

The base unit is below. It doesn't look like much, but it screams cash to me. Miele is one of the best brands out there. FYI - I left the metal telescoping power wand since it wasn't profitable enough after shipping.

The easy stuff - These used floor attachments sell for $45 & $35 EACH, so never judge a book by its cover.

Electric hose - will sell $65-$70

Saving the boring work shots, here's the unit opened up after a few minutes and NO sneezing. Wear a mask if you prefer.

Loose internal parts pulled summary: Motor ($90 easy revenue), Power Cord Winder ($55 easy revenue), Electric Plug Adapter ($50 revenue - slow seller), Circuit Board/Starter - ($20 slow seller), and Air Flow Meter ($20 slow seller)

Step 3.5: Cleaning the pieces if needed.

• You might have to rinse the canister with water or run water through the hose. Let it air dry for a few hours.

• TIP: Rubbing alcohol is the BEST thing ever for getting surface marks and dirt off of something. Simply wipe it on almost anything and it'll remove the dirt/residue/surface scuffs. It's a small miracle you can use on anything like plastic suitcases, appliances, and other household goods. Just make sure you test it on a small hidden area to ensure that you won't take any finish or color off. Most surfaces handle it just fine.

Step 4: Research pricing and list on eBay, etc..

More Examples:

Here's an example of a motorized brushroll part from a functional vintage luxury vacuum, which sold for $129.99 revenue ( $105.88 profit after fees & shipping).

Here's a basic Shark vacuum as I found it, and then broken into the parts I chose to sell which are worth a sneaky $170-180 in revenue. Shark parts sell well and fast!

Before...

After...It took me 20 minutes to test, break it up, and put the scraps back into the recycling. Most parts are small enough to store.

About Me:

I quit my corporate job to find and sell anything I can. Two and a half years later, 2,568 items sold, debt free, a stockpile of cryptos, and free to live as I choose. You can too with some confidence and faith! I've developed many sources of inventory, many of which are completely FREE, if not at very low cost. I'm most proud of the recycling of consumer goods and tons of packaging to ship everything. This NEVER feels like work. I hope to inspire others to make some extra money and help the environment, one item at a time.

I truly want to promote recycling, repurposing, and being able to fully support yourself without a traditional job. I hope this information can be useful and motivational.

Please feel free to follow and resteem.

Recent Posts:

• Free Curb Recycling Sold For $430 Profit, Some Kept, Some Donated

• $390 Thrift Store Buy Sold For $1,800+ Profit

• Free Curb Recycling Sold For $2,764 Profit

~steemmatt