When you want to clean areas like your garage and patio easily and effectively, surface cleaners really come in handy. They’re user-friendly and quite reliable.
The spinning spray bar on these machines rotates at high speeds, which makes it super easy to clean and you’d probably be done with just one pass.
If the spray bar isn’t spinning properly, though, your cleaner won’t be as effective as it’s intended to be.
If you’re wondering, “Why is my surface cleaner not spinning?” This post is for you!
We’re going to shed light on the potential reasons why your cleaner isn’t spinning and how you can fix each problem.
Let’s get started!
Why Is My Surface Cleaner Not Spinning?
Do you see those nozzles on the spray bar of your surface cleaner? These are the parts that the water passes through at high speed. If these nozzles get clogged, they prevent the head of your surface cleaner from spinning.
That’s the most common cause that prevents surface cleaners from spinning. However, several other causes that can be causing your problem, including:
- Dirty swivel filter
- Damaged bearings
- Overheating
So, to know how to solve these problems, keep on reading.
Surface Cleaner Not Spinning: 4 Causes and Solutions
Here you can find the four causes of your problem with their solutions:
1. Blocked Nozzle
As we said earlier, this is a common problem with surface cleaners. Your surface cleaner cleans and picks up a lot of debris, dirt, and grime.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that it also might need cleaning from time to time. Luckily, this is an easy fix.
Solution
All you need to do in this case is to clean the nozzles well. The simplest and easiest way to clean the nozzles is by using a needle or paperclip.
If you’re feeling a bit fancy, you can use a welder cleaner tip. It works well for cleaning surface cleaner nozzles. Of course, you need to untwist the nozzles first using a wrench.
If this method isn’t working for you, you can soak the nozzles in a bucket with hot water. This can help loosen up the dirt a bit and then, you can follow up with a needle or paperclip.
Once your nozzle is clean, you can twist them right back on the spray bar and your surface cleaner should be working just fine.
Another thing to keep in mind is to always have your nozzles lined up. The ridges on the nozzles need to be facing the same way parallel to the spray bar. This makes the water come out in the same direction.
2. Dirty Swivel Filter
When the high-pressure filter gets too dirty, it usually prevents both nozzles from spraying water. As a result, it stops the spray bar from rotating.
This usually happens after cleaning an extremely dirty surface. To solve this problem, you need to either clean or replace the filter.
Solution
This part might be a hassle for some people, but we’ll break it down into easy steps for you:
- You need to disconnect the swivel piping from the cleaner first.
- Untwist the cap of the swivel using a wrench and check for dirt or debris.
- If it’s dirty, clean it with a damp cloth.
- Now, untwist the spray bar from the bottom side of your surface cleaner.
- With your finger or a screwdriver, gently push up into the bottom of the swivel to make the cartridge pop off.
- Check to see if you need to change the swivel O-ring or if it just needs cleaning.
- If it’s just a matter of cleaning, then you can finish this job with a damp cloth and a needle.
- Otherwise, you need to replace the O-ring. Don’t forget to make sure that you got the right size. You also might need to replace the filter screen
- Finally, you need to put everything back in place and secure them
3. Damaged Bearings
Every surface cleaner must contain bearings in the swivels to allow it to spin smoothly. When these bearings are dry or damaged, they cause trouble in spinning.
Solution
To solve this problem, you need to check if the bearings need lubrication or if they’re damaged. If they’re dried up, then you already know what you need to do.
However, if the bearing balls are broken or misshaped, you’re going to need to replace them.
4. Overheating
Overheating is normal if you’re working on a hot day or if you’re working in a closed room with no air circulation.
When your surface cleaner overheats, it turns off its thermostat. This is like a self-defense mechanism against the heat.
Solution
The only thing you need to do in this case is to give it time to cool down completely and then turn it on again.
If you want to prevent this from happening from the beginning, then make sure to work in an area with air circulation.
You can also turn off the cleaner yourself if you sense that it’s overheating.
Final Tips
We mentioned some potential causes for your problem with some helpful solutions. However, you might still be dealing with a surface cleaner that isn’t rotating.
In this case, you might be dealing with a bigger issue that you can’t handle yourself. This is when you need to call your manufacturer’s customer service.
We recommend checking what your warranty includes and asking first how much the repairs will cost. Sometimes the costs can be too expensive, so to be safe, check your warranty agreement, and ask for the estimated costs beforehand.
It might be less expensive to seek the help of a surface cleaner service. You can also call them, let them know of the issue you’re having, and ask for the estimated costs.
This way you can compare the two options you have available and see which best suits your budget.
Another tip for you is to always check the manual before removing any parts of your surface cleaner. The manual usually contains maintenance tips for common problems you might face.
Wrapping Up
We included in this post four common causes as to why a surface cleaning may not be spinning. We also included solutions for every problem.
All you have to do is pinpoint the problem you’re dealing with and follow the steps above to fix it. If you’re not comfortable doing maintenance work yourself, we suggest calling a professional for help.