I'm sure you didn't intend that to be funny, but.... 
I can't tell you how many times I've had to have a friend over to unclog the vacuum. We've told difficult child repeatedly that socks don't do well in the vacuum. Neither do whole pencils. Somehow they get sucked up in one piece, but once they get in there they won't budge.
What works for me when difficult child seems to be having issues with impulse control is stopping difficult child in her tracks repeatedly and telling her to stop and think. Eventually, it kicks in again.
