How To Clean A Vacuum Cleaner?
If your vacuum cleaner isn’t working as well as it once did then it might mean that you need to clean your vacuum.
Keeping your vacuum clean is an essential part of the maintenance of the appliance. A poorly maintained vacuum isn’t going to perform at it’s best and this can lead to a reduced life as more stress is placed on the motor making it work harder.
But how do you clean your vacuum?
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How To Clean Your Vacuum?
The first thing to think about is what the vacuum’s manufacturer suggests because you don’t want to wash something that you aren’t meant to get wet.
Not only will it damage the machine it will also invalidate the machines warranty.
Also make sure the vacuum isn’t plugged in, you don’t want to hurt yourself or the vacuum with electricity and water, this is not a good mix.
How To Clean Your Bagless Vacuum
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If you have a bagless vacuum there are more parts that you can normally wash.
With my Swan Powerplush cordless vacuum there is a lot you can wash and some parts you cannot, this is why it’s important to know what is washable before you start. (Use code How20 for 20% off)
The canister that the dust collects in is washable and so are the filters on the Swan Powerplush model.
What is important, anything you do wash you must let the items dry thoroughly otherwise it will affect the machine and can make it smell really bad.
If you vacuum with a smelly vacuum it can actually make your carpets smell too.
What To Do When Washing
Washing out the canister is simple, just plain water a small brush and cloth is all you need, make sure you empty the contents of the canister before you start as you don’t want this in your sink.
Here are the items I use to clean my canister; I’ve suggested using gloves, but this is an option and the choice is yours to make:
Use the bin bag to empty the canister before you start, you don’t want the dirt you’ve collected in your sink.
The brush is to get into the edges and groves of the canister to get all the dust particles out to ensure that it’s as clean as possible.
The cloth is there to help get the canister clean and I use the Marigold squeaky clean to remove as much of the water as possible to help with the drying time.
You really must give it 24 hours before putting back onto your vacuum to ensure that it’s completely dry.
Cleaning Filters
When it comes to filters there are the washable types and the non-washable types, make sure you know what is in your vacuum.
You don’t want to wash a filter that isn’t meant to get wet.
If you are sure your filter is washable, I suggest just using plain water and rinsing it through until the water runs clear.
You don’t want to be adding anything onto the filter because it might damage the performance of the filter.
When the water runs clear, wring it out and leave it to completely dry naturally before putting back onto your vacuum.
A damp filter will damage your vacuum and it will smell really bad and could potentially breed bacteria which won’t be good for your health.
If your filter isn’t washable you will need to buy a replacement filter, check your manufacturer as to the best place to purchase.
Cleaning The Brush Head
The brush head needs to be cleaned and this will be something you will need your scissors or a seam ripper to help you untangle the hair.
You will need to see if the roller is removable from your vacuum, it makes cleaning it easier if you can.
Some vacuums you need a coin or screwdriver to turn a catch that releases the cover to get the brush off. Read your manual as to how to remove this part of your vacuum.
With the Swan Powerplush Cordless Vacuum the roller comes out giving you access to the debris that is trapped.
Either using your scissors or seam ripper you want to release the hair and cotton that is wrapped around the brush, please be careful I don’t want anyone getting hurt.
Don’t Get The Head Wet
Gently pull the hair and debris out of the bristles of the brush head and wipe everything down with a barely damp cloth to get any lose dirt and dust from the brush head attachment.
Check for any blockages and to make sure it’s free from dust and dirt.
Put all the loose bits of hair and dirt into the bin bag, don’t leave it lying around as you don’t know what germs or bacteria is growing in there.
Carefully, put your vacuum head back together again, you don’t want any spare parts left when you are finished.
Cleaning The Hoses
When it comes to hoses these are more tricky to clean because they are often long, and no arm is ever going to fit down one of those.
So, how do you clean it?
If there are no electrical parts some people do wash their hoses, this is not something I’ve ever done or felt there was a need for it.
I wipe over the outside with a damp cloth to take off any dirt and I shine a torch through the pipe to see if there are any blockages.
Normally, a quick tap on the floor dislodges anything caught in the pipe.
If this doesn’t dislodge the blockage try using a broom handle or mop handle to see if you can push the blockage out.
Vacuum Attachments And How To Clean
If your vacuum comes with attachments, you need to clean these too.
How you clean them will depend on what they are. With the Swan Powerplush cordless vacuum there are two tools that you get.
The crevice tool and the upholstery tool, both of these are washable because they don’t have any electronic connections.
Again, just wash them through with water and make sure they are clean and dry before using them again with the vacuum.
Cleaning The Powerplush Head
The Swan Powerplush Cordless Vacuum comes with another head for hard floors and tiles called the Powerplush head.
This head also needs cleaning, once you remove the spongey roller from the casing you can wipe the casing down with a damp cloth and remember to check for any blockages of dirt.
Don’t get this part wet as it connects to the vacuum.
The spongy roller head is able to be washed under a running tap until it runs clear. Squeeze out excess water and leave to dry completley before putting back into the head casing.
Vacuum Maintenance
To stop your vacuum from working too hard and burning out the motor it’s important that you look after it and that means taking it apart and cleaning it.
Vacuuming is a great way to keep your floors clean, but you have to clean the vacuum too.
It’s important to deep clean your vacuum cleaner, not just a quick wipe over but really give it a good clean, this will help maintain your vacuum and save money as you won’t need to buy a replacement as quickly.
This is something that you need to do regularly, a bagless vacuum needs more looking after than a bagged vacuum and that means spending more time cleaning and washing filters.
A bagged vacuum will still need regular cleaning but because the dust and dirt goes into another bag, it protects the machine, and this does mean there is less to clean.
A bagless vacuum needs cleaning at least once a month with normal use. If you are using it a lot, or you have pets that leave hair all around your home once a fortnight is going to be a more accurate time frame between cleanings.
How To Clean Your Dirty Vacuum
Neglecting your vacuum cleaner and not taking the time to maintain it will shorten the life and the ability to clean up your home.
This is why It’s important to ensure that before buying a new vacuum you are fully aware of the commitment you need to make to ensure that not only are you getting value for money but are purchasing the right model for you.
Why Buy Bagged
This maintenance issue is one reason why some manufacturers are moving away from the bagless vacuums and going back to the traditional bagged vacuum because there is less maintenance required and this means easier for their customers to look after.
Let’s Recap…
Cleaning your vacuum cleaner is something that you need to do on a regular basis to ensure that it’s working to its fullest capacity.
I do recommend the Swan Vacuum, you can read about my thoughts on their handheld cordless vacuum here:
Always read the instructions that come with your appliance and follow the manufacturers instructions on what can be washed and what can’t. But remember knowing how to clean a vacuum is one thing, actually doing it is the most important action here.
Always allow any item that is washed to fully dry before replacing back into the vacuum as this will cause the vacuum to smell bad.
Try and keep to a schedule of cleaning your vacuum as this will improve the performance and ensures that it will last as long as possible.
