What a chore it is to clean a vacuum cleaner, isn’t it? Not only do you have to take all the pieces out and scrub them down with soap and water, but you also have to take out the filter and wash that too.
To make matters worse, once it dries, you have to put it all back together and start vacuuming again – and the process has to be done every time you vacuum.
Unfortunately, simply washing your vacuum isn’t good enough, because there are so many germs, microbes, and fungi floating around in the air that can attach themselves to your machine and never be noticed until someone gets sick.
The solution is to sanitize it, so you don’t have to worry about all those nasty invisible things that could be lingering in your machine.
How to Disinfect Your Vacuum Cleaner
There are many methods that can be used to sanitize your vacuum, but here are the top-recommended ways.
- Use bleach and water to spray down the vacuum machine. It is important that you wait for it to dry, however, before using it.
- Put your handheld vacuum cleaner in the dishwasher if it is dishwasher safe. If you are worried about doing this, it might be a good idea to test out a small portion of the vacuum before putting it in the dishwasher.
- Mix vinegar and water in a plastic bucket and place your vacuum cleaner parts in there to soak for at least 20 minutes. Then wash everything down with soap and water until all visible grime has been rinsed away.
- Take out the filter and place it in direct sunlight for at least 4 hours to kill any germs it may be harboring. If you do not want to use this method, soaking it in bleach or vinegar water is another way of killing off germs.
- Place a bowl of iodine on a flat surface and let your vacuum parts soak for at least 10 minutes. When you take the parts out, rinse them with soap and water.
Why You Should Clean Your Vacuum Cleaner
Keeping our vacuum cleaners disinfected and clean is essential for keeping the vacuum’s performance in tip top shape.
If you don’t give your vacuum a thorough cleaning every so often, then it won’t be able to keep your home clean.
Vacuum cleaners utilize many different vacuum filters. HEPA filters for example, filter out the air from all the dust that is floating around your home.
If you don’t replace non washable filters or put the washable filters in the wash, then many vacuums will degrade until they are useless.
How do I clean the dust canister?
Cleaning out your dust canister is very easy. First get a microfiber cloth.
Combine this with some warm soapy water and wipe down the inside surfaces of the canister.
Once you’ve wiped down all the surfaces, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe down any wet spots.
Now let the canister air dry completely before using it again.
If there are any dust particles hiding in crevices, you can use some compressed air to blow them out.
Should I clean the Vacuum Bag?
You do not need to clean your vacuum bags. Simply take the bag, tie the top and throw it in a garbage bag. Dispose of the garbage as you please.
How do I clean the brush rollers?
To clean the brush roller, first dethatch the beater bar from your vacuum.
Most vacuums have a self cleaning rotating brush, but it’s possible for it to have hair stuck around it.
Use your hands and pull the hair repeatedly to unravel it from the rollers.
Give the beater bar a good scrub with a damp cloth, hot water and dish soap to remove dust.
Dry it with a cotton pad and leave it to air dry.
How Often Should You Clean Your Vacuum?
Vacuum cleaner cleaning should be conducted every 3-5 uses.
Most vacuum manufacturers recommend that you clean modern vacuums every 3-6 months.
Dirty vacuums do not have great performance and if there is hair wrapped around the electrical components, the vacuum performance will suffer.