How to Unclog a Vacuum Cleaner?

ByRelentlesshome
How to Unclog a Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuums may look cool, but they are so sensitive! They look all rugged and burly on the outside, but inside, they are so delicate that needs to be treated with TLC.

Otherwise, they will start to overheat, blow out the dust, lose suction, or worse, just stop working altogether, making cleaning difficult for you. Read Here: 10 Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors and Carpet

But, regardless of how well you safeguard it, hair, dust, dirt, and other forms of debris will eventually find their way into the vacuum cleaner. The end result is a clogged vacuum cleaner without suction power.

So, how to unclog a vacuum cleaner?

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Preparation

Before you even do anything on how to unclog a vacuum cleaner, you first need some prepping.

Using masks and gloves is highly recommended, especially for allergy sufferers. Unclogging a vacuum cleaner is a messy and dusty process, so make sure you wear a proper mask.

Don’t even think about opening the vacuum cleaner inside your home, particularly on your carpet. Take your vacuum cleaner outside or somewhere that will not be a problem when it gets messy and dusty.

How To Unclog A Vacuum Cleaner Brush Roll?

How to Unclog a Vacuum Cleaner

Got pets?

Well, a clogged brush roll will be your common problem. A clogged brush roll is not only icky to clean, but it can also be a hazard for the vacuum cleaner.

Tangled pet hair can prevent the vacuum brush roll to properly spin, causing your vacuum cleaner to overheat and ultimately stop running altogether.

The tangled hair can also catch the germs from the dust. So instead of going straight to the vacuum bag or dust cup, germs get tangled with the hair and come out when you finished vacuuming.

So, how do you clean and unclog a brush roll?

You will need fresh cloth, a pair of scissors, and rubbing alcohol.

Using the scissors, carefully cut the tangled hair from the brush toll and ensure that you do not cut the bristles. Pull the hair and dirt out of the brush roll.

Once you removed all strands of hair, clean the brush roll with a fresh cloth. Use the rubbing alcohol to give it a clean finish.

How To Unclog A Vacuum Cleaner Hose?

The vacuum’s hosepipe is the most common place where clogs usually happen. The small debris like your kid’s small toys, birthday decorations, or Christmas tree leaves can easily get stuck inside and end up as a big chunk of dirt over time.

In order to clean a clog on the hose, you will need to use a stick, pushing it inside the hose in order to unclog and remove the build-up debris inside.

For more efficient cleaning, you can also tie a cotton fabric on the stick, then clean the inside of the hose with it. Just make sure that you properly tie the fabric so that it won’t be another clogging inside the hose itself.

To tell if the vacuum hose is completely unclogged, drop a coin on one side of the hose and see if it falls uninterruptedly. 

Clogging in the Hose Entrance

Check if there’s anything tangled in the mouth of the vacuum which is where the hose is connected. If the bag or the dirt cup is full, then the dust can get clogged in it.

To clear that clog, you only need to remove the dirt cup or the bag and empty it outside.

Dust can sometimes get stuck and create a lump of dirt at the hose entrance. To remove this, you can use a dry, used toothbrush in order to loosen the dirt and cleaning it.

In case you use water to clean the dust container or the hose, make sure to leave it alone and let it dry first before using it. Using a wet part of the vacuum, especially the dirt bag will damage the vacuum by causing damp fungus or corrosion.

Once you finished unclogging the vacuum parts, assembled the machine and test for the suction. If you have properly removed all clogs, then you will see a change in its suction power.

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How To Keep The Vacuum Unclogged?

Regular cleaning is a must in order to prevent any kind of clogging or blockages inside your vacuum cleaner. Here are a few tips you can follow:

  • Before you begin to vacuum, make sure that small objects such as toys, coins, socks, marbles, and pieces of cloths are removed from the floor. These may look unharmful, however, they can ruin your vacuum cleaner if they got stuck in the wrong places.
  • Never try to vacuum a surface with big debris such as paper pins, chocolate packages, big pieces of broken glass, or stones. These types of large debris can easily clog your vacuum cleaner and ruin its efficiency.
  • Always clean up the dust cup or vacuum bag before it is ¾ full. Also, never use a bag for more than its lifespan. You need to wash or replace the bag properly as mentioned in the vacuum’s manual.
  • In order to avoid tangled hair in your brush roll, you can either clean the brush roll regularly or get a tangle-free brush roll that doesn’t allow hair to get stuck in the brush. If you have dogs with a long coat, make sure to clean the hair out of the brush roll after every use or after every 2 uses.
  • Never run water into the main unit of your vacuum cleaner. Regardless of who tells you what, never use running water in order to clean a clog in your vacuum cleaner. Remember that vacuum cleaner are electrical appliances and like common operational manuals specify, water can be dangerous. You need to use the proper unclogging tools like a broom handle, straightened wire coat hanger, or pipe cleaners, but never dream of using water to clean your vacuum cleaner. It may cause accidents such as short-circuiting and shocks.

Following these simple tips can help you prevent clogs inside your vacuum cleaner. By using and maintaining your vacuum properly, you can increase its lifespan to give you years of efficient home cleaning.

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