How to Clean Your Bagless Vacuum

Owning a bagless vacuum can either be a joy, or a pain. Cleaning one can be tricky as well. After I moved into my apartment, I wanted to buy a bagless vacuum because I thought changing bags would be a terror. So I bought a Eureka Maxima upright for $45 at Kmart, and it has lasted me 3 years so far. The key is to keep your bagless vacuum clean and maintained - here's how.

First, you want to keep an eye on the canister after each time you run the vacuum. You never want the canister to fill up completely, because then you run the risk of clogging the vacuum. Each time the canister fills up to about half, you should empty it. The best way to empty the canister is inside a plastic garbage or grocery bag; otherwise, dirt will be flying everywhere. After the canister is empty, check to see if the filter is full. Any time the filter gets filthy, it needs to be cleaned, and cleaning the filter can be tricky.

You don't need any special materials to clean the filter. Warm water and an old toothbrush will do fine. You won't want to use soap, because it can ruin the fibers in the filter. All you need to do is rinse the filter under warm water, either in the sink, in a bucket or in the tub. Then, use the old toothbrush to brush away dirt from the crevices of the filter. After it has been rinsed, it needs to dry completely before going back into the canister. It would be a good idea to wash out the canister as well, but be sure to dry it out as well. Operating the vacuum with wet components can be dangerous, so be safe and dry everything before putting it back together.

Most times, people think that only the filter and canister need to be cleaned. In fact, the hoses and attachments should be cleaned once in a while too. It's easy to clean these parts. Simply unscrew the hose from the vacuum itself, put one end under the sink faucet, with the other end pointing in the sink. The pressure that builds up in the hose from the water will push dirt and debris out of the hose and into the sink. Just make sure that the hose is pointed in the sink, or else you will have dirty water all over the place. Again, the hose needs to be completely dry before screwing it back onto the vacuum. The attachments can be cleaned the same way. Brushes can be rinsed under warm water, along with a mild soap to wash particles from the bristles.

Finally, inspect the belt and underneath the vacuum for things such as long hairs, strings, or anything that could be wrapped around the belt. It's important to untangle these items, because the belt needs to run freely and efficiently. Anything caught on it can keep it from running at its best.

Once all of the parts have been thoroughly cleaned and dried, you're ready to run the vacuum again. Frequent cleaning of your machine will ensure that it runs at top performance. You won't have to worry about buying a new vacuum for a few years, as long as you follow these tips.