How to clean a vacuum cleaner?

A vacuum cleaner is one of the most common household appliances and is found in every home. Being an indispensable assistant in cleaning the premises, the unit itself also needs constant maintenance. Therefore, the quality of cleaning and the service life of the device depend on how correctly and in a timely manner it will be cleaned.

The main function of vacuum cleaners is to collect dust, wash hard surfaces and clean soft surfaces. Constantly in contact with debris, the device quickly becomes dirty and requires regular washing. The most vulnerable point of the machine is the suction hose, telescopic handle and working attachments. The main reason for their rapid clogging is a heavily soiled floor with clips, hairpins, buttons, candy wrappers and food debris scattered on it.

Another reason for the blockage is the cleaning of premises after renovation, during which the vacuum cleaner has to collect large quantities of construction dust, shavings and residues of finishing materials. In such cases also it is recommended to sweep the room and only then start vacuuming it.

Clogging can also be caused by poor maintenance of the device, which consists in a rare emptying of the dust container, its loose attachment to the case, or damage. In the latter case, the consequences are especially unpredictable: dust through the torn bag can freely penetrate into the electric motor and cause its breakdown. Therefore, in order to avoid such situations the vacuum cleaner needs regular cleaning of filters, hoses and nozzles, as well as blowing out the motor and washing the inner surface of the case.

Before you start cleaning the vacuum cleaner at home, you need to stock up on rubber gloves, an apron that protects your clothes from dirt, a bucket of warm water and detergent. You will also need a microfiber or flannel napkin and a hard sponge. In order not to spread dirt on the floor, you can use oilcloth or thick film 100x100 cm in size.

After all the necessary accessories have been prepared, you can start disassembling the vacuum cleaner, which looks like this:

1. with dry hands, the unit is disconnected from the power supply and allowed to cool down after work;
2. then the vacuum cleaner is placed on an oilcloth pre-laid on the floor, the cord is wiped with a damp cloth and wound up;
3. then open the housing mounts, remove the filter and start cleaning it.

Modern household vacuum cleaners are equipped with filters of several types, differing from each other not only in the principle of operation and design, but also in the method of cleaning.

• Aquafilter... Such a filter is a reservoir of water that passes a stream of dust particles through itself and settles them on its inner surfaces. Vacuum cleaners equipped with such filters are able not only to effectively retain dirt and debris, but also to clean the air returned to the room and slightly humidify it.Cleaning the water filter is as follows: a container with dirty water is removed from the case and the dirty water is drained into the sewer, then the container is washed with warm water using a detergent, after which it is wiped with a dry flannel and dried.

• Cyclone filter... This filtration system is presented in the form of a dust collector, in which the incoming debris under the influence of a working turbine is thrown to the walls and settles. After filling the container, the indicator gives a signal, and its contents are thrown into the garbage bag.

• Fine filter HEPA... This type of filtration is designed to clean the air coming out of the vacuum cleaner. It is made of fibrous, accordion-folded material, placed in a special frame. The air passing through such a structure is cleaned not only of large inclusions, but also of fine suspensions with a diameter of 0.01 microns. There are two ways to clean HEPA filters. So, if the filter is reusable, then it is enough to rinse it under a stream of warm water. It is not recommended to wet disposable models, so you can try blowing them with compressed air in the direction opposite to the air flow through the filter when the vacuum cleaner is running.

• Filter bag... Bag models are made of paper or synthetic material. They can be both disposable and reusable.

After the filters have been cleaned, proceed with the cleaning of the suction hose and the working brush, adhering to the following actions:

• the hose is disconnected from the vacuum cleaner and placed in a bathtub filled with warm water for 10 minutes;
• then, using a long wire, the pipe is cleaned from the inside and washed with a hard sponge from the outside;
• then dry well and set in place;
• when cleaning the brush, it is necessary to remove large accumulations of dust and hair with scissors, pull them out with tweezers or an old toothbrush;
• if the working brush is equipped with the "floor / carpet" modes, then the bristles should be pulled out and cleaned from dirt;
• then it is placed in a basin with soapy water and left for 10-15 minutes, after which it is washed well with a hard sponge, rinsed and placed to dry.

The vacuum cleaner motor is also frequently contaminated and needs to be cleaned regularly. To do this, remove all filters from the unit, take it out to the balcony and turn it on by setting the power switch to the maximum value. In this case, it is recommended to tilt the unit in different directions and gently shake it. After a few minutes, turn off the device, allow the motor to cool down and wipe it with a damp cloth on top.

Sometimes, if the frequency of cleaning the dust collector is violated, an unpleasant smell begins to emanate from the vacuum cleaner. More often than others, aggregates with fabric bags suffer from this, which, when moisture gets on them, begin to smell terribly. Models with an aquafilter are also susceptible to odor, which is caused by the stagnation of dirty water if it is not removed in time. Cyclonic samples are a little better, and devices with paper bags do not smell at all, which is due to the frequent replacement of bags, because of which the smell does not have time to accumulate and spread.

HEPA filters are also prone to the accumulation of unpleasant odors and must be washed or replaced regularly. A special aroma for vacuum cleaners also copes well with smell. It consists of small odorous balls that are sucked in by the device and kept in the dust collector until it is emptied.

If you don't have a fragrance at hand, you can use the following recipe:

• mix 1/2 cup of wine vinegar with the same amount of warm water;
• with the resulting solution, wipe the previously disassembled vacuum cleaner from the inside, with special attention should be paid to hard-to-reach areas and the place of attachment of the dust collector;
• when all the parts are processed, the unit is allowed to dry, a cotton pad is moistened with a few drops of essential oil, placed in a dust collector and the vacuum cleaner is collected.

The frequency of cleaning the vacuum cleaner depends on many factors, such as the intensity of use and the type of construction. So, when processing large spaces, the dust collector will be properly shaken out after each cleaning, while when working in small apartments it will be enough to do this every 2-3 cleanings. With daily use, once every 6 months, it is recommended to carry out a "general cleaning" of the vacuum cleaner, in which the unit is thoroughly washed inside, the motor is blown out and the hose with a working brush is soaked in soapy water.

As for the design features of the vacuum cleaner, models with a water filter deserve attention, which must be washed after each cleaning.

You will learn how to disassemble and clean the Samsung SC 6570 vacuum cleaner in the video below.