How many times have you thought to yourself, “Does my vacuum cleaner stink? How can I get rid of the smell?”
Considering that a vacuum is designed to clean up odor-causing dirt, it probably stinks. However, there is no need to be alarmed, there is a way to eliminate the odor.
However, before we tackle this question with an answer, let’s first look at some of what a vacuum cleaner absorbs that causes odors in the first place.
Once you know this, you may have a better understanding of why your vacuum sucks.
Why does my vacuum cleaner suck?
One of the main factors that sucks your vacuum cleaner is the fact that the pores of the bag get clogged and do not let air through.
You may think dirt is the culprit here, which is partly true, but in fact, a big factor is the deodorizing powders you put on your carpet to make it smell better. (There are better ways to make your carpet smell clean.)
When you spray all that deodorant powder on your carpet and then vacuum it up, it clogs pores faster than dirt. Therefore, the clogged vacuum bag does not let air through. Air must be allowed to pass through the bag and then through a HEPA filter, which filters out particulates and reduces odors.
Other factors
Other things your vacuum ingests are things like pet hair and dander, scraps of paper, food crumbs, and yes, paper clips and potato chips.
Food particles that are trapped in the vacuum bag will start to break down and therefore give off bad odors.
All of this can contribute to the vacuum bag filling and clogging, preventing air from passing through.
So how can I get the smell out?
All that said, how do you get rid of the odor? Change the damn bag. There is absolutely no reason to allow a vacuum bag to fill beyond its functionality.
This is also one of the reasons why your machine shuts down for no apparent reason. Many vacuums have a bag fill limit and shut them off before they get too full so the motor doesn’t burn out. Another good reason to change the damn bag.
Keep clean
Like any other equipment, you must perform regular maintenance to keep it operating at peak performance. For a vacuum, this means you need to change the bag from time to time, clean it, and use a product that removes odors. Results; reduced vacuum smell.