Vacuuming isn't like riding a bicycle (thank goodness!). However, a little extra know-how on how to operate and handle it can help you clean your home much better and help you to avoid making any vacuum cleaner mistakes.

With a flick of a switch, a high-quality vacuum cleaner makes all the dust, pet dander, pollen, and dirt disappear. 

However...

In as much as you may rely on your device, there are practices that you need to get rid of to get the best out of this device.

But where to start?

Our vacuum cleaner guides are a great place to start, so keep reading!

Here are some but a few of these common mistakes:

#01. Keep the Device Away From the Brushes and Openings

If you want to turn your hoover over and check out the brush roll,¹  make sure that you always turn off the vacuum and unplug it.

Here's why:

The brush roll is powerful enough to rip out the hair from your head, damage your clothes, and cause bodily harm.

So, make sure that you take caution and don't allow anything, including your fingers and clothing near the opening parts of your vacuum cleaner.

To add to that...

If you involve your kids in the cleaning sessions, then you must remember to share these safety warnings with them as well.

#02. Don't Use the Wrong Extension Cord

Most extension cords feature a wattage or an amp rating to help consumers know what types of things they can power up.

Too often, like most people do with their phones, many people use vacuums with extension cords that aren't designed for them.

Therefore...

You can completely damage your sweeper and increase the fire risk by using an improper extension cord.

So, avoid this bad habit and make sure you use the right extension cord as advised by the manufacturer.

#03. Avoid Pulling the Power Cord

Some people carry their devices by the cord or pull them out of the socket from a distance.

Almost every vacuum user is guilty of pulling the cable from the wall socket in a bid to avoid going over and unplugging it.

Well, let me tell you something...

This is a mistake that you need to start erasing from your 'bad habits journal' today.

According to experts, you can speed up the damage to your vacuum by abusing its cord.

Continued yanking of the cable causes damage to the hoover, which then leads to the risk of electrocution or fire.

So, before you start vacuuming or even when shopping for one, make sure that you inspect the ​cords to be sure they're safe to use.

#04. An Indoor Vacuum Cleaner Stays Inside & Keep It Away From Spills

An indoor vacuum isn't meant for the outdoors. Similarly, you should never use a dry vacuum device on wet surfaces.

Here's why:

There are indoor/outdoor vacuums and wet/dry hoovers that are designed to handle these kinds of tasks specifically.

If you use your indoor sweeper that's not intended to handle wetness or spills, you can end up ruining or shortening its life.

#05. Pick Up All the Hard Objects

You're running late for work.

So, what do you do?

You ignore that penny and keep on vacuuming.

If lady luck isn't on your side, your vacuum cleaner suddenly stops, and you spend more than twenty minutes trying to figure out what the problem is.

Well, that penny did cost you your machine and probably your job. If only you'd picked it up...

Want to know more?

According to studies, most people, when pressed for time, tend to ignore small items on the floor.

Small, heavy, and hard items lead to the chipping and cracking of your vacuum's fan blade.² 

Therefore, knowingly vacuuming these hard and sharp objects can damage your device and cost you an arm trying to fix it.

Therefore...

You need to be careful before vacuuming.

Make sure that you scan the room for these items and pick them up before doing any cleaning.

It might be easy to clean over it and hope for the best, but it's a lot more difficult to hand over the cash for a new machine.

#06. Don't Vacuum Powders

A little dust and powder can't hurt your vacuum cleaner.

Nevertheless, a spilling out bottle of baby powder can clog your filters and eventually block your vacuum's motor, thus affecting its suction.³ 

In my own experience...

If you have a lot of powder spill issues, an outdoor and wet/dry vacuum is much more capable of dealing with these issues efficiently. 

If you don't have one of these, you can always revert to sweeping all the powder you can and then vacuuming the rest.

#07. Remember to Use Its Attachments

Those dusting brushes and crevice tools are your best friends.

They help make cleaning ceilings and other hard-to-reach-spots easy and allow you to suck up all the dust and allergens from areas you might otherwise overlook, such as your furniture's upholstery, light fixtures, baseboards, and lampshades.

#08. Cut Out All the Tangled Hair and Strings

If you have a brush roll that doesn't turn, it doesn't clean efficiently — it's that simple.

Moreover...

Worse, the stress of tangled pet hair and threads can cause your motor to burn out, an issue that might cost you more than you bargained for.

So, to avoid such a situation, you need to unwind or snip away any hair tangles, or just go for a tangle free brush roll vacuum cleaner.

Most vacuums feature a brush roll that you can easily remove if you want to do some deep cleaning.

#09. Maintain Your Vacuum Cleaner

Maintaining your device takes a bit of your time.

How hard can cleaning the brush roll, washing/replacing filters, and emptying the dirt container or bag be, anyway?

Think about it:

No one wants to schedule vacuuming only to find a device that's ruined due to lack of proper maintenance.

Therefore, before anything, you need to ensure that you double-check the manual and guidelines for care. 

Now...

If you don't have the manufacturer's manual, you can always conduct an internet search for your vacuum cleaner brand or model.

There are high chances that there'll be a manual for it online. It's also vital to remember to clean out clogs in the hoses and suction pathway of the vacuum cleaner. 

It helps in preventing the wear and tear of the vacuum's motor.

Common Questions

In Conclusion

Getting out your vacuum from the cleaning closet might seem like a quick solution for any spills or messes in your home.

However, some things aren't meant to go into this versatile yet powerful device.

So, before you start vacuuming your room, make sure that you take a moment to look for any items on the ground that can otherwise damage it, avoid pulling its cord, among other recommended instructions.

You'll save yourself stress if you know which vacuum cleaner mistakes to avoid and you won't find yourself running to get a new device every time yours gets damaged. It's that easy!

Find Out More: Vacuum Reviews