Vacuum cleaners are an integral part of life for any family and a common tool used daily in commercial buildings. While the vacuum hums along doing its job, picking up dirt, grit, debris, and potential contaminants, there are a parts of the vacuum we might not think about that often.
You usually can’t see it… but it’s right there, inside your vacuum cleaner — the bag and filter.
The vacuum bag and filters are the repositor of all substances that the vacuum collects through the beater bar or suction assembly and hoses. Unless you use a bagless vacuum, all air goes from the surface being vacuumed and through the vacuum bag and filters. The air you breathe around a vacuum is partly the air that has passed through the unit.
Problem detected
You know you have a problem when you turn on the vacuum cleaner and either notice a foul odor, or reduced suction. What you are detecting is either the result of organic or inorganic matter inside the vacuum bag that has had time grow microorganisms that create odors, or the bag and/or filters may be partially or fully clogged. A vacuum bag that has sat for a long period of time without being changed or cleaned can produce significant bad odors. Most bagged and all bagless vacuums have various filters that are sometimes forgotten about, reducing suction and the efficiency of the vacuum.
While your vacuum cleaner manufacturer will have recommendations on the frequency of changing the bags and filters. Those are simply general recommendations. Professional carpet cleaners recommend changing a bag when one-half to two-thirds full, and cleaning or replacing the filter when it looks dirty or suction is reduced..
Is that enough?
The nose knows
In addition to following a schedule, use some common sense. Remember that a vacuum bag in the dark that is stuffed with organic soil will quickly become an odor-causing source. If you vacuum every day, you may not notice it. But give it a week or two, and the odors become evident.
At the first hint of an odor, change the bag and check the filter. Even if you vacuum once or twice, and put the vacuum away for several days, it may be good to change the bag before using it again. Remember, using a poorly maintained vacuum cleaner will not pick up dirt and debris efficiently, but instead send dirt particles into the air, spreading them around the room. And don’t forget to get your carpeting and upholstery cleaned professionally by Doc’s Steam Team Cleaners on a regular basis. It pays to call a pro!
