Have you ever wondered how to eliminate the foul smell of your vacuum cleaner? We’ve heard people say that they can’t even stand the smell in their own homes.
Vacuums can be handy. They’re perfect for home cleaning, they’re ideal for office spaces, and they can even help you keep your car clean.
But if you own a vacuum cleaner, you know how foul their odor can be. You might even notice the bad smell before your vacuum picks up any dust or dirt, so it’s essential to know how to eliminate bad smells in vacuum cleaners.
That’s why we’ve put together a quick guide to help you get your home smelling fresh again.
What are the Reasons for the Vacuums Bad Smell??
If you know what may be causing the stench in the vacuum, you can correct it and prevent it from happening again. Some typical sources of vacuum-related odors are:
1. Pet Hairs
The stink may come from your pet. When you vacuum up pet hair and dander, the particles are sucked into the machine.
One such source of unpleasant odor is the urine of pets. While it’s improbable that you’ll accidentally vacuum up your pet’s pee, the liquid may sometimes attach to pet hair and dust. The vacuuming process then mixes the dried urine with the pet fur, producing a musty odor.
2. Mold
The vacuum may still emit unpleasant smells, even if you don’t own any pets. An essential factor is a mold. The air you inhale, the food you consume, and the water you drink all contain fungus spores.
A high concentration of fungal spores increases the likelihood of fungal development, such as mold. Therefore, the mold and spores are there, even though they are invisible.
Although mold is not visible to the human eye, its odor and the spores it rapidly sheds may be detected in different vacuum filters, including HEPA, disposable and reusable vacuum filters.
If you don’t empty the vacuum’s dust cup, filter, and other containers after each usage, the musty odor of mold will permeate the area when you open the vacuum or clean it. The elderly, young children and pets are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of mold. It can be found in vacuum-sealed packages and containers.
3. Burnt Belt
The motor in your vacuum is similar to the engine of a car. They both generate movement with the use of modular components.
A belt must keep your vacuum’s brush in motion so that bigger, more resistant particles can be successfully sucked into the vacuum’s storage compartment. The belt, however, may cause odor problems. But what factors contribute to this?
As a result of its construction, vacuum belts may emit a pungent stench. The majority are strong rubber that sticks to the brush and lets it roll freely. Without it, you couldn’t pick up nearly as much human and animal hair.
While a vacuum cleaner’s brush and belt are designed to pick up dust and dirt, they may get clogged with debris, causing the machine to work harder than necessary. The rubber may emit a sour or mild burning odor when this occurs.
4. Excessive Dust
Like the aforementioned fungus spores, dust may be found just about everywhere. Still, don’t give up on trying to remove it from your vacuum.
Some claim that a vacuum motor’s lifespan might be shortened by dust collection more than by any other factor. Although specific self-cleaning devices may help, they still won’t escape on their own.
The presence of dust in the air might result in an unpleasant odor. Fine dust is a mixture of allergens like pollen and dead skin cells from people and animals. This excess of unwelcome chemicals will produce unpleasant odors.
Your vacuum cleaner is where you’ll find the most of this dust and dirt. The vacuuming process captures the dust in a sealed container. When dust accumulates in one area for a long time, it may become more poisonous and allergenic than mold.
5 . Food and Oil Spills
When food and drink remnants are vacuumed, they decay and give off a terrible odor. The floor head and the hose are susceptible to clogging and other malfunctions if oil is allowed to accumulate on them.
How to Get Rid From This?
1. Empty The Dust Bag Or Bin
Dust bags have the ability to collect odors like a magnet does. It’s obvious otherwise where else would you throw away the possibly harmful chemicals that you have picked up if you didn’t have these containers?
To quickly get rid of bad odors, nothing works better than a new vacuum bag or a thorough cleaning of the one you already have. The vacuum cleaners can be revitalized by removing the bag and washing the inside to remove any traces of dirt and grime.
It’s recommended to soak it in soapy warm water for at least an hour if you’ve never done this before. It’s good to soak for longer if necessary, especially if the stench is quite strong.
Throw in some baking soda or vinegar if you have it on hand. Doing so will extend the time period before the container has to be cleaned again.
Make sure there’s no grime in the container, however. Eventually, even a little quantity might produce an unpleasant stench. Experiencing difficulty clearing away some of the clutter? You may use a scotch pad or a toothbrush to scrub.
2. Clean Or Replace The Filters
Pathogens and other contaminants may be contained by installing a filter in a vacuum. Due to their diminutive size, they are kept apart from vacuum bags and filters.
However, they will eventually get soiled and need replacement or cleaning, just like any other storage container or bag. Reusable filters may be cleaned by washing them in warm or cold water to remove dust.
You shouldn’t do anything that might harm the filter’s mesh body since it is normally constructed of delicate material.
To remove stubborn dirt, use a soft-bristled brush and scrub in clockwise and counterclockwise strokes.
It’s recommended to change disposable filters regularly. Replace them as directed by the manufacturer of your vacuum or filters.
However, if you’re cleaning up objects that you know are causing odor to develop fast, such as big amounts of pet hair, it’s wonderful to toss a filter away before the specified period.
3. Check The Brushes
You should still clean your brushes regularly even if you didn’t detect any lingering odors in there. Brush cleaning frequency should be at least twice yearly, while the exact frequency may vary by brand and type.
This sum is reasonable and prudent. Quarterly brush cleaning is recommended for daily or twice a day users.
You can’t eliminate the lint, muck, and residue on the brittles, not even with a brand new brush. So, before putting the vacuum away, check the brushes to ensure nothing stinky is adhering to them.
If your brush is detachable, here’s how to take it apart and clean it:
- Power down the vacuum and disconnect it from its charging base.
- You should use scissors and snip off the clumps of hair that bother you. Make sure you don’t snip any of the bristles off the brush.
- Clean the brush by soaking it in warm, soapy water and, if you have it, put in some vinegar. In place of vinegar, a tiny quantity of bleach will work as a substitute.
- Use a comb to scrape all the excess hair that you may have had difficulties getting through with the scissors.
Soak the brush for an hour in soapy water, then air dry. It’s best to wait until the brush is arid, which might take up to a day, before reattaching it.
4. Wash The Hose
If you turn on your vacuum and notice smells coming from the hoses, you shouldn’t be surprised by this.
In seldom-used vacuums, biofilm and debris will pile on the outside and foster bacterial growth.
The vacuum hose may either be a detachable accessory or an integral part of the main body of the cleaner. If the hose is short enough to accommodate in a sink or bucket, you can soak it in a solution to remove the buildup before attempting to rinse it.
You may use the bathroom tub if you have a longer hose. Take advantage of the time spent soaking by cleaning the inside with a long, thin brush.
An uncontaminated brush for the bathroom bowl could do the trick. If you don’t have a towel, you may try inserting a long, thin cloth as far as it will go into the hose. Not everyone will need to do this unless there is an obvious buildup in the hose.
Two to three hours of soaking ought to do the trick. Flexible hoses are simpler since you can twist them to make them fit in tighter spaces. It’s best to soak flexible hoses using the same method.
How to Prevent Bad Odors?
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a common household item because of its time-tested effectiveness as a disinfectant and for other household uses. This granular material will suck up any foul odors.
Just drop a few tablespoons in through the opening of the dust bag. Sprinkle it all over the inside of the device’s bin.
2. Essential Oils
If you have ever wondered that can you put essential oils in your vacuum, the answer is yes. Adding essential oils will increase their effectiveness. Beneficial herbs like lemongrass and thyme are often used. They are effective against mold and leave your vacuum smelling nice.
The recommended amount of essential oils for a 32-ounce spray container is 30 drops. Combine a teaspoon of baking soda with the water and fill it up. Spray the interior of the trash can or bag gently. A few well-placed sprays should be sufficient; we don’t want to flood the area.
3. Cinnamon
Consider cinnamon as a possible cooking spice to utilize. Throw in a half spoonful of cinnamon powder to the waste basket. Because of its antibacterial properties, cinnamon may help slow the spread of germs. It will also give your vacuum a nice fragrance.
4. Commercial Sprays
Commercial deodorants may cost more than other methods, yet many people find that they are more effective. As air flows through them, a pleasant scent is released. You may choose your preferred aroma from a variety of options.
FAQs
How To Make Bagless Vacuum Smell Better?
An effective method for eliminating odors from bagless vacuums is to thoroughly clean them and then apply a combination of baking soda and aromatic oils. The lack of pores in containers like plastic and metal makes it simpler to eliminate odors.
In addition, if you’re not utilizing any kind of scent in the container, you should keep it clean by discarding any accumulated dirt.
What Can I Put In My Vacuum To Make It Smell Better?
Put 25 fragrant beads in the vacuum bag or the whole canister if you don’t use bags. Using your vacuum to clean your house may also fill the air with a delightful scent. Not harmful to carpets and won’t leave a powdery residue. The beads have a powerful aroma and may be used approximately eight times in a vacuum before they lose effectiveness.
Why Does My Vacuum Smell Rotten?
Trash that has gone bad in the dustbin might create this issue. Consider emptying your trash can regularly to avoid the pungent and rotten smell coming out of your vacuum cleaner.
How Do I Get Rid Of The Smell In My Dyson Vacuum?
Dyson vacuums may be cleaned and disinfected in the same manner as any other brand. After emptying the contents of a Dyson pet or multipurpose cleaner, fill it with a strong scent. Oil diffusers and cylindrical air fresheners work well.
Can You Put Air Freshener In Vacuum Cleaner?
Those who use bagged vacuums may just toss a teaspoon of fragrance into the bag and continue cleaning as usual. You may just pour the fragrance into the dirt cup of your bagless vacuum and continue your cleaning routine as usual.
What Can I Use To Make My Shark Hoover Smell Better?
Detach the two halves of the dirt container and empty the contents into a wastebasket. Get some warm soapy water and wash the container in there. Split the dust container in half and plunge it into the hot water. Reach into the container with a brush or a cloth with a long handle and clean it thoroughly.
Conclusion
When used often, most vacuums emit a foul stench. Finding the source of the odor is essential for effectively getting rid of it. After narrowing down the source of the problem, you may begin fixing it.
When a bad smell is detected, the first step is eliminating it. Then, only you can employ a natural or store-bought solution to bring a clean, pleasant aroma.
Above the tips, your vacuum should stay clean and smell great for a long time. This will make your house seem warmer and more welcoming to guests.
