Why Your Vacuum Cleaner Smells Bad (and How to Fix It)
Even if vacuuming is one of your least favorite activities, when you consider what life was like before the advent of this appliance – beating carpets and sweeping floors by hand – you have to admit that its ability to eliminate clutter is pretty amazing.
While it may seem like magic, the reality is that all the rough stuff you vacuum has to go somewhere and go through the appliance to get there. Over time, this process can cause your vacuum cleaner to smell bad. Here are some of the most common causes of vacuum odor and how to get rid of it.
Why does my vacuum cleaner smell bad?
Most bad odors coming from vacuum cleaners are the result of these four sources:
Form
A musty smell coming from your vacuum cleaner could mean that mold has grown and/or accumulated inside the bag or filters . Mold thrives in damp environments, so if you’ve vacuumed your carpet while it was wet or damp, this could be the culprit.
Pets
If you have furry pets that roam freely around your home, then you can assume that your floor is covered in fur, dander, and urine particles . When you vacuum and these materials build up inside, their smell can linger – even after emptying the canister or changing the bag.
Excessive dust
Yes, vacuum cleaners are designed to get rid of dust, but if you don’t empty and clean your appliance regularly, this dust can accumulate and start to smell bad. Dust itself is quite disgusting considering that it is made up of dead skin flakes (from humans and pets), pollen, textile and paper fibers, dried food particles, microscopic plastic particles, soil particles, bacteria, dust mite droppings and dust. fragments of the body of the tick. So when it builds up, it’s not hard to see why it might stink.
Burnt Belt
If the vacuum cleaner has not been cleaned for a long time, all the hair, ropes and other materials wrapped around the bristles can cause its brushes to stop rotating and the rubber belt to burn out .
How to get rid of bad vacuum cleaner odor
If it comes down to the fact that your vacuum cleaner stinks, then it absolutely needs a thorough cleaning. It’s not just that you’re living with a bad smell: stench is a sign of a larger problem that, if left untreated, can damage your vacuum cleaner and shorten its lifespan.
Allow a decent amount of time to clean your vacuum cleaner: this is a multi-step process that requires the parts to air dry. This 2022 Lifehacker post outlines the various steps in the process, but if in doubt, check your vacuum cleaner’s user manual for specific instructions.
After you have cleaned and reassembled your vacuum cleaner, try it out. If the bad smell is still present, you may need to take it to a professional or invest in a new one.