The Surprisingly Simple Fix to a Bent Ultracaptic Vac Filter

I hardly ever get any complaints about Electrolux Ultracaptic vacuum cleaners, but when I do, it’s usually about one thing: the filter for the vacuum cleaner. More precisely, about how the pre-motor filter always seems to end up bent.

Now this may not seem like much of a problem, except that once the filter develops a bend, it can reduce the suction power of the machine by up to 75%. And that’s a lot of suction power to lose.

Even if your machine loses only a small amount of suction, you’d be wasting a lot of energy and money in the long run. And you certainly can’t use the vacuum with HEPA filter only, as this would most likely damage the machine.

So how can you fix this? And how do you make sure it never happens again?

The Surprisingly Simple Fix

Most Ultracaptic owners think that the easiest and most logical solution to this problem would be vacuum filter replacement, but this is just the more costly solution. If the root cause of the problem isn’t addressed, then you’ll end up buying replacements again and again even if each is perfectly fine, albeit bent.

What you really need is a bit of sticky tape.

You might be thinking, ‘Is that really all?!?’ And I assure you, that is all you will need.

The pre-motor filter is made of latex or polyurethane which means it has ‘memory’: it can easily be refitted and ‘trained’ to go back to its original and correct shape. So all you need is something to hold it back to its original shape, and this is where the sticky tape comes in. Simply place a bit of tape on the bent portion to straighten it, and attach the other end of the tape to the white frame of the dust filter container. There’s no need to remove the tape or worry about it melting, as the filter remains cool and slightly warm at most, even after 2 hours of constant use.

When the time comes that you have to wash your filter, you’ll find that it’s already regained its original shape and won’t need more tape. That is, if you don’t cause it to get bent again.

How Do I Stop the Bend?

The prevention of the bend is as much in your hands as the solution. See, the bend always develops from the middle as this part gets caught on an inside ridge whenever the filter is fitted into the cavity. This can be prevented simply by following correct vacuum filter replacement practices.

When sliding your filter back in its place, always make sure to do so at an angle. While the machine is resting on its wheels, tilt the filter downwards before sliding it in. It should do so easily and ‘click’ with little resistance.

This way, you can be sure that your filter won’t get caught on anything, bend and cause performance issues.

If your filter continues to bend or if your vacuum with HEPA filter continues to perform poorly, then it would be best to consult the friendly experts here at VacuumSpot. We offer excellent customer service and would be glad to advise you on the best solutions to your vacuum cleaner woes. We also supply a great range of vacuum cleaner supplies, including vacuum cleaner bags and filters for a wide range of cleaner models. To know more, please get in touch with us on (03) 9466 1146.