Let’s face it – vacuuming should be easy, but every now and again we all make silly mistakes that have us running to our nearest repair shop in shame. Making simple blunders with your vacuum cleaner can not only damage the machine, but it can reduce the effectiveness of your clean, leaving a good part of the dirt and grime lingering in your carpets.

While carpets may look clean, they can hide dirt and dust beneath the surface and your vacuum cleaner needs to stay working at its best in order to pick up as much dirt as possible and avoid it getting around other parts of the house.

Here are five vacuuming gaffes to avoid in order to keep your carpet squeaky clean.

keeping your carpet clean: 5 vacuuming gaffes to avoid1. Letting the bag get too full

A bag that is bursting at the seams can cause the vacuum cleaner to lose suction, reducing power to the vacuum head and resulting in the machine failing to pick up dust and dirt lingering in your carpet. Don’t wait until the bag is completely full before replacing it – change your vacuum cleaner bags when they are nearly full to avoid a loss of suction.

2. Forgetting to clean or replace the filter

Not cleaning or replacing the vacuum cleaner filter can lead to it becoming clogged. A clogged filter is another reason why your machine can lose suction and fail to pick up dirt properly.

A high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is a specialised, powerful filter for a vacuum cleaner that will capture tiny bits of dust and prevent them from being recirculated back into the air.

A HEPA filter is a great idea for people suffering from allergies. But if you plan to buy the best vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, make sure you clean the filter on a regular basis, otherwise it will prove to be a waste of money investing in one.

3. Buying the wrong parts for your model

Don’t forget to check which vacuum bags your machine takes before you buy them. If they don’t fit your machine, this is only going to cost you more money in the long run, plus it won’t help keep your carpets clean. Buying incorrectly fitted bags or other parts will mean that more dust and grime is simply recirculated around the vacuum cleaner and into your home. 

4. Vacuuming areas without checking for objects

Although small in size, objects such as paperclips, hairpins, parts of children’s toys and coins can play havoc with your vacuum cleaner.

They can get stuck in the vacuum head and other parts, and may damage the machine or prevent the machine from doing an effective job.

5. Giving the carpet a quick ‘once over’

In heavy foot traffic areas, a quick once over with the vacuum cleaner simply won’t suffice, as you likely won’t pick up the majority of the dirt. For carpets close to doors, in the lounge room and in the kid’s bedrooms, make sure you go over them with the vacuum cleaner several times to pick up stubborn bits of dust and grime.

By taking a bit of care with your vacuum cleaner, you can avoid these simple gaffes and keep your carpet looking fresh and at its best for longer. If you need help choosing the right products for your machine, talk to Vacuum Spot – as the experts in all things vacuum, we can help you evade these embarrassing blunders.