If you love cleanliness, then vacuum cleaners are your best friend. With just a swoop, you can clean all the dust and dirts from every nook and corner of your home. It is a convenient piece of equipment that saves a lot of our time. You can now get cordless and robot vacuum cleaners which are easier to handle, and efficient too.

However do we really give it the treatment it deserves? Longevity and effectiveness of a vacuum cleaner, to a great extent, depends on our usage. To make it more durable and functional, here we have listed 8 things you should never do to your vacuum cleaner.

Mistake 1: Vacuuming liquid

Regular vacuum cleaners are not designed to vacuum any liquids, such as water. However, you can do something that can mop and vacuum at the same time. Running cleaners that are not designed to pick up water, can cause electrocution, which would ultimately damage the machine.

So, if you wish to clean spilled liquids on the floor with your vacuum cleaner, then invest in the wet/dry variant. These are quite affordable and can come handy if you have emergency water spills on your floor. But remember never to use a regular vacuum cleaner for liquids.

Mistake 2: Abandoning it due to suction loss

Loss of suction power is a common issue among vacuum cleaners. Often people throw away vacuum cleaners when their suction power is reduced. However, this might always not be correct. You can do a few checks to ensure nothing is blocking the function capabilities of the vacuum, like:

• Checking the dirt bin is very essential. If it’s full or nearly full, that can affect the way a vacuum cleaner functions.
• You should also check for blockages inside your vacuum cleaner. Check the hose and the point where the hose meets the machine, for blockages.

Proper maintenance of the vacuum cleaner is very important to ensure its efficiency. You should never throw it away due to loss in the suction power. Always double check to see where the problem lies.

Mistake 3: Vacuuming on hard objects

You might get intrigued seeing a penny or small stones on the floor to vacuum it, but it is a mistake that might cost you the life of the machine. So rather than vacuuming it, you should pick up the hard objects and then continue with the vacuuming actions.

The hard object, if it gets sucked inside the machine might not only harm it but also get stuck inside, which would then be hard to remove. So do not take a chance with your vacuum cleaner, instead pick up the hard objects and be conscious about it every time.

Mistake 4: Not cleaning the filter each time after vacuum

Vacuum filters help to trap small dirt particles that you swoop on the go. In most of the traditional vacuum cleaners, these filters are disposable. However, if you have the latest cordless or robot vacuum cleaners, then these are not disposable at all.

For these filters, you should clean them regularly, or else it would affect the functionality and the life of the equipment. If you clean these regularly, there is no need for replacement. Changing these filters can cost a good amount of money, and you can avoid it by cleaning it.

Mistake 5: Letting the rewind cord do its job itself

A major mistake that people make with their retractable vacuum cleaner cord is, they let the cord rewind by itself. It is a major issue that can not only break the machine, but might also send the cord off track, which is not at all desirable.

You should hold the cord while it rewinds its way back inside the vacuum cleaner. It would save the life of your machine and save it from harms. No manufacturers will mention this instruction in a manual, but you should always keep it in mind. And, if you handle a broken cord, do that carefully or you might receive a shock.

You should also never pull away from the socket with force. In most cases, cords are the most tender part of the machine and pulling it off from the socket like a maniac can ruin the whole equipment for you.

Mistake 6: Cleaning construction dirt

Construction dirt can consist of a lot of particles like debris, and fireplace ash that can affect the life of the machine, if that gets sucked up. They can even burn out the motor, which would make your vacuum cleaner irreparable.

So, never use the machine on a construction site. You can use the good old broom to sweep away the dust and dirt. So, no matter how convenient it might feel, do not ever use your vacuum cleaning machine in a construction environment.

Mistake 7: Vacuuming over the cord

Vacuuming over the electric cord is a bad idea. These are designed to withstand some trauma but letting a spinning brush run over it can cause havoc. The machine has some suction power using which it takes up the dust/dirt and the same power can harm the exterior of the cable.

So be careful never to run over the vacuum cleaner cord, which is dangerous and can cause harm to the equipment. The cords can over time deteriorate and get damaged, about which you would have to be really very careful.

Mistake 8: Ignoring motor issues

Ignoring vacuum cleaner motor issues is one of the biggest mistakes ever. Sometimes, the machine might overheat and turn itself off. You should not throw your machine right away if something like this happens. Potential causes of motor heating issues is when the dirt bag gets full.

So if the motor has started showing problems, you should check it for once- the filters and bags. If you find nothing, take it to a technician. A simple repair can sometimes add life to the vacuum cleaners and improves its efficiency & functionality.

Conclusion

These are some of the vacuum cleaner mistakes that you should avoid at all cost. Proper maintenance and being careful with the work, would improve its durability. With proper usage you would be able to maintain the efficiency and functionality of the equipment.