How to Make a Bagless Vacuum Smell Better: A Step by Step Guide

A vacuum cleaner is an essential cleaning tool in any house, but the choice of whether a vacuum is bagged or bagless is up to the individual purchasing it.

A bagged vacuum cleaner has a dust bag for collecting dirt sucked up by the vacuum. The bagless vacuum has a dust container instead of a bag that collects the dirt.

How to Make a Bagless Vacuum Smell Better

A bagless vacuum should help your house to smell better, not worse. However, when it smells bad it will release a foul odor whenever you vacuum with it.

You can prevent the bad smell by simply keeping your unit clean on the inside. A bagless vacuum can emit a foul smell due to various reasons.

In this post we will cover:

  1. What Causes A Bagless Vacuum Cleaner To Smell Bad?
  2. How to Make a Bagless Vacuum Smell Better: A Step by Step Guide
  3. How to Prevent the Bad Smell
  4. Why bagless vacuums are bad
  5. How do I get dog smell out of my bagless vacuum cleaner?
  6. Why do bagless vacuum cleaners lose suction?

What Causes A Bagless Vacuum Cleaner To Smell Bad?

1. Excessive dust and dirt: The dust is normally joined by other debris when you vacuum. Therefore, whether your bagless vacuum sucks used coffee grinds or dried fruit, they all contribute to a strong bad smell.

If you allow too much dirt to accumulate in the dust cap, your vacuum’s health will be impacted. If the dust cup is too full, some of the dirt may be released back into the air.

2. Pet hair & Pet Urine: If you have pets, such as cats and dogs, in your home, the animals likely shed pet hair all over the house. Usually, pet hair is smelly and when it gets stuck in your bagless vacuum, the machine will emit a foul odor.

Pet urine is another culprit of the foul smell coming from your bagless vacuum. When the pet’s urine gets stuck on carpets and rugs in your house, it stinks.

When vacuumed, the combination of urine and pet hair creates a “special” combination of a nasty smell is created.

3. Dirty & clogged filters: The filters are responsible for preventing dirt, dust, and other debris from escaping into the bagless vacuum when the unit is running. The filters also prevent the machine from becoming a health hazard in your home.

The dirt and dust trapped by the filters can, over time, accumulate and cause clogging. The clogging will reduce the suction power of your vacuum and cause it to stink every time it is being used if it is not unclogged.

4. Mold accumulation: Your bagless vacuum unit can emit foul smells even if you do not have pets. Other dust and dirt in the dust cup can cause a strong bad smell if it has not been emptied for a long time.

That is because moisture and humidity are excellent breeding components for mold to develop and grow. When you use the vacuum, the mold gets into the canister, creating a bad smell. The solution is to empty the dust cup as frequently as possible.

5. Clogged beater brush: A vacuum’s beater brush is situated at the bottom of the unit. It gives your carpet a fluffy look after vacuuming.

Since it usually gets into the fibers of the carpet to fluff them, debris and dirt may pile up, preventing the beater brush from rotating. As a result, when the vacuum runs, a foul smell will be released from the debris piled up.

6. Burnt belt: The belt is the part made of rubber and is responsible for rolling the vacuum brush so that it can capture dirt. An overused vacuum belt can burn, causing the unit to emit a burning smell.

Another cause of a burnt belt is the improper maintenance of the vacuum brushes. If the brushes are not regularly cleaned, hair will get stuck in the bristles, preventing the correct rotation of the brushes. That will damage the rubber belt.

A rubber belt is not durable and if it is the one you are using, it should be replaced once a year.

7. Vacuum motor: The motor is an essential part of the machine, but when it is burned on the inside, it will create a smoky smell. If that is the case with your motor, consult a professional service on the matter.


How to Make a Bagless Vacuum Smell Better: A Step by Step Guide

1. Clean or change the filters: If your bagless vacuum has washable filters, you can gently wash them with plain water. After washing, leave the filters to dry for 24 hours before putting them back in the unit.

If your vacuum’s filters are not washable, you can unclog them by gently blowing them with an air compressor or a leaf blower. The filters also need to be changed every three to twelve months depending on their type.

2. Clean the entire vacuum: Wipe the surface of your machine with a wet cloth and all other vacuum parts, including the attachments. After that, use another dry cloth to clean the vacuum and all its parts.

3. Clean the vacuum’s dust cup: It is essential for the dust cup to be cleaned regularly. Once the cup has been emptied, prepare a mixture of baking soda and water and use it to gently clean the dust cup, making sure that all corners are reached.

Rinse the container thoroughly with clean water and then use a dry cloth to wipe it. Leave the dust cup to air dry before reassembling.

4. Unclog the beater brush: If your beater brush is not rotating as usual because it is clogged, try to unclog it by removing the debris stuck there using a seam ripper.

Wash in warm water that has baking soda gently after unclogging it. The baking soda will trap odor and absorb moisture, removing the foul smell from the brush.

5. Put perfume pads: After completing the procedure, place a perfume pad on top of your vacuum’s filter. That will enable your unit to release a pleasant scent when the machine is turned on.


How to Prevent the Bad Smell

1. Using essential oils: There are different scents of essential oils, such as vanilla, eucalyptus, and lemon.

However, it is up to you to choose the one you like. Put six drops of the essential oil you have chosen on a paper towel or cloth and then place it in your bagless vacuum’s filter cavity.

Whenever the vacuum is used, the oil scent will be released all over your home. Alternatively, you can put a few drops of the oil on the filter to mask any foul smell when you vacuum. Your bagless vacuum will smell better.

2. Air freshener: The air freshener is effective in preventing your unit from releasing a bad smell when being used. You can use granules because they do not break down and are not powdery, preventing your bagless vacuum from being destroyed.

Pour the granules on the floor, then vacuum them up so that they get into the vacuum’s canister or chamber. The scented granules will act as air fresheners or deodorizers every time the vacuum is used. That will cause your bagless vacuum to smell better.

3. Use cinnamon: Cinnamon is a popular spice that is easily available. It is also an effective deodorizer. You only need to put a little of it in the dust cap and it will protect your home from unwanted germs and bacteria.

The aroma is just right for your living environment. the cinnamon will make your vacuum smell better.



FAQS

Why bagless vacuums are bad

Bagless vacuum cleaners diminish filtration, cleaning performance, and suction. The vacuums are not hygienic because without the dirtbag, the microfilters of the unit clog quickly due to excessive build-up of dirt. Therefore, they have to be replaced frequently.

The bagless vacuum units have increased exposure to allergens when you are emptying the dust cup. The emptied dirt does not go into a bag that is air-tight, but into a chamber that is completely air-tight.

The process of disposing of the dirt allows some allergens and dust to be released into the air when emptying the dust cup.


How do I get dog smell out of my bagless vacuum cleaner?

Dogs are loyal family members, but they are also smelly. That smell is caused by body odor, dirt, bodily functions, and sweat.

When you use your bagless vacuum to clean an area where your dog had been lying, the dog odor may remain in the unit. Even if you regularly bathe your dog, you may experience this issue.

However, there are a few home remedies that you can apply to remove dog odor from your vacuum, which are listed below:

1. Frequently empty the dust cup after every use and rinse it. The regular cleaning of the dust cup will prevent the build-up of dog smell in your unit.

2. When the weather is good, place your vacuum outside after emptying the dirt to air it. Leave it there for 24 hours and then bring it back inside. Wipe off every bit of dust and dirt that accumulated on it when it was outside, together with the dust cup, with a soapy damp cloth.

3. Place a laundry dryer sheet that is scented inside the dust cup before using it. The sheet’s fragrance will be released into the air as your unit heats up.

4. Before vacuuming your carpet and rags, sprinkle a thin layer of regular baking soda on them and leave it there for 24 hours before vacuuming. The baking soda will neutralize any pet odors on the rags and carpet, and the inside of your machine will remain free of odor.

5. Sprinkle your carpets and rugs with a thin layer of scented laundry detergent made of powder. Let the detergent sit there for an hour and prevent children and pets from going into the areas.

When you vacuum again, a good smell will be created by the detergent in the air and on your carpet and rugs.

6. Use a scented spice such as lavender, cinnamon, or rosemary to sprinkle on the carpet to help in getting rid of dog odor from your carpet and vacuum. Leave the spice there for an hour before vacuuming.


Why do bagless vacuum cleaners lose suction?

The most common cause of vacuums losing suction power is blocked filters, which may need cleaning or replacing to remedy the issue. Other known causes include a blocked hose, which will require you to remove the hose and inspect it for any blockages.

A full dust cup will reduce the suction power of a vacuum because there is no more space for dirt to be collected in the vacuum. Empty the dust cup so that there is space and the suction power will return to normal.

Airflow obstructions in the vacuum are also another reason for reduced suction. You can remove the obstruction by stretching the vacuum’s hose to its full length and inserting a broom handle through it to push out any obstructions.

A hole or crack in the hose will cause the suction power of your vacuum to be lost. If the hose of your vacuum has this problem, the solution is to replace the hose with a new one.

Check the connection between the vacuum and the hose because any loose or bad connection will compromise the flow of air, which will result in suction loss.

Check the beater bar or rotating brush because if it is not turning, it means there is suction loss. The brush sweeps debris and dirt into the unit’s suction flow, enabling the machine to easily pick up dirt. The solution is to remove the brush and clean it to regain suction power.

A bad motor will cause a vacuum to lose suction. A bad motor should be replaced because it is not a do-it-yourself job. For motors with plastic spinning blades, the suction loss will be caused by broken blades. The solution is replacing the fan blade.