One of the leading causes of vacuum cleaner suction loss is clogging. In some cases, you may have vacuumed up a larger object accidentally. Other times, a nasty little lump of hair and other debris may have formed somewhere in your machine. Either way, it’s not a pleasant situation to be in. We’ll lend a helping hand by teaching you how to unclog a vacuum cleaner without getting a migraine. Find out how to clean the inside of a vacuum cleaner hose safely below!
Steps and Tips: How to Unclog a Vacuum Cleaner
To learn how to unclog a vacuum cleaner, all you have to do is go through the 4 simple instructions we have explained.
Step 1. Inspect the Source
Before we get into how to unclog a vacuum cleaner in detail, you have to figure out where the blockage is specifically. A quick inspection can help you determine whether the hose or the cleaning head is hiding the culprit.
For starters, disconnect the hose from the rest of the machine. To test if it’s clogged, drop a coin (or another similar object) down the hose while holding it upright. You’ll know if the hose is the problem depending on whether the coin falls straight through to the ground or not.
If your hose seems to be fine, it’s time to probe the cleaning head. Turn your vacuum upside down or in the most comfortable position for you to inspect the beater bar. If you find a large amount of hair or other dirt particles stuck in there, you know what you have to clean.
Step 2. Prepare Your Tool
Depending on the source, you’ll need a tool to unclog vacuum hose or cleaning heads. The good part is that you don’t have to go out and purchase a specific tool. Instead, you can take advantage of various items you already have at home.
For cleaning inside of vacuum hose, you can use any one of the makeshift tools below:
- Broom handle
- Mop handle
- Coat hanger/ stiff electrical wire
If you need to unclog a vacuum cleaning head, feel free to use any of the following:
- Industrial pipe cleaner
- Screwdriver
- Scissors
You may also want to keep a pair of gloves nearby in case you need to reach in and pull debris out.
Step 3. Remove Obstruction
When the time comes to clear the blockage, make sure that your tools are at hand. For hose clogs, the handle of a broom or mop should be more than enough for removing obstructions. Simply hold the hose up and gently push the item to the other end. Try to keep the hose as straight as possible when the handle goes through it so you won’t cause any damage.
Alternatively, if the item gets hard to pull out through the end hole, you can use a coat hanger. Unwind it at the top and bend it in the right position to pry the item out. Likewise, work with care so you won’t puncture the hose.
If the cleaning head is clogged with a larger item, use an industrial pipe cleaner to work it out of the area. A screwdriver also works for carefully scraping out certain items. However, if the clog is due to a tangled cleaning brush, you should grab a pair of scissors. Gently snip through the hair until all of it can be removed.
Step 4. Test Vacuum
By now, you have completed all the main steps of how to unclog a vacuum cleaner. Nevertheless, you have to check and see if your method worked.
Plug in the vacuum cleaner and use it on a wooden surface or carpet. Even better, try both surfaces so you can prevent any other issues later on.
If you still feel that something fishy is going on, you may want to give the whole vacuum a good cleaning. We generally recommend that you clean your unit periodically to keep it running well.
Conclusion
To conclude our tips on how to unclog a vacuum cleaner, you can almost always solve the problem on your own. If one method or tool doesn’t work out for you, don’t hesitate to try another one until you get the process right. Unfortunately, if your vacuum is still clogged after following the steps above, you may have to reach out to a specialist. Do you have any other tips and tricks on how to unclog a vacuum cleaner? Share them with others in a comment below!
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