Other Cleaning Appliances

The consumable that genuinely matters

If your vacuum "lost power", in most cases it has not failed — it has a dirty filter or a full bag. It is by far the number one reason a machine looks finished when it is not.

In practice, a filter change costs very little and restores suction to levels you have not seen in years. Before considering a new vacuum, try that.

And a point about bags: suction drops long before the bag is full. The paper pores clog at around two thirds. If you wait for it to fill, you do half a job for weeks.

Finding the right part

Bags and filters are strictly specific to the vacuum model, not the brand. Two vacuums from the same company may need entirely different bags.

You need the exact vacuum code — it is on a label on the underside or the back. Alternatively, the code on the old bag or filter.

If you cannot find the code, photograph the label and send it to us — it is the fastest route to identification.

What to change and how often

Bag: at two thirds, not when full.

Exhaust filter: depending on the manufacturer, usually every six months to a year. In a home with pets, more often.

Motor filter: typically with every bag change or a little less often.

Brush: when the bristles wear or bend. A worn brush does not lift dust from carpets.

Washable filters: they wash with water and must dry completely before going back — otherwise they smell and develop mould.

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