Despite all the joys of living with pets, they certainly give us extra tasks when it comes to cleaning. Pet owners must contend with animal hair and dander, muddy floors, dirt tracked inside on paws, and more.
You’re also likely to be cleaning more often. All this can take its toll on your vacuum cleaner, which needs a little TLC to keep working as it should.
Thankfully we’ve put together this quick 4-step guide for pet owners to help you look after your vacuum cleaner:
- Clean the filters regularly
Your vacuum’s filter removes dust and allergens from the air sucked in by your vacuum – and there will be plenty of those with pets around! If the dust that they trap isn’t regularly cleaned away they can become blocked, which can result in poor suction over time.
Remove the filters, tap off any loose dirt, rinse under the tap and allow to dry completely for 24 hours before re-inserting.
- Empty the dust cup
Empty the dust cup every time you vacuum, and if debris reaches the MAX fill line while cleaning. Simply remove the dust cup using the release button, hold it over a bin and press the latch to empty the contents.
You can also give the inside a quick wipe over with a dry microfibre cloth to remove stubborn dust and pet dander, which can cause musty odours to develop over time. Sound familiar? We’ve developed our Stratos range with Anti-Odour Technology to combat this problem, protecting against bad odours inside your vacuum.
- Check for blockages
From fur-balls to that sock they always steal – if you’ve noticed a drop in suction, a blockage could be to blame!
It’s easy to check – if you have an upright vacuum, first remove the handle and check if there is any suction once turned on – if not, there may be an obstruction in the handle or hose. If this section is clear, or if you have a stick vacuum, look through the wand to ensure nothing has become lodged in the pipe. You can also shine a torch into the hose. Finally, check the arm of the floorhead – where you connect the wand – for blockages.
- Remove hair from your brush-rolls
Hair can get tangled around vacuum cleaner brush-rolls as you clean, causing them to become blocked over time. Unless you have an , you may need to cut any tangled pet hair away manually.
Simply detach the floorhead from your vacuum and turn it upside down. Some models have a removable cover or section of the base, check your instruction booklet for details. Remove any visible debris from the bristles then carefully use scissors within the brush-roll groove to cut away any wrapped hair.
