![\"\"](\"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Ways-to-stop-your-vacuum-smelling.avif\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nA note on essential oils<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before we begin, some sites recommend using essential oils to make your vacuum smell fresher, either by applying it via cotton balls into the canister or directly onto the filter. We do not recommend doing this. According to Asaph Ooi, Head of Product Programmes for Floorcare at Dyson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile we love the idea of finding ways to reduce bad odours in your home, we would never recommend intentionally including large foreign objects in the bin of a Dyson vacuum, as it could reduce the functionality of the primary cyclone and cause a loss of suction power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe also do not recommend that owners expose their machines to any liquid including water or essential oils. Owners should refer to the instructions in the manual provided with the machine upon purchase, as usage of their machine outside of what it\u2019s designed to do may void their guarantee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So stick to the below steps if you want your vacuum to last longer and keep performing as it should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clear any blockages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nThe smell is likely coming from within the vacuum. There might be a blockage in the hose, or perhaps residue left over in the canister, so it\u2019s worth giving the whole vacuum a deep clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/ol>\n\n\n\nFirst, switch it off and unplug it (if corded), then take it apart and remove any visible blockages. Blockages can form around the entrance to the body as well as the top of the bag (if bagged), so it\u2019s a good idea to check here once the hose is removed. You\u2019ll also need to cut away any hair that\u2019s wrapped around the brush bar; this will impair the pickup rate. Some vacuums come with an indent, so you can slide a pair of scissors along the bar to make things easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clean the body<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now that it\u2019s free of blockages, it\u2019s time to clean what remains. All non-electrical attachments, such as the crevice tool, dusting brush and the hose, can generally be washed in warm, soapy water. Even the floor head may be suitable for rinsing in warm water, so long as there\u2019s no electrical components. Check your manual first if you\u2019re unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also important that you remove and clean the inside of the canister with soapy water if you have a bagless vacuum \u2013 lots of residue can collect here. The exterior of the vacuum can be wiped with a cloth dampened with soapy water, but avoid any electrical parts once again. Leave all attachments to dry completely before replacing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clean the filter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A blocked filter often causes a vacuum to smell. That\u2019s because the air is passing through the residue before it vents away. This blockage can also put strain on the appliance as it can\u2019t vent effectively, which in turn makes it overheat and exacerbates the smell. Some vacuums are advanced enough to tell you when the filter needs cleaning, otherwise you\u2019ll know when the performance suffers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, these filters are often removable and washable, but you should check with your manual first to confirm. Some vacuums come with more than one filter and they\u2019re not always washable and may need to be replaced instead (or just tapped against the bin to remove dust). Even the washable ones will need replacing eventually, so its worth checking this beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow the instructions to wash your filter. General directions include tapping the excess into the bin before rinsing it under cool water and gently wiping away the residue with your fingers, or a soft brush. Once the water runs clear, shake the filter over the sink to remove any final droplets, before lightly dabbing it with towels and then leaving it to dry in a well-ventilated spot. Only replace it once completely dry (wait at least 24 hours). Make sure it dries quickly, or this encourages a musty smell that can make things worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vacuum up some bicarb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bicarb is a brilliant deodoriser. That\u2019s because it actively neutralises both acidic and alkaline odour molecules in the air. For this reason, we can use it to remedy a smelly fridge, wardrobe or bathroom. But it can come to the rescue for your vacuum cleaner, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/ol>\n\n\n\nBy sprinkling a small amount over your carpets and vacuuming it up, it can get to work on any smells inside your vacuum. This could be handy if the smell is coming from inside a vacuum bag. But you need to watch you don\u2019t vacuum up too much. An excess of bicarb could contribute to a blockage, taking you back to square one again. It could also invalidate your warranty, so it\u2019s worth checking if your model is suitable for this with the brand first. You could always add it directly to the bag for bagged models.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vacuuming is no one\u2019s favourite chore. With embedded hair in the carpet and crumbs clinging to the kitchen kickboards, it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vacuum-cleaner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions\/15"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
The smell is likely coming from within the vacuum. There might be a blockage in the hose, or perhaps residue left over in the canister, so it\u2019s worth giving the whole vacuum a deep clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ol>\n\n\n\n
First, switch it off and unplug it (if corded), then take it apart and remove any visible blockages. Blockages can form around the entrance to the body as well as the top of the bag (if bagged), so it\u2019s a good idea to check here once the hose is removed. You\u2019ll also need to cut away any hair that\u2019s wrapped around the brush bar; this will impair the pickup rate. Some vacuums come with an indent, so you can slide a pair of scissors along the bar to make things easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clean the body<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now that it\u2019s free of blockages, it\u2019s time to clean what remains. All non-electrical attachments, such as the crevice tool, dusting brush and the hose, can generally be washed in warm, soapy water. Even the floor head may be suitable for rinsing in warm water, so long as there\u2019s no electrical components. Check your manual first if you\u2019re unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also important that you remove and clean the inside of the canister with soapy water if you have a bagless vacuum \u2013 lots of residue can collect here. The exterior of the vacuum can be wiped with a cloth dampened with soapy water, but avoid any electrical parts once again. Leave all attachments to dry completely before replacing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clean the filter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A blocked filter often causes a vacuum to smell. That\u2019s because the air is passing through the residue before it vents away. This blockage can also put strain on the appliance as it can\u2019t vent effectively, which in turn makes it overheat and exacerbates the smell. Some vacuums are advanced enough to tell you when the filter needs cleaning, otherwise you\u2019ll know when the performance suffers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, these filters are often removable and washable, but you should check with your manual first to confirm. Some vacuums come with more than one filter and they\u2019re not always washable and may need to be replaced instead (or just tapped against the bin to remove dust). Even the washable ones will need replacing eventually, so its worth checking this beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow the instructions to wash your filter. General directions include tapping the excess into the bin before rinsing it under cool water and gently wiping away the residue with your fingers, or a soft brush. Once the water runs clear, shake the filter over the sink to remove any final droplets, before lightly dabbing it with towels and then leaving it to dry in a well-ventilated spot. Only replace it once completely dry (wait at least 24 hours). Make sure it dries quickly, or this encourages a musty smell that can make things worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vacuum up some bicarb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bicarb is a brilliant deodoriser. That\u2019s because it actively neutralises both acidic and alkaline odour molecules in the air. For this reason, we can use it to remedy a smelly fridge, wardrobe or bathroom. But it can come to the rescue for your vacuum cleaner, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- <\/ol>\n\n\n\n
By sprinkling a small amount over your carpets and vacuuming it up, it can get to work on any smells inside your vacuum. This could be handy if the smell is coming from inside a vacuum bag. But you need to watch you don\u2019t vacuum up too much. An excess of bicarb could contribute to a blockage, taking you back to square one again. It could also invalidate your warranty, so it\u2019s worth checking if your model is suitable for this with the brand first. You could always add it directly to the bag for bagged models.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vacuuming is no one\u2019s favourite chore. With embedded hair in the carpet and crumbs clinging to the kitchen kickboards, it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vacuum-cleaner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions\/15"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topvacuumreviews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}