Common Myths About Vacuum Cleaners

All vacuum cleaners can lose suction, even Dyson. This can be caused by several reasons but it’s often mostly because of a clogged filter.

Most Dyson vacuums, including the battery-operated ones, utilize a washable filter and cyclone technology. The filters are designed to capture small particles that were not separated by the spinning forces in the cyclone. If the filter is unwashed, it will become clogged and drastically affect the suction performance of the vacuum. Let alone other vacuums that also use filters (filter pad, filter cotton, etc.).

So Dyson vacuums don’t lose suction is a myth.

It is one of the biggest misbeliefs in the public that vacuum cleaners are service-free and thus require zero attention for maintenance. To be frank, it’s a myth.

People have to realize those vacuum cleaners are unlike other common appliances in their houses. This cute house helper help deals with dust, hair, pet fur, dirt, and other mess all the time and you could not expect it can take care of itself when this thing comes into its body. Hence, it needs your attention, your love, and your care. If you think that you can be rough and carefree with your vacuum cleaner and use it until the end of the world, then you are wrong.

It is a trick that is thrown by the salesman around you when you are lost in choosing the vacuum cleaners. Actually, many customers reported that they were told to choose a vac that has higher Amps, which means more power plus more suction. It is a myth.

Amp (A: ampere) only indicates the current of an appliance when it's in operation. In other words, the Amp rating of a vacuum cleaner only tells the input it is receiving, instead of the power it generates.

When we mentioned filters in Myth 1, HEPA filter is one type of them. All vacuum cleaners have some sort of filtration to protect dirt and debris from reaching the motor part, in some cases, it could be a washable foam filter or a HEPA filter.

To create suction, the motor needs to be able to pull air through the filter material in a vacuum environment. This means the filter material will have small pores to allow air to pass, but the holes need to be small enough to block dirt and other particles from getting through.

Nevertheless, it does not mean the filter can capture all particles effectively that the vacuum picks up, no matter how good the vacuum is. If you use the vacuum to pick up some debris that the filter cannot handle, it would result in a bad motor and even cause more components to damage. And most cases only a new motor or a whole new vacuum could fix the issue. So everything that could be sucked up is a myth.

There are some examples of fine dust that should not be picked up in a standard vacuum cleaner include:

Drywall dust

Drywall mud, or fillers

Sawdust

Ash (from wood or pellet stoves)

Flour

Baby powder

Baking soda

Concrete dust (from new construction or damaged concrete floors)

Powder-based carpet deodorizing shake

Generally, the items below should not be picked up using your vacuum. Due to the nature of the items they can cause odor issues, or cause blockages:

Wet floor mats in the winter

Soiled kitty litter

Broken Glass

Paper Clips

Nails/Screws

Bobby pin

Paper (shredded or otherwise)

It is known that there are a bunch of types of carpets in the world. Currently, there is no brand that says their vacuum can handle all types of carpets. It is a myth.

The performance of a vacuum on the carpet depends on some factors, like whether has a motorized beater brush against the carpet, whether it is a shag carpet, or some undercoat carpet.

More and more vacuums are capable to deal with carpets nowadays, and it is vital to choose a vacuum that fit the carpet in your house, and we suggest it has a beater bar that can roll up the debris from the carpet, with not that strong suction that cannot even move smoothly on the carpet.

Bigger or heavier does not mean a better vacuum. It is a myth.

In fact, the size or weight of a vacuum has nothing to do with its performance. It is created to be so and there are many modern lightweight vacuums that have a better performance than those heavier ones.