Home central vacuums are a wonderful thing to have, and they make your home cleaning routine much simpler. But it can only continue to ease your home cleaning burden as long as it’s still in good condition. Taking care of the hoses and replacing the filters are important to maintaining your central vacuum. However, you also have to be careful about what you vacuum up. In our last post, we listed some items you should never vacuum. Here’s the rest of the list.
Keep home central vacuums in good condition by avoiding these messes that you shouldn’t suck up.
Coffee Grounds
We all know not to put coffee grounds down the sink because they will clog the drains. Well, the same applies to your vacuum. That wet blob of coffee grounds can get stuck in your hoses and filters just as it can in your pipes. Grab a dustpan and a broom or a wet cloth to clear up this mess and toss it in the trash or compost.
Makeup
If you drop makeup on the floor, you might think you can just vacuum it up. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The pigment from makeup spreads incredibly quickly, and you’ll leave trails of color wherever you vacuum next. Grab your trusty broom and dustpan to sweep up everything you can, and then use a wet cloth and household cleaner for the rest. Make sure to clean your broom afterward so you don’t leave streaks next time you sweep.
Small Objects
Before you vacuum, you should always check under the furniture first. You don’t want to accidentally suck up something valuable, or that could damage your vacuum. If you vacuum up an earring, you may never find it again, and the post could damage the hose or filter. The same goes for small toys, beads, bobby pins, paper clips, nails, and similar items.
Sticky Stuff
You should never vacuum over a sticky mess. First of all, it won’t be very effective. Secondly, sticky substances like glue or syrup will gum up the brushes, hoses, and filters in your vacuum. If the sticky stuff is also perishable, you also run the risk of growing mold inside your vacuum.