Safety tips to follow when using a vacuum cleaner

Our penchant for keeping a clean and hygienic house makes us do vacuuming day in and day out. 

No matter how user friendly a vacuum cleaner seems, we simply can’t afford to take it for granted. 

As vacuum cleaners are sophisticated electrical gadgets, we need to handle them with great care and take care of various safety measures while operating them. 

Let’s educate ourselves about various safety tips on how to operate our vacuum cleaner precisely. 

Wear protective clothing

Even though it may sound burdensome and time-consuming exercise to wear protective gear, you must wear protective clothing for safe vacuuming.

Put on your hand gloves and wear recommended safety footwear that keeps your hands and feet safe from dust, dirt, and other debris. This is highly recommended if you are vacuuming any industrial area. 

If you are prone to allergy and asthma, you must use a face mask for avoiding close contact with the dust allergens that circulate in the air during vacuuming.

Wear your goggles to ensure the safety of your eyes from being exposed to dust, dirt, and other contaminants. 

If you can’t bear the noisy vacuuming, use an ear protector for convenient and pleasurable cleaning.

If you have allergy problems, read – Home cleaning tips for allergy sufferers for some fantastic tricks.

Avoid Flammable Materials

Your vacuum cleaner is an electrical appliance that consumes electricity. While operating it, you must ensure to keep it away from any flammable or combustible materials.

Avoid vacuuming any materials that may cause a fire when it comes in contact with electricity.

Before you begin vacuuming, ensure to check your surroundings for detecting any flammable materials to avoid any accidents.

Avoid Sharp Objects

Never run your vacuum over any sharp objects on your carpets, floors, or any other surface.  

Vacuuming sharp objects may lead to the scratches on interiors of vacuum and cause severe damage to its machinery.

Keep an eye on sharp objects such as glass pieces, nails, coins, screws, lego, etc, lying in your vacuuming pathway and manually lift them without running over them.

Always sweep the sharp objects off the carpets of floors using a broom.

Read: Things you should not clean using a vacuum cleaner.

Keep children and pets away

When you are vacuuming, ensure to keep your children and pets at a safe distance. 

Vacuum cleaner runs on electricity and leaves your children and pets vulnerable for any accidents if left unattended.

Engage your children and pets in some other activities or send them outdoors or in another room before you begin vacuuming.

If your children and pets come to you during vacuuming, ensure to immediately switch off the vacuum cleaner and then attend to them.

Pull vacuum cleaner through its handle

The vacuum cleaners comprise a handle and a power cord. 

The handle is designed to be used for effortless pulling of vacuum around the house during vacuuming.  And the power cord is meant for supplying electricity.

Don’t try to pull your vacuum cleaner through its cord as it may loosen the internal wires which may cause short circuits.

Always pull your vacuum cleaner using its handle only.

Avoid Wet Floors

One of the biggest limitations of a regular vacuum cleaner is they are not meant for cleaning water spills or wet surfaces.

The water droplets when sucked inside promote moisture buildup and may lead to electrocution accidents.

The water may also compromise the functioning of the motor and other parts.

Therefore you must avoid running your vacuum cleaner over wet floors. For cleaning the damp floor, you will need a wet and dry vacuum cleaner

Avoid Powders

You must avoid vacuuming any type of fine dust particles or powder.  

Although a limited quantity of powders does not pose a major risk, cleaning bulk quantities of powder forms like flour, ashes, construction dust, etc; can severely hamper the efficiency of vacuuming.  

The fine particles of powder clog the filters, blown back into the released air, and reduce the suction capacity. 

They also got stuck to the motor’s components and disable their functioning.

Always collect and clean the excessive powder or any fine particles by sweeping the surface using a broom.

Empty the Canister and replace the dust bag regularly

The vacuum cleaners comprise either a canister or bag to collect the accumulated dust, dirt, and other debris.

Don’t wait for the canister vacuum cleaner to get full. Once it reaches its 3/4th capacity, empty it. Similarly, replace the dust bag before it reaches its full size.

The fully loaded canister or dust bag affects the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner and may even blowback the dusty air into the surroundings. It may also clog the hose. 

Before vacuuming, always check the canister or bag. Replace the dust bag or empty the cartridge regularly. You can also go for bagless vacuum cleaners as they are hassle-free. 

Use only compatible extension cords

Using the extension cords that are mismatched with your vacuum or that are faulty, can lead to dire consequences. 

It can inflict severe damage to your vacuum and also enhances the possibility of fire-outbreak.

You should use only those extension cords that are compatible with your vacuum cleaner.

Avoid vacuuming large objects

You may encounter several large objects on your way during vacuuming. Don’t run your vacuum over them for cleaning.

Picking large metallic objects during vacuuming may damage the brush nozzle. It can clog the pathway and hamper the motor functioning that requires expensive repairs. 

Ensure to lift the large objects manually from your way and use vacuuming only for picking smaller dust, dirt, and other allergens. 

Take care of vacuum cords 

It is widespread during vacuuming that the vacuum cords get tangled and form various knots.

Be careful to avoid messing up your vacuum cords. Also, don’t trip over the cords as it may lead to serious mishappenings. 

Periodically inspect the vacuum cords to detect any cuts or other issues.

Take special care while vacuuming at sharp corners to avoid overstretching or breaking the cords.

When you are moving from one area to another during vacuuming, switch off and unplug the device before moving.

Always loop the cords correctly and keep them organized in their place using vacuum clips when you store a vacuum cleaner. 

Don’t vacuum with a faulty vacuum cleaner

Don’t vacuum with a vacuum cleaner that needs repairs. 

If there is any sign of malfunctioning of your vacuum, immediately unplug the device and try to locate the source of the issue. 

If you can’t deal with the issue yourself, call your vacuum cleaner technician for resolving the problem, and till it gets repaired, store your vacuum safely in its place.

It helps you to limit the damage and save minor issues being blown into a major problem. 

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions guide

Ensure to read the manufacturer’s instructions guide thoroughly, to update yourself on the safe handling of the vacuum cleaner. 

Educate yourself about the working, available functions, and accessories of the vacuum cleaner.

Pay attention to the precautions to take when switching on the vacuum. Also, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on storing the vacuum in a safe, cool, and dry place.

Conclusion

Properly vacuuming your house makes your equipment last longer, and enhances its efficiency. 

It also avoids accidental mishaps and promises safe & sound cleaning.

Before you begin vacuuming, remember the safety tips and take a few minutes to check if everything is in order with your vacuum cleaner and the cleaning area.

Dolly Savla
 

Dolly is a part of the content creation team at reviews.in. Her strength lies in creating content about sports, fitness and lifestyle. Creating art, drinking coffee and reading books, makes her happy when not working with reviews.

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