12 Things You Should Never Vacuum
Vacuuming may seem like a quick solution for any spill, but these things are better left for the broom.
Never vacuum wet foods
Some kitchen spills can be cleaned with a vacuum, like sugar and salt. Others, like fresh produce, baked beans, and potato salad, cannot. They can clog the vacuum just based on their size and damage the motor because of their moisture. What’s worse, the foods could spoil inside your vacuum and start to smell. You don’t want to be stuck cleaning up that mess!
Used coffee grounds
All coffee drinkers know the struggles of cleaning out the old coffee maker (unless you’ve jumped on the pod-coffee bandwagon, that is). Wet coffee grounds are a pain to clean, but don’t make that a job for your vacuum. They can clog pipes, ruin the motor, and spurn mildew growth inside the machine.
Plant debris
Dead leaves and flowers that fall off houseplants could easily clog your machine. Pick them up by hand or sweep them instead.
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Fireplace ash
Sucking up fireplace ash with a vacuum is basically the opposite of cleaning. The particles are so fine that they could get blown out the back of the machine and right into the air. Try covering them with wet coffee grounds before sweeping them up so you don’t inhale any of the potentially harmful particles.
Construction dust
Home renovations are a big undertaking, but don’t try to breeze through the cleanup with a vacuum. Like fireplace ash, construction debris is made up of fine particles that can burn out the motor or get released back into the air. Sweep it all up to keep your vacuum—and yourself—safe.
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Coins and small toys
These are things you probably wouldn’t vacuum up on purpose. That’s why it’s extra important for you to check your floors before your hit that power button, especially if you have young kids. Small objects that get sucked up could break into pieces, shred the filter bag, or wreck the vacuum’s motor.
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Liquids
Vacuuming up liquids is an expensive mistake. At the very least, the machine will undergo certain damage. Investing in a wet/dry vacuum designed to handle these problems is one solution, but there are plenty of other ways to clean spilled liquid: a mop, almost any Swiffer-type product, paper towels, regular towels, washcloths—you get the idea.
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Electrical cords
It may not seem like a big deal to quickly vacuum over a cord so you can get that hard-to-reach corner, but it is. Over time, the vacuum can break apart the cord’s exterior and eventually expose the dangerous wires inside. Cords for vacuums themselves are usually more heavy duty, but they can suffer the same damage.
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Makeup
Eyeshadow, bronzer, foundation, blush, even broken bits of lipstick—none of these things should ever go in your vacuum. They could melt inside the machine and cause serious damage.
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Clumps of hair
As someone with long, thick locks that shed constantly, I can honestly say vacuuming large amounts of hair just isn’t worth it. It clogs up the machine, and you’ll need to fish it all out just to make the vacuum work properly again. Gross. Save yourself time and extra effort by sweeping it up.
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Shredded paper
Vacuuming up heaps of shredded paper is just as bad as heaps of hair, leading to a clogged machine and a burnt-out motor. A broom is the best solution to this mess, unless the shredded paper is on a carpet, in which case you may just need to use your hands. Good luck.
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Large pieces of glass
Cleaning up broken glass is always a precarious, but copping out by doing the job with a vacuum can ruin the inside of your machine. Throw away big pieces by hand (wear thick gloves if you’re afraid of getting cut) or just sweep it all up.
Next, check out 13 cleaning hacks that take the hassle out of housekeeping.
