16 Cool Vacuum Cleaner Tricks That You Should Know

We're an affiliate

 This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Thank you if you use our links, we really appreciate it!

Vacuuming like a pro and battling dust bunnies are easy to do when you have a powerful vacuum cleaner at your disposal.

A good vacuum cleaner also helps to eliminate odors from your home and get into those hard-to-reach places.

Although a vacuum is one of the most valuable tools that you can own, it’s not just great for cleaning carpets.

In fact, it comes in handy in various situations.

So what are some vacuum cleaner tips and tricks that you should be using?

Well, just some of the things that you can do with your vacuum are fixed carpet indents, recover lost items, and deodorize the air.

In the following article, we’ll take a look at some more tips and tricks that you can perform
using your vacuum cleaner.

Top 16 Vacuuming Tricks You Need to Know

#1 Recover lost items

If you have ever dropped something really tiny on your carpets, you probably lost track of it.

A vacuum cleaner is an ideal tool for this situation.

All you need to do is put a stocking or pair of pantyhose over your vacuum attachment and then turn it on and go about your business as usual.

What will happen during this process is the vacuum will suck the items into the stocking and hold them in place for you.

This is probably one of the most ingenious ways of recovering lost items around the house. It also works great for really small
items that are easy to miss.

#2 Fixing carpet indentations

If you experience carpet indentations, you know just exactly how unsightly it can be.

The good news is there’s a simple way to eliminate indentations.

In most cases, heavy furniture placed on your carpet for a period of time will cause the indentation.

However, by placing an ice cube in that specific spot and allowing it to melt, it will fluff up your carpet fibers.

You need to allow your carpets to dry completely and then vacuum the area to remove any trace of the indentation.

You may also use a fork or comb to fluff up the fibers once it is dry.

#3 Freshen the air

Did you know that you can use a vacuum to clean your carpets and deodorize it at the same time?

Well, you can.

Before you start vacuuming, all you do is add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a cotton ball.

Thereafter place the cotton ball in your vacuums canister and continue to vacuum as usual.

Ultimately what happens is that the airflow through your vacuum disperses the scent of the essential oil into the air in your home as you vacuum and clean.

#4 Combat allergy symptoms

In most cases, when you experience allergy symptoms seasonally, it’s usually a sign that pollen has made its way into your home.

What you can do to combat this is vacuum your window tracks, window screens, and window sills as well to move traces of allergens, pollen, and dust.

Try using your vacuums dusting attachment to remove dust from fans, heating vents, AC units, and radiators as well.

#5 Prevent a fire

Drier fires can occur frequently and are usually caused by lint stuck inside the vents.

Remove the lint trap from your drier and use the crevice tool from your vacuum cleaner to vacuum any lint that may be trapped inside the vent.

It should be done a few times a year to prevent the risk of a fire.

#6 Freshening your mattress

Most of us spend lots of time in our mattress, approximately eight hours a night, give or take.

So it makes sense that you want to keep your mattress smelling fresh for as long as possible.

A simple way to do this is to sprinkle a baking soda treatment all of your mattresses and then allow it to lay on your bed while soaking up odors and moisture for approximately 1 to 2 hours.

Thereafter, you can take your vacuum cleaner and mop up the baking soda leaving your mattress fresh and deodorized.

#7 Grooming your pet

Although pets all have different preferences, most cats and dogs love having their coats vacuumed.

It’s probably because the feeling is likened to a good scratch, and an added bonus for you is that the vacuuming will remove most of the loose fur.

This is a great trick to use when you want to groom pets, and the only time you should not go ahead and do it is if your pet is obviously terrified of your vacuum cleaner.

And if they are, then you probably shouldn’t attempt this trick.

#8 Dusting

If you have put off dusting for a little too long, then you’re not alone.

It’s very easy to put it off until the dust is a little bit too obvious and settled absolutely everywhere.

Most dust can be removed with a dusting attachment on your vacuum.

Thereafter, you can go over everything with a damp cloth to remove anything left behind.

So your vacuum cleaner is not just for cleaning your floors, but for every other possible surface and item inside your home, making your home completely dust-free.

#9 Attaching cardboard to your hose

When vacuuming, getting into the tight cracks and crevices can prove to be a challenge.

However, what you can do is attach cardboard to your vacuum hose, and this way, you can manipulate it by smashing it to fit into even the tiniest of spaces.

This will help you vacuum the dust out of those nearly impossible to reach areas.

This trick can even help you clean in between your computer keyboard as well.

A great idea for this is to use a ketchup squeeze cap bottle top on your vacuum hose and suck dust out of your keyboard and other tiny spaces.

#10 Cinnamon powder

When cleaning places in the home that tend to get stinky, you can add a bit of cinnamon powder to your vacuums bad.

Cinnamon powder is a sweet and spice that will cover it up and mask pet odors that may linger in your home and machine and inevitably emit a sweet fragrance each time you vacuum.

#11 Using seam ripper to clean brush roller

If you got a tangle on the bottom of your vacuum, don’t ruin your manicure, instead, take an agile seam ripper and cut up the stub and knotted threads.

This will clean your vacuum and make it perform ten times better.

#12 Cleaning glass

After experiencing a sandstorm, your first instinct would be to take a damp cloth and wipe your window done.

However, this is not recommended, and you should never wipe your window down with a damp cloth after a sandstorm as it can leave scratches behind.

The best thing to do is to vacuum clean your windows fast, making sure that most of the residue is off and thereafter, use a damp cloth to finish off the cleaning.

#13 Blinds and lampshades

Cleaning blinds and lampshades can tend to be a challenge and quite a tedious task that is quite frankly no one enjoys.

However, to make work lighter for you, use the brush tool attachment on your vacuum cleaner and run it on your blinds, lampshades, and even books.

This sucks away all of the dust, making cleaning effortless.

#14 Catching bugs

Bugs are terrifying things, to say the least.

Even seemingly harmless insects such as ants can come in armies to invade your home.

Even worse, unfriendly bugs may walk or fly into your house; and you should get rid of them immediately.

Your vacuum can be used to catch these bugs while you are at a comfortable distance.

If you have pets that have fleas, then these fleas will no doubt spread to your carpet and upholstery.

A good way of making sure that they stay off your carpets and upholstery use your vacuum cleaner to clean all surfaces in your home and catch fleas once and for all.

15. Cleaning kitchen appliances

Cleaning your kitchen is hard enough; cleaning your appliances is even harder.

Appliances such as your fridge, toaster, and microwave usually have little crumbs scattered underneath and inside them.

So if you haven’t cleaned your kitchen in a while, these crumbs are likely decomposing and getting stickier under and inside your appliances.

Your vacuum cleaners crevice tool can be used to reach those tough spots and quickly remove those decomposing crumbs.

The only rule here is that the appliance you are vacuuming is not heated.

Vacuums are also handy for cleaning the cabinets and walls of your kitchen and bathroom as well that surfaces that tough dirt stuck on them.

Using the soft brush attachment, you can quickly get some of these residues with your vacuum cleaner.

#16 Cleaning books

If you got a bookshelf in your home, then you’ll know how books can collect dust.

In fact, they are like magnets or allergens. They find their way into the cracks between the pages and covers of your book.

In order to get rid of the dust and allergens that they bring with them, you will need to eliminate the dust from your books.

Vacuums are the best for this job. The soft-touch attachment and suction mode will clean your books and keep them in one piece.