How To Clean Your Dyson Stick Vacuum

Are you part of the cult — I mean, family — of the Dyson stick vacuums? To be honest I didn’t get the fuss over them. It’s a vacuum. That’s cordless. Yeah? 

Then I tried one. And when I saw what my living room rug actually looks like, as in, minus the semi-permanent coating of dog hair it wears, I found myself a believer, and a proselytizer. These machines don’t mess around. How they put so much suction into something so small and light I have no idea. But no matter how it works, the main thing is that I can suck the dog hair and dust and whatever else is floating around our 132-year-old house out of nooks and crannies that were previously impossible (hello, staircase that’s heretofore been impossible to vacuum) and make it disappear.

Of course all that mess has go somewhere, and the “where” is the canister (that fills up disconcertingly quickly!). There’s also residue that lands in the filter (although surprisingly not a lot) and the stray bits that can lodge in the cleaner head. So when I finally got a splurge-y Dyson stick vac, I vowed to invest the time to keep it nice and clean itself, so that it can keep my floors (and furniture and dog beds) clean, too. And it’s honestly not that hard. The only part I don’t like is that you need to let the filter and brush bar dry a full 24 hours or more, so if you needed to vacuum, but you washed these pieces last night, you’re out of luck until they dry.

You’ll want to wash the filter once a month. The manual says to wash the brush bar “regularly.” What’s that mean? Because anything lodged in the brushes can damage wood floors when you vacuum, let’s go with an as-needed basis. Just keep an eye on it and watch for gunk buildup. Here’s how to clean both parts. (And don’t forget to dump the canister anytime it’s full!)

Note: If you have any questions along the way, be sure to check your owner’s manual, as your directions could be slightly different, depending on the model you have.

• Sink access
• A place for the filter to dry

1. Take the basic vacuum pieces apart: Disconnect the vacuum from the charger and take the stick off. Be careful not to pull the “On” trigger.
2. Remove the filter: You should see a button that says “Filter.” Push that to reveal the filter and lift it out of the machine.
3. Clean the filter: Run the filter under the faucet (in cold water) until the water runs clear. Carefully wring the filter to make sure excess water is removed.
4. Let dry and reassemble: Lay the filter on its side to dry. Leave it to dry completely for a minimum of 24 hours before you reassemble the vacuum.

• A coin
• Scissors or a seam ripper

1. Take the basic vacuum pieces apart: Disconnect the vacuum from the charger and take the stick off. Be careful not to pull the “On” trigger.
2. Remove the brush bar: Use a coin to turn the brush bar fastener one quarter turn, counter-clockwise, so that it’s in the unlocked position. Move the cap and then gently slide the brush bar out of the cleaner head. Remove the end cap.
3. Cut out any tangled hair: Use a pair of scissors or a seam ripper to cut out any long hair (human or pet!) that’s wrapped around the bar.
4. Wash the brush bar: Hold the brush bar under running water and gently rub to remove lingering lint or dirt. Stand the brush bar upright and let it dry completely for a minimum of 24 hours before you replace it. Make sure it’s completely dry and then reassemble.

Again, don’t forget to empty the canister any time the debris starts to reach the max fill line. You can also clean it with a microfiber cloth. Don’t use any products or water, though — just a damp cloth. 

When was the last time you cleaned your Dyson stick vacuum?