Why Does My Shark Vacuum Cleaner Smell?
I love our Shark vacuum cleaner but like any other (such as our Henry’s or Dyson), there are times when it starts to smell and you’re left wondering; why does my Shark vacuum cleaner smell? Aren’t supposed to be perfect! Well, fret not as smelly vacuum cleaners are all too common but fairly easy to resolve.
In this post, we look at why your Shark vacuum cleaner might smell and more importantly what you can do to get rid of that terrible odour.
Let’s dive in.
Why Does My Shark Vacuum Cleaner Smell?
So, why does your Shark vacuum cleaner smell? There could be a range of reasons why your Shark hoover is emitting unpleasant odours.
Accumulation of Dust and Dirt
Let’s face it, your Shark vacuum cleaner has to get through a lot of dirty business. As Shark vacuums are bagless you can see just how much dirt and dust accumulates in your transparent dust canister to get an idea of how much dirt has to be dealt with. What you don’t see is the various bacteria fermenting and reproducing within the layers of dust and dander which then start to give off horrible smells.
Humidity
To make matters worse if you happen to suck up anything that’s damp or worse wet, the conditions within your vacuum cleaner and dust canister will be made all the more pleasant for the reproduction of fermentation bacteria. That’s why it’s always better to fully clean up and wipe down any spillages before hoovering as well as sweeping up drops of food that’s still fresh.
Mold
Though you may not see them with the naked eye mold is everywhere and it can be a source of unpleasant smells. Mold can build up quite easily inside your vacuum, especially the dust canister.
Dirt Has Stayed Too Long
Your Shark vacuum may also be smelly if the dirt and dust collected has been in the dust bin for too long. If you’ve not had a chance to empty out your canister for some weeks, this would have allowed the bacteria present within to reproduce to a significant degree resulting in a very smelly vacuum.
Items Stuck To The Insides
Sometimes that awful smell you’re noticing from your Shark vacuum cleaner is not just your dust canister but also bits of food and other organic matter stuck to various parts of your vacuum. Your hose for example may be harbouring smelling substances that you can’t see.
Why Does My Shark Vacuum Smell When I Turn It On?
It may be that you notice a smell coming from your Shark vacuum when you turn it on. This may well indicate that the source of the smell is within the internals of the vacuum (e.g. hose) and gets disturbed once you start using it.
How Do You Get The Smell Out of a Shark Vacuum?
Now we know what may be causing your vacuum cleaner to smell; how do you get the smell out of your Shark vacuum?
Be sure to switch off and unplug your Shark vacuum before doing any disassembly and cleaning of parts.
Empty and Clean The Canister
One of the main culprits for a smelly Shark vacuum is likely your dust canister so be sure to empty it out and then clean it. The canister is very easy to remove on Shark uprights as well as cordless models. Empty the contents into the bin and clean out the bin with warm soapy water. Be sure to let it dry before inserting it back onto the unit.
Clean The Filters
Your Shark is equipped with filters to help trap dirt and dust. These can become a source of nasty smells if left uncleaned for too long. On Shark uprights there are typically two sets of filters; (i) pre-motor filter and (ii) post-motor filter.
Be sure to switch off and unplug your Shark before getting started.
To clean the (i) pre-motor filter you first need to remove the dust container and you should be able to get access to them.
- Remove them
- Tap off the dirt on the filter
- Rinse under some cold tap water
- Repeat above until they’re clean
The (ii) post-motor filter is located behind the filter door beneath the location of the pre-motors and motor itself.
- Remove them
- Tap off the dirt and dust
- Rinse under cold tap water
- Repeat until sufficiently clean
Note: Shark recommend that you do not use soap, just water though clearly that choice is yours.
Be sure to let the filters completely air out and dry for at least 24 hours or more if necessary. The last thing you want is a wet filter which could damage your machine as well as cause even more problems with bad smells.
Clean The Hose
Another source of bad smells that should be regularly cleaned is the suction hose.
- With your Shark switched off and unplugged, the remove hose from the main unit and nozzle. There should typically be a release button at the top of teh hose to allow you to remove the hose from the handle and its easy enough to remove it from the pod.
- Check for any blockages or signs of dust and dirt build before moving on to the next step.
- The next thing to do is to clean out the hose with some water ideally in a sink. If you feel the need you can use a small amount of mild washing up detergent.
- If you can’t clean it in a sink, the next best alternative is using a bucket filled with water. Whilst cleaning if you can get a bristle brush to clean the insides all the better.
- Allow the water to fill the hose, hold both ends and gently shake the hose to help loosen any stuck on dirt.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Note: the above steps are optional and are not the manufacturer’s official instructions.
Make sure the hose is completely dry before re-inserting back onto your Shark vacuum.
Clean The Brush Roll
The next item you need to clean to remove those nasty smells is the brush rolls. All kinds of things can get stuck onto the brush roll and cause it to smell.
Be sure to have the vacuum switched off and unplugged
- Turnover the machine and remove any visible dirt from the brush roll.
- If there’s hair tangled up, use some scissors to gently snip it way.
- If the brush roll is detachable remove it and clean off as much as possible
Check The Handle
The other area that could be harbouring smells on your Shark vacuum is the handle.
To make sure there’s nothing in there causing a problem, remove the handle from the wand and check the openings for any sign of blockages and dirt.
Check The Wand
The wand on your Shark vacuum is another section you should check and clean out to remove the chances of a bad smells.
With the vacuum switched off and unplugged, remove the wand from the main pod and handle. Check for any visible signs of blockages or built-up dirt.
Why does my Shark vacuum smell so bad?
What Can I Put In My Shark Vacuum To Make It Smell Good?
If you want a way to help your Shark vacuum clean smell good and not just avoid bad odours then you could consider putting some scented materials in the canister.
There are vacuum fresheners available that emit fragrances to help neutralise the various smells coming out of your Shark vacuum.
An alternative to the vacuum freshener according to Sharkis a tumble dryer sheet placed inside the dust canister. This helps to provide a fresh scent as you go about your cleaning business.
Another possible tip proposed by Shark is to add some cinnamon powder to your dust container to help give it a lovely aroma. They also suggest vanilla power as an alternative.
Summary: Why Does My Shark Vacuum Cleaner Smell?
There are many potential causes of a smelly Shark vacuum cleaner. From food and organic substances to mold inside the canister, there’s a whole host of things that could be causing the bad odours. But fortunately removing the bad smells is fairly straightforward with regular cleaning and maintenance of your Shark the best bet going forward to keeping the smells at bay.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I stop my Shark Hoover from smelling like dog?
Keep your Shark hoover cleaned and maintained. Clean out the dust canister, filters, hose and wand to avoid nasty smells building up. You can also look at using scented freshers for vacuums.
Can you put air freshener in a Shark vacuum?
You can put air freshener in a Shark vacuum. There are specially made vacuum air freshers or you can use scented tumble dryer sheets that can be placed inside the dust container. You could also place some cinnamond powder inside the dust container.
