A customer called me today. Told me her Bagless Vacuum Cleaner was under warranty and wasn't sucking properly. She lives almost an hour away from here, so I attemped to diagnose over the phone. When was the last time she had cleaned her filters? "Am I meant to clean the filters" was her reply.

Many times I've had a customer bring their new vacuum in to me for repair in a similar situation. They've emptied the dust canister, but have not cleaned the filters. They didn't even know it had filters.

Sadly it appears that this lady purchased a Bagless Vacuum Cleaner from somewhere without knowing all of the ins and outs. Bagless Vacuum Cleaners require maintenance. Sure, you don't have to change bags, but the filters need to be maintained/cleaned/replaced. The filter in a Bagless Vacuum is like your lungs. When you get all choked up with a cold etc you can't breathe. When a Bagless gets all choked up in its filter it can't breathe, the motor will overheat, and most times the motor will cut out because if its safety fuse. The machine cools down, the user tries again. It cuts out again. Vicious cycle.

Find the manual. If you don't have the manual, check with the manufacturer (on phone or online), or call your local Service Centre. Read the manual. The manual should show you how to remove the dust canister and clean your filter. Problem solved.

If you're looking to buy a Bagless Vacuum Cleaner (or any vacuum), get the salesperson to show you all of the ins and outs of how the machine works. When I sell a machine, even if it takes 30 minutes, my customer leaves the shop knowing everything they need to know about the vacuum. That salesperson is getting paid to sell the vacuum to you, Make them earn it!

Makes sure you know where all of the filters are. Know if they can be washed. Better still, find a friend with an air compressor and use that to blow the dust out of the filter. Know where to buy filters for your vacuum, and even find out how much the filters are.

The customers that come to my counter who have dirty filters one a machine under warranty? Ignorance isn't covered under warranty, but I gently show the customer how grotty the filter is, clean out the filters, reassemble the dust canister into the machine, pat them on the head, and send them on their way educated.