It goes without saying that vacuum cleaners are one of the best tidying tools to have in a home.
Despite the fact that most of us are pretty dependent on using vacuums to tidy up our messes, there are quite a few things that you should never vacuum up, no matter what.
Remember this: some things are simply meant to be cleaned with your hands or with a good old fashioned broom, or maybe even bread!
You wouldn't want to ruin that fancy vac that took months of saving up to buy, now would you?
With that in mind, we've assembled the top 10 messes that should never be cleaned up with a vacuum cleaner, no matter how much of a rush you are in. For your own safety, and for the safety of your vacuum cleaner, please use a broom when necessary.
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Thumbnail source: Wikimedia Commons / Paul Roth, Flickr / Wicker Paradise
1. Large Pieces Of Broken Glass
Whenever anything made of glass was broken in the house when I was a kid, it was like a bomb went off. My mom was and still is terrified of having teeny shards of broken glass on the floor.
While vacuums are great for getting those itty bitty bits and pieces that you can't easily get with a broom, those big shards should not go though your vacuum cleaner. The sharp edges can ruin the interior of your vacuum.
Instead of using a vacuum, wear some heavy duty gloves and pick up the shards by hand or sweep them up, placing them in a hefty paper bag. Then you can vacuum the small shards that are left.
2. Used Coffee Grounds
If you accidentally drop a bunch of used coffee grounds onto the floor when making a new pot of coffee, you shouldn't just reach for the vacuum. Instead, grab a paper towel and wipe them up with your hands.
Wondering why coffee grounds are off limits? If you use the vacuum for this mess, the wet grounds could clog the pipes, mess up the motor, and foster the growth of mildew in your vacuum. Yikes is right.
3. Fireplace Ash
You shouldn't use your typical household vacuum to clean up fireplace ash. The particles are so fine they may end up being blown out the back of your cleaner and into your home.
So, you're wondering how you should dispose of fireplace ash? Just cover it with damp coffee grounds (so you don't inhale the dust), scoop it up, and dispose of it in a bag.
4. Coins
Besides the fact that you could be saving up your loose change, coins can actually break into pieces inside of vacuums if you suck them up with a hose.
Instead, pick them up and stow them away. Pennies can really add up!
5. Shredded Paper
Sucking up a few strips of shredded paper is alright, but if you use your machine to suck up a whole entire mess of it, then you're just asking for the motor of your vacuum to break down.
It's just not worth it! Sweep it up instead.
6. Makeup
If you spill eyeshadow, foundation, or lipstick on the ground, it's better to just pick up the mess with your hands. If you use the vacuum, you risk the makeup melting inside of the vacuum, which, as you might imagine, will seriously damage the machine.
7. Pieces Of Plants
Houseplants make a great addition to any home. While it's temping to just suck them up when you're cleaning with a vacuum, you're much better off picking up pieces of plants by hand rather than risking clogging your vacuum.
8. Liquids
This might seem like a no-brainer, but just to clear this up once and for all, don't use a vacuum to clean up spilled liquids.
Doing this can translate to electrical failure and become dangerous, and it can also cause mold and mildew to grow inside of your machine.
Just wipe something up by hand if there is liquid involved, or invest in a wet/dry vacuum.
9. Loose Hardware
Loose hardware, like screws, nuts, and bolts, can wreak havoc on your vacuum's motor.
Be extra vigilant about heavy hardware on the floor and pick these things up with your hands, rather than with your vacuum.
10. Heaps Of Long Hair
Vacuuming up a normal amount of hair is fine as long as you don't do too much at a time, which is why you see salons sweeping up their mess rather than vacuuming it. Those long strands can easily clog up your vacuum.
Surprised by some of the things on this list? Please SHARE on Facebook with your friends and family so they don't make a vacuum mistake.
