How to Clean Your Vacuum After Pet Hair: Brushroll and Filters

With pets in the house, the vacuum does more work than any other cleaning tool, and it shows. Long hair wraps around the brushroll until it barely spins, fine hair and dander clog the filters, and a dust cup full of hair and litter starts to smell, so the whole room smells of dog every time you vacuum. A few minutes of upkeep keeps the suction strong and the smell away. This guide covers the dust cup or bag, the brushroll, the filters and the hose.

It follows the care instructions in Shark’s help center for its vacuums. Other makers’ vacuums are built differently, so check your own manual for how to open the floor head and which filters can be washed.

Unplug it first

Before you open the floor head or take out filters, turn the vacuum off and unplug it, or take the battery out of a cordless model. Never put water near the motor or the battery.

Empty the dust cup every time

Empty it after every use, or when it reaches the MAX FILL line. Shark says to empty the dust cup each time you vacuum for optimal performance.
Empty it outdoors or straight into a trash bag held around the cup, so hair and dander do not puff back into the room.
Clear the screen. Shark says to remove built-up debris from the dust screen as necessary. Hair often mats over it.
Wipe the inside of the dust cup clean, as Shark suggests if you wish, and let it dry before you put it back.
Bagged vacuums: change the bag before it is full. A bag packed with pet hair and litter can start to smell.

Clean the brushroll

Pet hair winds around the brushroll and stops it picking up. Shark’s steps for a bristle brushroll are:

Turn the floor nozzle over and use a coin to turn the locks on the bottom cover counterclockwise.
Lift off the cover to reach the brushroll.
Clear away any string, hair or debris wrapped around the brushroll and in the nozzle openings. Cut through tight wraps carefully with scissors along the groove of the brush, without cutting the bristles, then pull the pieces out.
Put the cover back, pressing down firmly along all sides, and turn the locks clockwise to close.

Some Shark models have a self-cleaning brushroll that Shark says automatically removes hair wrap. If some hair remains after continued use, Shark says to open the cover and clean it by hand. For a soft roller, Shark says to tap off loose debris, wipe it with a dry towel, and hand wash it as needed with water only, letting it air dry completely for at least 24 hours.

Also pick hair out of the wheels and the brushroll ends, where it winds around the axles.

Clean the filters

Dirty filters can cost a vacuum its suction. Shark says filters may need cleaning if the vacuum stops picking up dirt, if airflow is restricted, or if suction drops.

Tap them out between washes. Shark says to lightly tap filters over a trash bin to remove dust and debris as needed.
Rinse with water only. Shark says to rinse its foam, felt and HEPA filters with water only, and in one manual with cold water only, to prevent damage from cleaning chemicals. No soap or detergent.
Dry them for at least 24 hours. Shark says to let all filters air dry completely, at least 24 hours, before putting them back, to prevent liquid being drawn into electric parts.
Follow your model’s schedule. Shark’s intervals differ between models: for one cordless model, rinse the pre-motor foam and felt filters every month and the post-motor HEPA filter every 12 months; for another model, the pre-motor filters every 3 months and the HEPA filter every year.
Replace them eventually. For that second model, Shark says to replace the pre-motor filters every 2.5 years and the HEPA filter every 3 years. Check your manual, because not every filter is washable.

With heavy shedders, check the filters more often than the schedule says.

Check for blockages

If suction is still weak after you clean the filters, look for a clog. Shark’s steps are to detach the hose, wand and floor nozzle and check each opening and each end for blockages. Clumps of pet hair often catch at the bends. Push them out from the other end with a broom handle, gently.

When the vacuum smells

Empty the dust cup or change the bag, then wash the dust cup if your manual allows it, and let it dry completely.
Clean the brushroll, where damp hair and debris can sit.
Rinse and fully dry the filters, or replace them.
Never vacuum up anything wet, such as urine or vomit, with a dry vacuum. Clean those up first; see how to get pet urine smell out of carpet and how to clean pet vomit from carpet.
Skip scented beads or powders in the dust cup unless your manual allows them.

Vacuuming daily for fleas? See how to clean your home during a flea problem.

A simple routine

Every use: empty the dust cup, and pull obvious hair off the brushroll.
Every week or two: open the floor head and clear the brushroll, and tap out the filters.
Every month or so: rinse the washable filters, as your manual says, and let them dry for at least 24 hours.

For where all that hair comes from, see how to clean pet grooming brushes and combs, pet hair and drool on the sofa and how to remove pet hair from a car.

With the vacuum clean, use it well: see how to get pet hair out of carpet and rugs for the slow, two direction method.

Keep cleanup supplies ready

Our Pet Cleanup Kit has gloves, an enzyme odor product, an absorbent powder and a UV black light in one pouch, for the wet accidents that should never go near your vacuum. Check the label for which surfaces each product suits, and test it on a hidden spot first.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get pet hair off my vacuum brushroll?

Unplug the vacuum, open the bottom cover of the floor nozzle, and clear away any hair, string or debris wrapped around the brushroll and in the nozzle openings, as Shark advises. Cut tight wraps with scissors along the brush groove, carefully.

Can I wash vacuum filters with soap?

Shark says to rinse its filters with water only, to prevent damage from cleaning chemicals, and to let them air dry for at least 24 hours. Check your own manual, as some filters are not washable.

Why does my vacuum smell like dog?

Usually because of hair and dander in the dust cup, bag, brushroll or filters. Empty and wash the dust cup if allowed, clean the brushroll, and rinse and dry the filters or replace them.

How often should I clean the vacuum filters?

Follow your manual. Shark’s schedules range from rinsing the pre-motor filters every month to every 3 months, and the HEPA filter once a year, depending on the model. With pets, check them more often.

Sources

This guide is general cleaning information. Follow your vacuum maker’s manual, and always unplug the vacuum or remove the battery before cleaning it.