Everyone knows the thrill of purchasing a new vacuum.

Honestly, you probably didn’t even intend on getting it when you left the house. Chances are, you stumbled upon a deal you just couldn’t beat and thought, “You know what? I’ve put off updating my old Dyson for too long.”

And so, you came home with a brand new piece of machinery.

I think we can all agree that the first session with your new vacuum is incomparable—it works so much better than your old one did. However, it won’t work that way for long if you continue to vacuum up items that clog and destroy their internal workings.

Beware, reader. Here are the top 5 things that will DESTROY your new vacuum.

#1: Broken Glass
When you drop a glass cup or knick-knack, it can be tempting to pick up the large pieces and vacuum up the rest. After all, those tiny shards are so difficult to get into your dustpan, and you usually end up leaving some behind anyway.

However, if you’re asking yourself, “can I vacuum up the glass?”, then you should know that the short answer is no, you can’t.

Or at least, you shouldn’t.

Those tiny shards of glass have a tendency to tear holes in your vacuum bag and cause microabrasions on the internal mechanical workings. Not to mention, you’re bound to pick up some of the big pieces as well. Over time, this will degrade your device much quicker than any else out there.

 
#2: Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth, for those unaware, is a powdery substance commonly used to eliminate various types of bugs in the home. In fact, some packaging for this product actually tells you to VACUUM IT UP.

Don’t listen to them.

Diatomaceous Earth is composed of tiny micro-fossils and fine particles, and that powder is actually very finely ground shards of what could be equated to glass. That’s how it kills the bugs, after all—it cuts them up.

Similar to glass, however, this fine dust can cause tearing, cuts, and other damage to your vacuum that will quickly wear it out. Not to mention, the finely ground powder has a tendency to clog up your filter.

So to answer the question, “Can Diatomaceous Earth be vacuumed,” the answer is no. It can’t.

 
#3: Poisons
Once again, it may be tempting to vacuum up poison or two just to ensure you get every last bit of it. After all, it’s hard to make sure you’ve accomplished getting it all up off the floor with a broom and dustpan.

What’s important to remember, however, is that vacuums are highly aerated devices. Essentially, this means that vacuuming anything up increases the odds that potentially harmful dust is thrown into the air for you to inhale.

Overall, it’s just much safer for you and your family if you don’t.

#4: Used Coffee Grounds
Dry or wet, coffee grounds have no home in your vacuum cleaner. When wet, these grounds can easily clog your filter, ruin your motor, and create the ideal environment for a microcivilization of harmful bacteria right inside your most important cleaning instrument.

Instead, if the coffee grounds are dry, simply sweep them up with a broom and dustpan. If they’re wet, use a paper towel or microfiber cloth and then mop or wet wipe to get the residue off your floors. Whatever you choose to do, leave your vacuum out of it.

#5: Fireplace Ashes
Fireplace ashes aren’t as harmful as some of the other things on this list, but they can harbor heat for days that can melt all those important little plastic components.

However, the real issue with vacuuming fireplace ash comes from the fact that it’s so fine! Most of those particles won’t even get vacuumed up—they’ll just be released back into the air and settle on that delicate hardwood.

In short, definitely not a job for your vacuum.

Can I Vacuum That? Let’s Tidy It Up:
The bottom line is, there are things that belong in your vacuum, and there are those that don’t. Among those that don’t are the things on this list, plus anything wet, sharp, or larger than a small dollop of toothpaste.

However, mistakes do happen. If you find that you’ve vacuumed up the wrong thing because you didn’t know all this before, then it might be beneficial to you to just spring for a new vacuum cleaner.

At Ace Vacuums we sell a wide variety of the best vacuum brands, such as Miele, SEBO, and CycloVac Central Vacuums.

If you’re unsure what type of vacuum is right for your home, you can also contact us today and one of our dedicated associates can help you out. We’d love to hear from you!