X

Prevent vacuum hose clogs with an item you typically throw away

Yep. All you need is a piece of trash to nix clogs.

Alina Bradford CNET Contributor
Alina Bradford has been writing how-tos, tech articles and more for almost two decades. She currently writes for CNET's Smart Home Section, MTVNews' tech section and for Live Science's reference section. Follow her on Twitter.
Alina Bradford
nix-vacuum-clogs

A simple net bag can save you a lot of vacuuming woes.

Alina Bradford/CNET

In my house, a clogged vacuum hose is a constant struggle. Socks, change and clumps of who-knows-what would end up stuck in the hose every time my kids vacuumed. 

I've learned that the best way to unclog a hose is with a stretched out wire hanger, but I'd rather just get vacuuming over with without doing the clogged hose tango. Luckily, there's an easy solution.

Filter the filth

Grab a mesh bag -- the kind that oranges come in -- and cut it in half. Then, secure it around the end of your vacuum hose using a hair tie, string or a rubber band. 

The mesh will let hair, dirt and small particles get sucked up, but larger things will get stopped before they can cause a problem.

Net the extension

Now, if your vacuum is the kind that relies on the hose to produce suction for the foot, this tip isn't very practical because you would need to constantly take the net on and off of the hose. 

An easy solution is to secure the netting to your hose extension so it only needs to be removed when you're using an attachment. 

Skip the pantyhose

I've seen many people use pantyhose in a similar way to prevent clogs, but it's not a good idea. The mesh of the pantyhose won't allow for enough air flow and may overwork your vacuum's motor. 

30 spring cleaning tricks you'll wish you'd known all along

See all photos