Carpet powder is a cleaning item you can find at most home goods stores. However, recently, concerns have been rising about its use and its safety. Many consumers and experts al;ike wonder if carpet powder is safe. This anxiety may be because of its potential harm to carpets, people, pets, and even your vacuum cleaner. But is carpet powder safe to use with a Shark vacuum?
The answer to this question is complicated. While some experts recommend that you never use carpet powder, others say you can use the powder under some circumstances. Experts suggest that you can use carpet powder after some time when you have a bagless vacuum cleaner, such as the Shark vacuum.
As it may already be clear, carpet cleaner use is heavily contested. However, to truly understand both sides of the argument and find what works for you, we recommend reading the whole article. You can decide if using a carpet cleaner with a Shark vacuum is right for you.
How Does Carpet Powder Affect A Vacuum?
To understand how carpet powder can affect a vacuum, you need to know how a vacuum works. The filters and the motor are the two parts of the vacuum that can be affected by carpet powder. The filter helps keep the air inside the vacuum clean and free from dirt and debris. It also helps to regulate the temperature inside the vacuum.
On the other hand, a motor keeps things running. But, one of the things that a motor needs is a steady temperature. If the temperature escalates, the function of the motor can be drastically affected. The carpet powder can create a wrench in this whole system. When you clean up carpet powder using a vacuum cleaner, it moves through the dust bag. However, they can sometimes escape past the filters because the particles are so fine.
This causes fine powders to collect inside the vacuum, rapidly increasing the temperature. As mentioned above, your motor will immediately be affected by this change. After some time, your vacuum might stop working.
Related: Shark Vacuums: Which One Is Right for Me?
How Does Carpet Powder Affect A Shark Vacuum?
Interestingly, a Shark vacuum is less prone to damage from carpet powders. The Shark vacuum typically uses a dust canister made of plastic rather than a dust bag. Plastic canisters might be more effective at holding onto the carpet powder. However, this is not something that you should use with every vacuuming session.
Instead, there are certain precautions you can take to reduce the risk to your Shark vacuum:
- After every time you use a carpet powder, empty your canister.
- Always wash the filters every time you use carpet powder.
- Use a HEPA filter to reduce the chances of dust flying around.
- Do not use carpet powder with every vacuuming. Instead, use it no more than a few times a year.
With these precautions, you can protect your vacuum from harm from carpet powders if you have to use one for specific reasons.
How Carpet Powder Affects Vacuums
You might be wondering, what’s the big deal with carpet powder anyway? Especially since there are carpet powders out there that claim to be natural and safe options. However, you need to understand how exactly carpet powder can damage your vacuums.
It Clogs The Filters
One of the main ways that a carpet powder can harm your vacuum is by clogging up the filters. Filters help to keep dust and debris packed in the vacuum dust bag or canister. However, if the carpet powder clogs them, they might not work as well. Because of this, the vacuum cannot function as well. You may notice low suction power or strange noises.
The Belt Can Slip
Another way that a carpet powder could harm your vacuum cleaner is through the impact on the belt. The belt in the vacuum helps everything move along correctly, but fine powders in carpet cleaners can affect that. Because the carpet powder gets stuck onto the belt, it can get affected and then slip out of place.
If the belt slips, it is likely to move from its place even further, which results in stretching. The more the belt stretches, comes dangerously close to breaking. A slipped belt will reduce your vacuum’s function, but a broken belt needs replacing. You will have to get a new belt if you want to keep using your vacuum cleaner.
The Motor Can Overheat
One of the most damaging ways carpet cleaner can harm your vacuum is by causing the motor to overheat. The fine powder from carpet cleaners can do a number on the motor – in some cases, even breaking it down. If the motor is not kept clean and away from the powder, some of it can enter the motor machinery.
This can cause parts to break, dislodge, or create unnecessary friction. The combination of breakage and overheating is disastrous for your vacuum, which is why carpet powders are not encouraged to be used frequently.
What Is Carpet Powder?
After reading through all of this, you may be reconsidering ever using carpet powder again. But, it is helpful to examine what carpet powder is and what it actually does. Typically, this product is a deodorizer and aims to remove your carpets’ smells. Often, carpet powder is made using baking soda to help disinfect and clean the carpet.
However, the concern for carpet powders comes from the fine powder it usually comes in. The fact is that there is no vacuum (safe for industrial types) powerful enough to pick up all of the powder after you sprinkle it on the carpet. The actual harm can come when the powder staus in the carpet. It can damage the carpet’s fibers, and it can harm anything that ingests it too. This includes your pets or toddlers who are likely to be crawling on the carpet.
Related: What Shark Vacuum Is Best For Pet Hair?
Conclusion
When it comes to using carpet powder, it seems there is no clear answer on whether or not you should use it. However, pretty much everyone agrees that carpet powder is not something you use with every vacuuming. It would help if you also used powders that have safe ingredients. Always take exceptional care when using carpet powder to get the best results.