Why Does My Shark Vacuum Not Have Any Suction?

You really cannot go wrong with a Shark vacuum. They give you a similar kind of power and functionality to a Dyson, but at a fraction of the price. If your Shark vacuum is lagging in the suction department and you are wondering why I am here to tell you that there could be a number of reasons as to why.

Shark likes to say that their vacuums never lose suction and while in theory, this is true, their instructions do tell you that in order for this to be the case you have to give it a clean every once and a while. Today we are looking at the most common reasons your Shark vacuum cleaner has lost its bite.

You Need To Empty The Canister

If my Shark vacuum ever loses a little bit of power the first thing I do is empty the canister. You cannot expect the vacuum to keep sucking up dirt when the canister is bursting at the seams. It is best not to let your canister get so full that your vacuum starts to struggle to function. I find that getting rid of the mess when it is about ¾ full is the best way to go.

There Is A Blockage

As powerful as Shark vacuum cleaners are they are no match for things like Lego, giant cookies and anything else kids can leave on the floor or deep in the sofa! If you have a blockage there is one of two places that it is most likely going to be.

Canister: Didn’t I just say to empty the canister? Well yes, I did, but I am specifically talking about the air duct that is in there. Remove the canister and look at the place where the dirt comes in and check it for any blockages. Sometimes it can be a buildup of a yucky mess so it is best to wear gloves.

Behind The Brush Roll: Behind the brush roll is the air intake, this can also be a place slightly larger bits of mess can get stuck. If there is anything stuck in here like a clump of dog hair, some hard food or whatever. Get a pair of scissors and try and break it up into as many little pieces as possible.

We’ve also reviewed Shark DuoClean Rocket Ultra-Light full review.

The Filters Need Cleaning

Shark vacuums have some of the best filters of any vacuum on the market right now. However, these do require some help from you in order to keep working at their best. Think back to the last time you cleaned them. If this was a while ago then your filters could very well be the culprit.

Remove both the felt and the foam filters from the vacuum and give them a good clean. Always take extra care with the felt filter. Give them a good rinse and make sure all the dust and dirt are out of them.

I cannot stress this next part enough! Make sure that your filters are 100 percent dry before you put them back into the vacuum cleaner. If this means you have to wait a full day so be it. That is better than putting wet filters in there.

Your Motor Is On The Way Out

Shark makes great vacuum cleaners and for the most part, you get many years of service out of them. However, like all appliances, they will not last forever.

If you have tried giving your Shark vacuum cleaner a thorough cleaning and the suction is still poor, then it sounds like your motor could be broken. You can actually buy a replacement motor, but these can be very expensive, not to mention very hard to install if you do not know what you are doing.

If the motor is gone, you would probably be better purchasing a new Shark vacuum cleaner rather than prolonging the life of the one you already have. In all honesty, the cost of a new motor is not actually a lot cheaper than a new vacuum anyway.

Regular TLC Keeps Your Shark Working

While there are a few main reasons as to why your Shark Vacuum cleaner has lost suction, I find that regular maintenance and TLC is what keeps a vacuum cleaner running for a long time. I would suggest that you give it a good clean once a month.

Some people do it every three months, but I think if you take the time once a month to check for blockages, clean the filters and make sure the canister is nice and clear that you will get more years out of your Shark vacuum.

Making sure that the filters are clean and that there are no blockages puts far less stress on the motor which means it is going to last a lot longer.

You may also want to read How to take apart and clean a Shark vacuum cleaner.