Shark® is one of the best brands if you need a good robot vacuum for vinyl plank floors, tiles, and carpets. But for the machine to deliver the desired results, you must also care for it well. And for that, I thought it’d be nice to show you how to clean Shark robot vacuum filter.
It’s an easy task, really. Then again, most of us still don’t do it, yet we expect the vacuum to perform well. If that fails, we start blaming the product or the maker, whereas the main problem is our negligence.
Do I Really Need to Clean the Filter of My Shark Robot Vacuum?
Similar to traditional vacuums, the filter is a crucial part in the performance of a robot vacuum. It works by trapping the dust particles that the suction nozzle picked up while sucking up the mess from the floors.
Now, if you fail to clean your vacuum filter and it clogs up, you can expect issues like:
- Reduced Suction
Usually, any vacuum suck as effectively as it can blow. In other words, this would mean failing to clean the filter will have the fins that trap the tiny dust particles clogged up. Then the intake fan won’t be able to draw in a high volume of air, resulting in reduced suck power.
- Longer Cleaning Time
When the suction power of your robot vacuum is less, it will surely take longer than usual to complete the cleaning. The machine will also be working harder and drawing more power from the battery to pull in the air.
So, you’ll likely have incomplete cleanup if you have the basic Shark AV752 or AV751 without the “recharge & resume” feature.
- Overheated Motor
When your robot vacuum is working harder than usual, there are high chances of overheating the motor. The same will happen if dust finds its way back to the suction fan, and in extreme cases, it will burn out.
- Longer Self-Emptying Time
If you have the smart Shark IQ or Shark EZ robot vacuums, the self-emptying bases have air filters as well. And when they got clogged with dust particles, you can expect the machine to take longer to complete emptying the debris. Why should you care about that?
Well, first, the self-emptying base is also likely to overwork in this scenario. In extreme cases, it could end up burning out the motor.
Secondly, the machine is usually annoyingly noisy when running the self-emptying function. You might even have to cut short your chats until it finishes.
- Unnecessary bills
As I’ve just mentioned, your Shark robot vacuum with soon quit working if you continue using it with a clogged filter. In the end, you’ll incur unnecessary costs to repair the spoilt part or even replace the whole system.
Shark Robot Vacuum vs Self-Emptying Base
Similar to any other brand, the Shark robot vacuum (cleaning unit) usually has a filter inside the dust collector tray. You might be able to catch a glimpse of it, though the filter screen is the closest to the cover.
If you have a smart system with a self-emptying base, there’s also a filter to further clean the incoming dirt and debris. We have two filters here: a pre-motor and post-motor filter.
The pre-motor filter usually works by trapping the dirt and dust that may want to enter the internal parts of the motor. Then the post-motor filter helps further clean the outlet air before exiting into the house.
All these parts must be cleaned regularly to ensure optimal performance. “Regularly” in this case can be monthly if your vacuum will be running every day or after two months on an irregular basis.
Nonetheless, different types of filters have different ways to clean them. Some are washable in water and detergent, while others can only be dry-cleaned. See below.
How To Clean Shark Robot Vacuum Filter
Part 1: The Robot Vacuum Head
Technically, all the cordless robot vacuum from Shark has this air filter system, including those without the self-emptying base. It’s the most vital in ensuring thorough sweeping of your floors.
So, I’d recommend cleaning the filter after every month, assuming you’ve set your machine to also clean your house every day. To do that, you’ll need to:
- Make sure your robot vacuum is currently powered off
- Take out the tiny collector bin and open it up to empty any debris available
- After you’ve emptied the collector bin, pull out the filter piece from its position and you’ll notice the amount of dirt collected
- Next, use a brush to wipe the dirt off the filter bars clean. You could use an air compressor or gas duster (also called an air can) if available. DON’T clean the part in water no matter how dirty it appears.
- Before you return the filter, open up the dirt collector bin again and use the brush to wipe off the integrated filter screen. You can tap the tray over the trash bin to release any stuck-on dirt present.
- Now close up the tiny bin and insert your clean filter in its correct position
- Finally, pop the assembled dirt collector bin back into your robot and it should be working properly
Part 2: The Self-Emptying Base
If your Shark robot vacuum has a self-emptying base, you’ll need to clean its two filter systems as well. The manufacturer actually recommends cleaning the pre-motor filter (which comprises a foam filter and felt filter) after every month. But you could do it after two if your floors are usually not too dirty.
On its end, the post-motor filter rarely gets dirty: the pre-motor filter traps most of the dust anyways. And for that, you can clean it after every six to twelve months.
- Cleaning Shark Robot Vacuum Pre-Motor Filter
As with the robot vacuum head, you’ll need to remove the base air filters to clean the present dirt out. I’m going to start with the pre-motor filter since it’s the one that requires regular cleaning.
To do that:
- Locate the pre-motor filter housing lid (usually on the top right) and pull it up to open
- Remove the foam filter by the top handle, followed by the felt filter at the bottom
- Rinse both the foam and felt filters with running water to get out all the trapped dust
- Leave the filters on a rack for at least 24 hours to air dry completely
- Once the filters are all dried, go ahead and reinstall them in the base. Start by inserting the felt filter and then the foam filter.
- Finally, close the filter housing lid
- Cleaning Shark Robot Vacuum Post-Motor Filter
Unfortunately, the post-motor filter is not washable in water. You can only dry clean them as follows:
- Locate the post-motor filter (usually on the bottom left of the self-emptying base)
- Press the tab on the front cover and lift it off to reveal the filter we’re after
- Remove that filter from its port and head to the trash bin
- Next, take out the foam from the filter piece and tap it (the filter) over the trash bin to release any stuck-on dust.
- Now, insert the foam into the filter and reinstall the unit back to its port.
- Finally, snap the filter door (cover) back and return the base to its usual position.
Footnote: Clean the Other Parts As well
Apart from the filters, you’ll also need to clean the other parts of your Shark robot vacuum to make the most of it. They include:
- The Bottom brush roll:
The brush roll of the Shark robot vacuum will also collect debris over time. Thus, you’ll want to clean it as well to ensure the best performance.
To do that, turn your robot over and push out the available tabs to be able to pull out the brush roll. Then wipe off any debris with a dry microfiber brush before reinstalling it.
- Side/ edge brushes:
The edge brushes of the robot vacuum will also get dirty over time and will need to be cleaned to work effectively. It’s also as easy as turning the machine upside down and removing them (side brushes) by pulling straight upwards.
Next, rinse the brushes in warm water and wait for them to dry completely before returning to their place.
- The exterior housing:
The exterior of your Shark robot vacuum will also need to look neat, right? Then make sure you dust it off with a dry cloth a couple of times per week.
The sensors onboard should also be clean to ensure optimal performance and navigation. Do the same to the charging pads on the robot and dock to make sure it charges properly.
- Caster Wheel
Last but not least, you’ll need to clean the front caster wheel of your Shark robot vacuum now and then. But it will be a little hard to do that effectively while still mounted on the machine.
So, get a screwdriver to unhook the wheel from the bracket assembly and wipe off any debris present.
Replace the Vacuum Filters over Time
Well, that’s how you can clean the filters of your Shark robot vacuum and the self-emptying base for the supported models. It’s pretty straightforward and shouldn’t take more than ten minutes unless you’re doing a thorough cleanup of the whole appliance.
As with the other parts, though, the filters of your robot will wear out at some point. You’ll notice the machine not only struggles to clean up well but it will be sending dust back into the house.
Luckily, these parts are pretty common from the manufacturer or through third-party retailers and at very low prices. Replace the damaged filter or all of them as soon as possible to ensure your vacuum continues to work as intended.