Have you changed your vacuum cleaner bag lately?

Changing the bag or bin in your vacuum cleaner can be one messy job...

If the bag is more than half full – it’s time for a change. The fuller it is, the harder your machine works and it could burn out the motor. Here is some advice from Real Simple Magazine and some experts on how to change it out like a pro:

• Louanna Henning, director of housekeeping at the luxury hotel Rosewood Mansion, says if your machine uses bags – stick a piece of duct or masking tape over the hole before you pull it out. That prevents the inevitable atom bomb cloud of dust you’ll need to re-vacuum.

• Debra Johnson, of Merry Maids cleaning service, says if you have a bagless machine with a plastic bin – put the whole thing in a garbage bag to shake out the dust – and let it settle.

Run your vacuum for a minute before you change the bag or bin and don’t forget to unplug it. If you’ve got kids or pets, you’ll probably need to empty it out about once a month.