How to change a Henry hoover bag and clean the filter

Key steps

1. To change a Henry hoover bag, remove the lid and filter, then fit the new bag over the nozzle in place of the old one.

2. To clean a Henry hoover filter, remove loose dust with your hands or a soft brush. Wet cleaning is possible, but there’s less risk of damage if you keep things dry.

3. If the filter is beyond saving, replace it with a fresh one.

Henry hoovers are very cute, but, if you don’t know how to clean a Henry hoover filter or change its bag, it can sometimes feel like Henry’s perpetual smile is mocking you as he refuses to suck up the mess. Here’s your guide to how to change a hoover bag and deal with the filter when your hoover’s from the Henry family.

Cleaning a hoover filter? It’s dusty work. You may prefer to clean it outside, over a bag or bin, particularly if anyone in your household has a dust allergy.

How to change Henry hoover bag

There’s no specific Henry hoover change-bag schedule you need to stick to. Just change the bag when it’s nearly full.

If the suction is dropping and Henry’s having more trouble hoovering up messes than usual, it’s probably time to change the bag. Don’t push past the poor suction and keep hoovering with a full bag; you’ll be overworking yourself and putting unnecessary pressure on Henry’s motor.

The first step, when you want to know how to change a hoover bag, is to make sure you get a replacement bag that’s suitable for your model. You should find the model number in the handle slot on top of Henry, just above the barcode; you may need to lift the handle up.

To change a Henry hoover bag, unclip and remove Henry’s hat, then take out the basket-shaped filter underneath it. Remove the old bag. Put the new one inside, fitting the mouth of the bag completely over the nozzle poking in through Henry’s front. Official Numatic Henry bags will have a ‘this way up’ note to show you which side of the bag should be facing upwards.

Replace the filter – after cleaning, if necessary – and clip the lid back on.

How to clean a Henry hoover filter

Like a full bag, a clogged filter can cause suction problems. You can buy replacement filters for your Henry if the filter is beyond help, but here’s some advice on how to get a clean Henry hoover filter without the expense.

• Unclip and remove Henry’s hat. Take out the basket-shaped filter underneath.

• Don’t go straight to washing the filter. If you turn the dust to mud, you could make the filter unusable.

• Remove as much dust and debris as you can, using gloved hands and, if you have one, a soft-bristled brush, such as an old paintbrush. It’s worth doing this every time you change the bag.

• So long as you’ve removed all the loose dirt, there’s generally no need to use water. Cleaning a hoover filter without liquid carries less risk of damaging the filter. The filter may look a bit grey, but it’s going to sit under Henry’s hat anyway; it’s not as if guests will see it.

• If you desperately want to wash the filter, you can wash it gently in warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid, then hang it up and let it dry completely before returning it to Henry.

• Fit the filter back into Henry, with the rim at the top, and replace his lid.