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4 Things Living Inside Your Vacuum Bag

Anyone who has ever cleaned out a vacuum bag before knows that you often find things inside that you didn’t expect to. Money, foods, toys, and of course, dust, dirt, and grime. But it would likely surprise you to know that there are often things in that vacuum bag that are alive. That’s right. Alive. If it is getting close to that time, and you need to clean the vacuum bag out before you begin your spring cleaning, below are four things that could potentially be lurking in that bag.

Dust Mites

One of most commonly found organisms inside a vacuum bag is dust mites. Dust mites are microorganisms which live and feed on dust particles, and they are everywhere. Many people are allergic to dust mites and have to take special care to eliminate dust around their homes, so they aren’t continually suffering from allergy symptoms. If you haven’t cleaned out the vacuum bag in a while, there is a good chance it’s full of microscopic dust mites.


Many people are not aware, but mold is alive. Mold is a type of fungus which makes its home in damp, dark corners of your home. Vacuum bags can end up acting as incubators for mold because they trap bacteria and moisture which creates the perfect home for fungus. If you notice a strange smell coming from the closet, or room where you keep your vacuum cleaner and bags, and there are no other signs of mold anywhere else, it might be because it’s actually inside the vacuum bag.


If you use your vacuum cleaner in your kitchen, you are likely vacuuming up bits and pieces of food while you are vacuuming. You might think these bits of food are insignificant because nothing would care for eating it. You may also believe that, even if they did, there is no way they are making their way into your secure vacuum. Anyone who has ever had an ant problem, though, knows that ants can get in anywhere. If you haven’t cleaned your vacuum bag out for a while and you have been vacuuming the kitchen frequently, you might open your bag up to find you have an ant problem.


Probably most people’s least favorite vacuum bag inhabitant, you can inadvertently vacuum up small spiders while vacuuming your home’s carpets. You might end up sucking up a large number of them if they are hatchling without even knowing it. If you live in a part of the country where spiders are common, brace yourself for spiders (just in case) the next time you open up your vacuum bag.

While the thought of something living inside your vacuum bag can be a bit unnerving (especially where spiders are concerned) if you understand what you could potentially find, the shock of seeing something out of place, and what shouldn’t be there, will be minimized.

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