What the grooves on your vacuum cleaner brush bar are actually for – and it's genius

Hoover reveals what all their vacuum cleaner accessories are for

When it comes to vacuum cleaners, I'm sure we not alone in ignoring all the other vacuum accessories once we'v located the on button. However, Hoover has revealed that by doing this we could be missing out on the best spring clean of our life.

Related: What the drawer under the oven is actually for – and it's not extra storage

They've revealed three simple yet clever accessories on their vacuum cleaners and what they're actually for.

Vacuum accessories

1.Grooves on the brush bar

If you have a cordless vacuum you might have noticed some grooves on the brush bar. Those curved lines aren't just there to look pretty. They are guidelines to help free your vacuum cleaner of hair.

'This groove makes it much easier to cut away any hairs or debris that has become tangled around the brush bar,' explains Catrin Davies, senior product manager at Hoover SDA. 'It means there's no danger of snipping the bristles or even yourself during maintenance.'

Who knew that Hoover was looking out for us when it came to ridding our vacuum cleaner of oodles of hair?

2. Suction control

Another vacuum accessory you've probably overlooked is the suction control vent. The most you probably know about it is that it makes a funny sound when you accidentally flick it.

However, that little vent is about to make hovering thick carpets or plush sofas much easier.

'The telescopic tubes on most cylinder and upright vacuums have a vent which can be opened to reduce suction,' explains Catrin. 'This is particularly useful for thick carpets and fabric sofas which can be tough to tackle with a powerful vacuum.'

All you need to do is open or close the vent to suit the surface.

3. Storage clip

Storing a cylinder vacuum is probably one of the hardest tasks when cleaning up. The long hose has a nasty habit of tumbling out of the cupboard as soon as you turn your back.

However, you might have noticed a 'T' shape on the back of the vacuum cleaner. This is so the hose and nozzle can be stored neatly above the vacuum cleaner.

That means you can now close your storage cupboard safe in the knowledge it won't come tumbling out.

Related: Are we vacuuming all wrong? Leading experts reveal how to get best results

Have you been overlooking all these vacuum cleaner accessories?

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.