Is Your Shark Vacuum Brush Not Spinning? Try These Simple Steps at Home
Our team has been testing different Shark vacuums over the years, and one of the commonest issues is that the Shark vacuum brush won't spin. So today, I'm going to show you important tips when you have the problem of your Shark Vacuum brush not spinning. After this article, you will be able to:
- Understand signs that your Shark vacuum roller brush stopped working.
- Follow steps to fix the spinning brush roll.
- Know how to maintain your Shark Vacuum and restore its cleaning ability.
Please scroll down for a step-by-step guide and some troubleshooting tips on how I fixed the brush roller on the best Shark vacuum.
Is your Shark Vacuum brush not spinning? Here are some tips to help you fix it
Why Is Your Shark Vacuum Brush Not Spinning? Here Is What You Need To Know
Signs That Your Shark Vacuum Brush is Not Working
It is important to recognize the early signs that your Shark vacuum isn't working properly and identify if it's because of the brush roll malfunction. These signs can be frustrating when you're trying to vacuum, and the floor remains dirty.
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- The first and easiest sign is that you notice your vacuum stops sucking up dirt on the surface or that it doesn't pick up as much as it's supposed to. You should also check if your Shark vacuum has lost its suction power.
- Some Shark vacuum models such as the Shark DuoClean and Shark Navigator DLX include a brush roll indicator light that tells if your Shark vacuum roller brush has stopped working or not.
- The Shark vacuum's brush bar has stopped spinning or working.
- When not in use, the vacuum ejects dirt and debris back on the floor.
Reasons Why Your Shark Vacuum Brush Roll is Not Working
There are many reasons why your Shark vacuum brush won't spin Via: Amazon
The Roller Brush Switch is Not On
You should check if your vacuum brush roll is switched on. For some models, there is a brush light indicator that tells you if the brush is working. A solid green light means that the brush roll is working as normal. A red light means that there is a blockage in the brush roll area. When the vacuum is turned off, there will be no brush indicator light.
The Floor Nozzle is Loose
If your nozzle isn't tightly attached to the handle, it can cause the Shark vacuum brush not turning or working. You can disconnect the handle from the floor nozzle, then connect them again to ensure everything is secure. Check if your floor nozzle is wrapped in debris or pet hair and remove it before using.
Blockage in the Brush Roll
If you're using the Shark Navigator Lift Away to pick up pet hair, there is a high chance that your brush roll is blocked by tangled hair and debris. A blockage in the brush roll is one of the commonest reasons I've experienced at home, given that I once owned two fluffy Golden Retrievers.
A powerful tool that all pet lovers love to use is the Shark pet hair power brush, which helps pick up more hair and loose debris on upholstery and other surfaces. Unfortunately, pet hair also gets stuck on the pet power brush, so you need to remove the hair build-up from the accessory.
To fix this problem, pick up a pair of scissors and carefully cut off the hair that got stuck in between. If there's a heavy accumulation of hair, you can try using a razor blade, but please be careful not to cut yourself or the brush bar in the process.
We will let you know how to clean and maintain the brush roll in the section down below.
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A Damaged Belt
In some older Shark models, they use a belt to spin the brush roll. If you're using any of the newer Shark vacuums, you won't have to worry about a broken belt.
The best thing to do if your belt is broken is to replace it with a new one. You can contact your Shark manufacturer for more information on how to replace a broken belt.
The Dust Cup is Full
Is your Shark vacuum brush not spinning because of a full dust cup? That’s why you should always check to see if the dust has reached the maximum fill line on your vacuum, and it is when you need to empty the dust cup.
To see how this theory works out, I tested how much dirt the Shark Navigator Lift Away, and the Shark Navigator DLX picks up, first with an empty dust cup and a second test with a full dust cup.
The result is that an empty dust cup always delivers better cleaning performance. I would recommend that you empty your dust cup before it reaches the fill line because the more dirt in the compartment, the lower the suction level is.
Check out our guides on how to remove and empty the dust cup below:
A broken hose can make your shark vacuum brush stop spinning Via: Amazon
A Broken Hose
A damaged hose can also cause your Shark Duo Clean roller brush not spinning. You should remove the hose and give it a quick check to see if there's anything that might cause blockage inside the hose. If the hose is too worn out or damaged, it is easy to get a replacement hose from Shark.
What You Need For The Shark Vacuum Troubleshooting Tips
Clean the Brush Roll
Is your Shark Navigator freestyle brush not spinning? Here are the items you need for cleaning the brush roll. We will let you know how to use them down below.
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What You Need
- A pair of scissors to cut the hair that is stuck on the brush roll.
- A large razor blade to remove the build-up of pet hair in the nozzle head.
- A small thread picker can take out little hair bits.
- A microfiber cloth and some alcohol to wipe the brush roll clean after removing all the hair.
If your Shark Duo Clean roller brush is not spinning, try cleaning the brush roll Via: Amazon
Replace the Roller Belt
For Shark vacuum cleaners with a drive belt (some models of the Shark Rotator Professional), you can replace the old one in simple steps.
What You Need
- A Phillips screwdriver to remove the screws in the roller brush cover.
- A metal spudger to remove the two small wheels at the base of your Shark vacuum.
- Has your Shark vacuum roller brush stopped working? Follow our step-by-step instructions below.
- How to Clean Your Shark Vacuum Brush Roll.
Has your Shark vacuum roller brush stopped working? Follow our step-by-step instructions below
How to Clean Your Shark Vacuum Brush Roll
Tangled hair and debris can cause your Shark vacuum brush roll to stop working Via: Amazon
It is important to clean the brush roll regularly, especially if you have been using the vacuum cleaner for a long time. If there is too much hair and debris accumulated on the roll, it will make your Shark vacuum brush not spinning.
The best thing to do is try to pull out as much hair from the brush roll as you can. But if there's still tangled hair left in the roller brush, you might consider using a pair of scissors or, in my case, a handy stitch picker.
Follow these steps below, and you will get your brush roll clean in less than half an hour.
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Step 1: Turn off the machine before you do any cleaning to avoid an electric shock.
Step 2: Unplug the vacuum cleaner and unlock your brush roll plate.
Step 3: Remove the roller belt and the brush bar for a thorough clean.
Step 4: Cut the hair that is stuck on the brush roll with a pair of scissors. If there is a big mass of tangled pet hair, use a razor blade to loosen the hair.
Step 5: Use the thread picker/seam ripper to remove smaller hair bits.
Step 6: Use the microfiber cloth and some alcohol to wipe the brush clean. You should check with your manufacturer to see which cleaning liquid you can use on your Shark model.
Step 7: It is better to check your brush roll regularly to take out any tangled hair and clean it thoroughly before the Shark vacuum roller brush stops working.
How To Replace Your Roller Belt
If you own an old Shark vacuum model, you might need to replace the roller belt if it's worn out or damaged. You can purchase your replacement belt on Shark's website or other sites such as Amazon. To take out the belt, you might need a Phillips screwdriver and a metal spudger.
These steps are for the Shark Rotator NV502's roller belt and other models with a traditional drive belt. For other models, please read the instructions on the user guide.
Step 1: Switch off your Shark vacuum.
Step 2: Push the Lift Away button to remove the base from the handle.
Step 3: Turn the vacuum body over to see the bottom of the cleaner. Use the metal spudger to remove the two wheels on both sides.
Step 4: Use the Phillips #2 screwdriver to remove the nine 16 mm screws. Press on the side tab and pull up to expose the hose connection. Remove the two 13.5 mm screws inside. If your Shark vacuum model has more screws, unscrew them all and keep them in a safe box to avoid losing them.
Step 5: Remove the top cover and the wire attached by squeezing the pin and pulling it up. Remove the two 11 mm screws with your Phillips screwdriver.
Step 6: Lift the cover and pull out the roller brush from the machine.
Step 7: Remove the broken belt and install the new one.
Step 8: Reassemble the parts and check if the vacuum is working afterwards.
How to Empty Your Dust Cup
Empty your dust cup regularly to keep your shark vacuum brush spinning
When your dust cup line reaches halfway, it is time to empty it. Please don't wait for the dirt to reach the maximum fill line because it can affect your vacuum's suction and cleaning ability. Plus, a full dust cup might lead to your Shark vacuum brush not spinning.
There are different ways to empty the dust cup for different Shark models. You can follow these steps below to empty your Shark vacuum.
Step 1: Disconnect the vacuum from the electrical outlet. For corded machines such as the Shark Navigator Lift Away and the Shark Rotator Professional, unplug the device. For cordless Shark DuoClean models, you should remove the battery.
Step 2: Remove the dust bin from the vacuum cleaner.
For Shark Navigator Lift Away, you can empty the dust cup by sliding the release tabs at the top to remove it from the machine.
For Shark Rotator Professional, you can either pull the dust bin release handle or push the release button.
For Shark DuoClean and Shark Rocket models, press the release button to remove the dust cup.
Step 3: Hold the dust cup over the trash can to empty the dirt.
Step 4: Use water to clean the dust cup thoroughly.
Step 5: Leave the dust cup out to dry completely. Then, close the dust cup and put it back into the device.
Step 6: Check if the device is working after reassembling the dust cup.
How to Clean and Maintain Your Shark Vacuum
Apart from the steps above, you should always clean the Shark vacuum cleaner and keep it in good condition to ensure every part is up and running, including the brush roll.
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Clean the Filters
Cleaning the filters frequently helps maintain your Shark vacuum cleaner Via: Amazon
If you're using the vacuum regularly, you should make sure to clean the filter every month or every couple of months.
Step 1: Remove the pre-motor filters (a foam filter and a felt filter) from your Shark vacuum cleaner.
Step 2: Run the filters under warm water until the water is clear. You can hand-wash the filters gently.
Step 3: Take the post-motor filter out. Most Shark vacuums are equipped with the standard HEPA filters but check it in your user guide to see if your model has one.
Step 4: Run the HEPA filter under cold water.
Step 5: Leave all filters out to completely dry. Shark recommends leaving them out for at least 24 hours to ensure they are thoroughly dry.
Step 6: Put the filters back into the vacuum.
Contact Shark Customer Service
If you have tried every tip above, but your Shark vacuum brush won't spin, consult Shark's customer service to help you with the problems.
Shark Vacuum Troubleshooting Pro Tip
Is your Shark Rocket brush roll not working? First, check if the vacuum is on the right mode since your brush roll only works on carpet settings and not bare floor settings.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading our step-by-step guide. Shark vacuums offer high quality and excellent cleaning performance, but they require regular maintenance to ensure every part is working properly. So next time, if you find your Shark vacuum roller brush stopped working, follow some of these steps to solve the problems. Let us know which tip is your favorite and why.
