If this video helps you successfully clean your vacuum cleaner, consider saying 'Thanks' by hitting the subscribe button. Its free and no strings attached.
I've had my Dyson since the very beginning and it was a major investment for me. This vacuum is the absolute best. Ease of operation, maintenance, and general upkeep. Your video showed me exactly what I needed to do!! My Dyson is working like a champ after a major cleaning, belt and beater bar replacement!! Thank you!! I got a shark, because of the reviews, and it is the worst vacuum I have ever used. Good for hair...the biggest lie of them all. It went into the garbage. I purchased my DC17 back in 2008 and it is still going strong!!
This unit is a big investment and they should tell you how to clean it, but they don't. I'm glad this helped you and many others too. Thanks for the comment., and Thanks for being a subscriber. :)
Bless you for making this video! I’ve had mine for several years and I refused to toss it because I knew there had to be a way to take it apart and clean it. My late wife ordered it against my will and it was delivered while I was home and she was not. Once I used it, I apologized for giving her grief because she spent that much money. It’s now in pieces air drying after a much needed thorough cleaning. New filters ordered!
This is BY FAR the best instructional video to help disassemble & clean the DC17. Believe me, I searched high & low on Al Gore's amazing internet. About ready to take it in and pay for the cleaning until I stumbled upon this. Vacuum is running like brand new now. And it only took me about 45 minutes start to finish. Thanks Joe!
Glad it helped. Its a shame to spend so much on these units and think they are dead when they aren't. My wife put me up to posting this video. She was right.
I have never imagined I’d watch you wrestle a vacuum on the floor, but here we are. I now feel like I know you on a more personal level. Thanks for that,
Thank you so very much! I absolutely loved your straight forward tutorial! My husband was about to get a screwdriver to speed up the process, I told him that Joe said no screwdriver and to be patient! He totally respected your advice! Thanks again Joe Pie, You are the best! 👍❤
Thank you for making this video! I bought a Dyson Animal for $20.00 at goodwill. The filter was plugged and after taking it apart as you showed, I discovered 5 out of the 8 venturies were completely clogged. After cleaning and reassembling, it works as brand new!
I found your video, and my husband pulled apart and reassembled our Dyson. It’s at least 10 years old and it works just incredibly thank you so much for making this video.
Thank you so much for this video! My DC17 from December 2006 smells and runs like new! I cleaned all the parts with a sponge, brush, and toothpicks in a sink with warm water mixed with a few splashes of Clorox Cleanup. Then I ordered and replaced both HEPA filters just to get it extra fresh.
Thanks for this video. Dysons biggest flaw is also what makes them great. The cyclones are always filthy and tend to stink after a while. I find them on the side of the road all the time with plugged or stinky cyclones. If they made them easy to disassemble they would probably sell more. The dc17 i just picked up was clogged with dog hair and thanks to your video i was able to take it apart without breaking it. Thank you for the video.
Thank you so much for the thorough, step-by-step video and explanation! You allowed me to get our Dyson back to working like new. It was truly a mess up inside and I would have never known how to disassemble it (without breaking it) or how to put it back together after having taken all those pieces apart and allowing them to thoroughly dry for a couple of days. One of the very best how-to videos I have ever used! THANK YOU!
The cost of a Dyson sucks! Now you've done it, you are gonna get a lot of housewives wanting you to service their Dysons. I kept my wife's old Kenmore running for almost 30 years, by doing maintenance and cleanings when needed. When some parts finally gave out that could not be replaced, I disassembled it and repurposed the motor, and some other parts. Great video.
This Dyson is the product of my wife getting tired of her 30 year old Kenmore. It had more aluminum and carbon fiber custom parts on it than a Bugatti. She finally said enough. It ran fine when she gave it away.
I still have my DC07 that I bought new in about 2002. The only thing I had to do to it was just this last year when I had to replace the clutch, belt, and repair the main suction hose. It is still a joy to use but getting harder to get parts for, so I bought a very well abused DC17 off of CL for 30 dollars to keep me in Dyson corded 1400 Watt cyclone motor power for at least a bit more time. Before my replacement parts arrive for the DC17 I've got a good deal of cleaning to do. These older Dyson machines are very much worth saving. Thanks for the well put together instructional video!
This video was AMAZING!!!! I knew there was dirt packed in there even though I empty after every vacuum. But I was STUNNED to discover that 4 of the 6 cones were literally PACKED full - the dirt cones were so solid with dust that I could handle them! And we don’t even have pets! Thanks a MILLION for a GREAT video!!!!
I have a Dyson DC17 that someone had placed on the curb during one of our regular bulky item pickups a few years ago. It was a mess, but being the DIY person that I am, I thought I’d see if it was fixable. I took it home, disassembled the canister and cleaned it in the same manner as you demonstrate in your video. All the vortex chambers were completely plugged and impacted with dirt & dog hair. I had to use needle nose plyers to get it all out. Long story short, this has turned out to be the best vacuum cleaner I’ve ever owned. With that said, not wanting to have to go through this procedure again, whenever I empty the canister, I always follow up by blowing it out with compressed air. Doing this is probably a bit over the top, but it’s kept the canister clean as a whistle ever since.
Subscribed because you just saved me from buying a new vacuum. Holy cow!! I’ve seen others pry it open w screwdrivers and I was not comfortable cracking the plastic. THANK YOU for showing how to do it correctly. It’s literally a new vacuum🎉
You are my hero! My Animal is functioning like new and you saved me $800 on a new one. A great way to spend a day staying safe at home and away from Covid! Thank you!
Next video - Joe manually lathing the Dyson Animal's venturi head. In brass. In a single setup. Deep screw tip - Toilet paper. Double it up, place on fastener head, press bit into socket, tear off excess paper. Will hold it vertically with the correct amount of TP. In most cases the TP will stay in the screw head, but being as it's just tissue, if it comes loose, it's able to work through any holes/gears/parts without damage occurring.
My channel is normally a machining channel, but I thought it may be helpful to post this. Apparently 45,000 other people think so too. Thanks for watching.
This is an AWESOME video! I have had my DC17 since they first made them (bought it new). It has survived numerous German shepherd dogs, cats, and even 'ranch life' debris! But I don't think the company intend for their customers to take it apart! Trust this video though and this was the (only) second time I have broken it down completely-so I knew that it took patience, strength and perseverance to get the first part off! Don't lose the screws and remember these are 'star head' screws, so make sure you have the right tools. Couple of tips, use caution with the clear silicone ring at the base (as he says one side is higher than the other) and make sure you feed the red 'push handle' through the right slot, it can be loosened from the top (screws) so you don't have to bend it if you forget like I did! LOL Thank you for this video, it is excellent and very detailed! BUT.....can one do anything about the horrific smell when you open up the cones after years of clogged dog hair? LOL🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for sharing your how to video. It really helped me. I took mine apart by watching g your video, cleaned it really good and put it back together. When I had to put the 8 screws back in I used some needle nose pliers to get them down in the holes. Worked like a charm. Thanks again. 😊
I have a neat trick for holding screws on the driver, I use a piece of heat shrink tubing that just fits over the head of the screw, fit the screw on the driver, put the sleeve over and shrink it down... You can fit another screw in easily. Works for nuts too, when you can't get your hand in to hold the nut...
Thanks! This was an excellent tutorial. I feel 100% comfortable that I can get my Dyson apart & put back together with no problems. I appreciate it so much! I thought I'd share a tip/trick that we use in building airplane fuel pumps. We use Vaseline on the tip of our screwdrivers & screw heads to hold the screw on when we're installing them into deep locations. Its by far the best tip I've ever learned. A small jar of Vaseline will last forever.
Joe, great video, I have always stripped my Dysons. Top tip for your viewers, if you intend to take it apart again, lightly dust the rubber/silicone gaskets with magnesium tri-silicate (talcum powder) it makes disassembly so much easier. You are indeed a patient man. Kindest regards. Joe. PS Yes I have also used some silicone grease, for the average punter, I think talk is easier.
This is a most fantastic help! Excellent walk-through and this fixed all my vacuum problems. I thought our 15 year old Animal was done but cleaning out the innards made it like new again. THANKS JOE!
When putting the screws back, it is a good idea to gently push on the screw and turn it counterclockwise and feel or listen for a “click”, a bit like cracking a safe! This positions the screw helix in line with the original groove it cut when it was first inserted, so not only will the screw go in nice and easy, it does not cut a new thread in the delicate plastic boss.
You prolly dont give a shit but does someone know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I somehow forgot the account password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me!
@Aaron Kamdyn thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
Thank you so much! We cleaned our vac out, dog hair blocking tubes. We didn't go as far as you did. We were concerned we'd have trouble getting the purple part back together so I used a small straw cleaning brush to reach up into the upper chamber. As far as I can tell it worked, shined a flashlight in from side to check. Not a full clean out but now the machine works again! Saved us a ton of money and we are so proud of ourselves too. :)
Second time I referenced for cleaning, and it is very much appreciated. Complete disassembly wasn’t required the second time, but while I had it apart, it was peace of mind knowing it was only the lower half 80% blocked and the rest was fine.
This video was great and gave me the confidence I needed to get the job done. Thank you! A couple of notes, I used a small 2 x 1 board under the top half of the canister to elevate, tilt, and stabilize the canister. This gave me better control, support, and more room to push bottom towards the floor. I got one click on my first push but, as Joe says, you still need to work cautiously, slow and even. Regarding the screws, yes the screws are all the same size but I had to use a small tool kit drive in order to reach the 4 screws mounting the white plastic assembly, a 1/4" apex holder or standard ratcheting screwdriver will no go into the holes. I also used a Sharpi to mark the pieces for reassembly.
Excellent video!!! I so totally would have broken mine getting it apart (like I have so many times before), if not for this video. You give extremely useful info in a very calm, patient manner. Thank you! I've liked the video and subscribed to the channel. As I see a lot of these Dyson vacuums, I'm sure your videos will help me again in the future.
fantastic video. the 3 clips were indeed a challenge. I knew there had to be a way to separate it. i saw a different video by some woman who simply said "Dyson doesn't recommend submerging your cyclone". Nothing about getting it apart. lol, gee... thanks. i can wipe down a vacuum without a video tutorial. Yours was spot on for help. thanks again!
This is Engineering at its best.. A respected Engineer takes apart to restore functionality of a machine. Also known as maintenance, and great for the Environment. Good on you Joe great to see you Back. Always a Privilege to see you vids 👍
And engineering at its worst? That award would go to the guy who purposely designed this machine to plug up and become useless after a certain period of time, and knowingly followed that up with the way it was put together so as to be almost impossible to clean out and maintain. All to the good, IF you happen to be the one hoping to sell idiots the same 500 'dollar' piece of plastic every year for the rest of their life. But someone(like Joe) always comes along to shine light on the darkness loving scam artists.
Interesting.. the mere fact that “you can open it up” is great engineering after all many companies encapsulate so it breaks when dismantled. Me I met the man who invented them... when I did I told him I had a Henry vac. I like simple. Joes great he’s my Hero teacher that I Never had. Enjoy your Day but Relax man.
Wonderful video with clear, concise instructions. I found that I had to carefully place a short piece of 2X4 under the wholly assembled two pieces in order to keep the small end up off the floor in order to exert side pressure, per your video, to separate the two halves. The crud and packed dirt in the unit was incredible and I thank you for this video. Also found that I could carefully grip those deep Torx-head screws in the upper chamber with a needle nose and then place them in their sockets for re-assembly before tightening them with a T-15 socket on an extension bar.
I am glad this helped you. these machines are great, but when the upper end gets jammed up, they just quit pulling. I like your channel avatar. English bulldogs are great companions.
Outstanding job on this video! Your very clear & patient instructions are priceless. Using this video has made a confusing task very simple and straightforward. In the past I have worked on several Dyson models, but never tackled the upper cannister. Thank you very much for taking the time to create this video, and posting it.
My pleasure. Dyson makes a great machine, but when the top clogs up, most people just throw them away or take them in for costly service. I'm glad this helped.
Thank you! Your breakdown helped me disassemble mine to rehab it today, can't wait until everything is dry so I can put it back together and use it. I'll plan on doing this once a year now that I know it can be done! :)
These are amazing machines, but anything that so difficult to service really can't be considered a "design success", unless you're talking about creating jobs... ;-) I would remove those tabs entirely, and just tape the thing together with duct-tape to make disassembly easier the next time. I can tell that the folks at Dyson don't do their own vacuuming, a they totally ignored the most significant advance in consumer vacuum design... the self-retracting cord. If they had figured out a "whizzy" way to do *that*, they would most certainly deserve a Nobel! Great video! Thanks so much!
I just blow mine out with compressed air after dumping you WILL BE AMAZED at what comes out!!! Americans for the most part are too lazy to go through this process we just buy new ones! JUST go to your local recycling center and look in their vacuum cleaner bin😳 I get one or two every trip and they are happy to let you take them because they pay a contractor to take those away! I have built three good Dyson vacuum cleaners mostly it’s the power brush or the bearings or the motor that are junk........haven’t seen one with a vacuum motor that’s failed! VISIT YOUR recycling center or the place people take their trash and look around you’ll be amazed! Great video!
Okay... I just want you to know... this was an EXCELLENT video for me because it encouraged me to clean a very dirty DC17. And... BAM... it did the job! I now have suction! THANK YOU!
Thank you I own one of these, fortunately, it still sucks, but as for the disassembly I would have expected better engineering from Dyson. But now I know how to clean it.
We're in UK, and had one of the first Dyson cleaners, believed the advertising, but it was absolute rubbish. Within three weeks it was unusable, and having replaced components, parts of it overheated after a few more months. The scam of not buying bags, but having to buy filters, and the mess of emptying is a joke for bagless cleaners.I see the design has not improved, nor the price for Dyson stuff. The best, simplest vacs we found, were made in USA - Oreck -now owned by Vax and not now available over here. Simple bag to change, light weight, lasted ages. Still, Joe, if you're happy with it, then I'm happy for you too.
Hi Joe, my stepdaughter picked up Dyson Animal on side of road left out for trash-man, completely blocked lower section. I cleaned it out but doesn't seem as good as our 'standard' Dyson. I've used a pressure washer to get all the holes clean on 'standard' one but I didn't know there was a section that needed so much disassembly on the 'Animal'. I'll take another look at it now. Thanks
I Knew the spider HAD to come off the cone, but I was afraid to apply that much force. I had to be missing something... All I was missing was confirmation on using more force ;-) Thanks a ton for making, editing and posting this!! (This time I'm going to try polishing the inner clean surfaces with a dryer sheet.)
A few brownie points off the wife there Joe. Your talents know no bounds.🤗 For screws in hard to get places i just use some blu tack on the end of the driver to hold the screw in place.
Thank you so much for this video. You did a great job explaining how to take it apart and put it back together again. I've had mine since they were new on the market and I love it. I had never deep cleaned it like I did tonight. I can not believe how much pet and human hair was in there.
Very nice and detailed assembly of that most complicated collection of plastic gadget. Now I know what to do with something which I never buy, espacially because I have no idea what is it and for what tó use it. Nevet mind I really enjoyed the whole video, it’s has good and clear audio and clear photography and great dynamics.
man if I could give an award for "best executed/most informative & thorough RUclips tutorial on the 'net" (like ever, not just about vacuum repair/maintenance) it would go to this guy. seriously, you must have been a teacher in a past life. thanks for turning us from clueless to *almost* pros
3 things I can attest work that you didn’t mention. 1. The clear silicone seal(the last step), I had to remove ours, it was torn. I used clear bathroom silicone in the channel, then pushed the pieces together and let dry to get a good seal. 2. The black seal at the bottom of the cylinder, I used the same clear silicone in the channel and pushed the black seal into the channel and let dry. It won’t work it’s way out of the channel and move up causing no seal(which is what causes all this mess to begin with). 3. I used a black sharpy to mark the locations of the locking tabs on the outside. Since new, I’ve had to open and clean ours 3 times, those marks make it easier to open it up.
Extremely valuable video thanks ... allows you to temper the amount of medieval applied when doing something like this for the first time and seeing this done here can be the difference between ending up with a pile of cracked parts or an 'as new' functioning vac. Cheers Joe.
Sitting next to this assembly now, on one we picked up complete at a thrift store for $8. It runs well, but smells so bad, I can smell it next to me on the floor. Definitely worth giving your very good instructions a go for the $8. It will almost be easy come easy go, or about like buying two half gallons of ice cream and pigging out!
For opening plastic cases that use clips, the correct tool is a "spudger". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spudger Typically you would use two spudgers, and use them like bicycle tyre levers, to work around the perimeter of the casing until the entire case opens. The spudgers help to gently pop the clips (without damaging them), and to prevent each popped clip from closing again while you move on to pop the next one.
very nice tutorial, it was a great explanation and provided how to manhandle the unit yet not break it. always an issue for me as I usually use too big of a hammer to do the job. Now, regarding the screws, use a magnet on the screw driver side usually does the trick. Great you point out the various clocking and slots for error proofing.
Hi Joe, don't have one as I've heard mixed reviews about said problem but now I know how to sort said problem, no problem :) I do get an odd satisfaction from taking things like this apart and getting them to do what they are supposed to, TFS. G :)
This is a great video. I followed Joe's instructions and managed to get it taken apart, cleaned and reassembled with no problems. Although I was a little apprehensive to try it, I actually had fun doing it. This is one of the very best instructional videos that I have ever seen on youtube. Great job, Joe! By the way, I had no trouble getting those 8 screws back in, I took the long torx bit, but a screw on it (with nothing between the bit and the screw), and held the top unit horizontally in my left hand and inserted the bit with the screw on it right into the hole and "hand tightened" the screw. To do this, I did not have the bit attached to anything-just in my hand-like a pencil-had no problems. Once the screws got started, I attached the bit to the drill motor and torqued them down lightly. Thanks again, Joe!
Thank you. Great video. My vacuum was working, what I thought was "fine" but getting debris on top of the round sponge filter. Completely disassembled, found so much up inside, reassembled and no more debris on filter and it works like new again. I had no idea that it was not performing as well as it should have.
Great video and how to Joe, thanks! P.S. I used a silicone mold release spray. It goes on pretty much dry and will not attract as much dirt as grease will.
Great. Now I know how to open it. An advice, from my experiance to keep the plastic studs from break down, put a little vaseline on the screw-thread and while putting the screw in, turn in anti clockwise until you feel the screw fall into the old trhread, it will go down very smooth than and nothing will be damaged. Thanks
Thanks for the video. I thought I was going to see a video with a large blender and a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Should blame AVE, thinking that all Dysons get fixed with blenders. Nice repair demo.
"All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer." IBM maintenance manual, 1925
so you didnt have two star bit screws to remove before snapping the top and the bottom apart? One of mine did, but this one i have now , i can't see any. i little nervous. thank so much for the video. Cant tell you how many dysons i have see out for the trash and all they needed was a good cleaning.
Amazing video! I did have some trouble cracking it open the first time. So I labeled the location of the 3 clips on the outside. It really helped the second time. I’ve had this wonderful vac since 2008. It lost some power in 2019 and that’s when I found your video. I had a long hair cat that entire time and it only clogged after 11 yrs. All that time the #6 filter always had only light dust .The cat died in early 2020 and I figured the vac wouldn’t have to be disassembled again for quite a while. But the #6 filter started piling up with heavier dirt. I mean a lot of stuff laying on top of the filter. So I took it all apart again and cleaned it out. Two nozzles were blocked. Am I doing something wrong? Why is heavy stuff getting to that filter? There’s really no way to put this together incorrectly. Thanks, I could never have done this without you. 👍🏻
I found a way to easily separate the canister. If you put a small piece of wood or in my case a hammer handle, just below the seam. Then apply even pressure to both halves, then rotate a little ways, again with the pressure. I had it open in less than a minute with out any struggle.
My Dyson has a screen above the dump basket that always plugs up. I've blown it out with compressed air with some success. I'll try taking it apart and see if there is plugged ventricular passages. Thanks for the detailed instructions.
If this video helps you successfully clean your vacuum cleaner, consider saying 'Thanks' by hitting the subscribe button. Its free and no strings attached.
I've had my Dyson since the very beginning and it was a major investment for me. This vacuum is the absolute best. Ease of operation, maintenance, and general upkeep. Your video showed me exactly what I needed to do!! My Dyson is working like a champ after a major cleaning, belt and beater bar replacement!! Thank you!! I got a shark, because of the reviews, and it is the worst vacuum I have ever used. Good for hair...the biggest lie of them all. It went into the garbage. I purchased my DC17 back in 2008 and it is still going strong!!
This unit is a big investment and they should tell you how to clean it, but they don't. I'm glad this helped you and many others too. Thanks for the comment., and Thanks for being a subscriber. :)
Bless you for making this video! I’ve had mine for several years and I refused to toss it because I knew there had to be a way to take it apart and clean it. My late wife ordered it against my will and it was delivered while I was home and she was not. Once I used it, I apologized for giving her grief because she spent that much money. It’s now in pieces air drying after a much needed thorough cleaning. New filters ordered!
There is no doubt that you put a smile on her face. Way to go.
This is BY FAR the best instructional video to help disassemble & clean the DC17. Believe me, I searched high & low on Al Gore's amazing internet. About ready to take it in and pay for the cleaning until I stumbled upon this. Vacuum is running like brand new now. And it only took me about 45 minutes start to finish. Thanks Joe!
Glad it helped. Its a shame to spend so much on these units and think they are dead when they aren't. My wife put me up to posting this video. She was right.
I have never imagined I’d watch you wrestle a vacuum on the floor, but here we are. I now feel like I know you on a more personal level. Thanks for that,
Believe me, I never thought I'd do it either. We looked for videos on the topic and couldn't find a complete one. Opportunity knocked.
Lol it looks like a chiropractor video, back cracking 😂😂
Thank you so very much! I absolutely loved your straight forward tutorial! My husband was about to get a screwdriver to speed up the process, I told him that Joe said no screwdriver and to be patient! He totally respected your advice! Thanks again Joe Pie, You are the best! 👍❤
Thanks for the feedback. I hope the vac runs like new. :)
Thank you for making this video! I bought a Dyson Animal for $20.00 at goodwill. The filter was plugged and after taking it apart as you showed, I discovered 5 out of the 8 venturies were completely clogged. After cleaning and reassembling, it works as brand new!
Fantastic!
I found your video, and my husband pulled apart and reassembled our Dyson. It’s at least 10 years old and it works just incredibly thank you so much for making this video.
Glad it helped you.
Thank you so much for this video! My DC17 from December 2006 smells and runs like new! I cleaned all the parts with a sponge, brush, and toothpicks in a sink with warm water mixed with a few splashes of Clorox Cleanup. Then I ordered and replaced both HEPA filters just to get it extra fresh.
Excellent. Glad to hear you got through it. I always wonder how many perfectly good dysons have been thrown away for just this reason.
Thanks for this video. Dysons biggest flaw is also what makes them great. The cyclones are always filthy and tend to stink after a while. I find them on the side of the road all the time with plugged or stinky cyclones. If they made them easy to disassemble they would probably sell more. The dc17 i just picked up was clogged with dog hair and thanks to your video i was able to take it apart without breaking it. Thank you for the video.
This is how to do an instructional video. Complete, clear and precise. Awesome work. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for the thorough, step-by-step video and explanation! You allowed me to get our Dyson back to working like new. It was truly a mess up inside and I would have never known how to disassemble it (without breaking it) or how to put it back together after having taken all those pieces apart and allowing them to thoroughly dry for a couple of days. One of the very best how-to videos I have ever used! THANK YOU!
Glad I could help! We spend good money on these things and they don't need to hit the scrap pile from some dog hair. Thanks for the comment.
The cost of a Dyson sucks! Now you've done it, you are gonna get a lot of housewives wanting you to service their Dysons. I kept my wife's old Kenmore running for almost 30 years, by doing maintenance and cleanings when needed. When some parts finally gave out that could not be replaced, I disassembled it and repurposed the motor, and some other parts. Great video.
This Dyson is the product of my wife getting tired of her 30 year old Kenmore. It had more aluminum and carbon fiber custom parts on it than a Bugatti. She finally said enough. It ran fine when she gave it away.
I still have my DC07 that I bought new in about 2002. The only thing I had to do to it was just this last year when I had to replace the clutch, belt, and repair the main suction hose. It is still a joy to use but getting harder to get parts for, so I bought a very well abused DC17 off of CL for 30 dollars to keep me in Dyson corded 1400 Watt cyclone motor power for at least a bit more time. Before my replacement parts arrive for the DC17 I've got a good deal of cleaning to do. These older Dyson machines are very much worth saving. Thanks for the well put together instructional video!
This video was AMAZING!!!! I knew there was dirt packed in there even though I empty after every vacuum. But I was STUNNED to discover that 4 of the 6 cones were literally PACKED full - the dirt cones were so solid with dust that I could handle them! And we don’t even have pets! Thanks a MILLION for a GREAT video!!!!
You are so welcome!
I have a Dyson DC17 that someone had placed on the curb during one of our regular bulky item pickups a few years ago. It was a mess, but being the DIY person that I am, I thought I’d see if it was fixable. I took it home, disassembled the canister and cleaned it in the same manner as you demonstrate in your video. All the vortex chambers were completely plugged and impacted with dirt & dog hair. I had to use needle nose plyers to get it all out. Long story short, this has turned out to be the best vacuum cleaner I’ve ever owned. With that said, not wanting to have to go through this procedure again, whenever I empty the canister, I always follow up by blowing it out with compressed air. Doing this is probably a bit over the top, but it’s kept the canister clean as a whistle ever since.
Subscribed because you just saved me from buying a new vacuum. Holy cow!! I’ve seen others pry it open w screwdrivers and I was not comfortable cracking the plastic. THANK YOU for showing how to do it correctly. It’s literally a new vacuum🎉
Glad I could help! thanks for the sub. Much appreciated.
You are my hero! My Animal is functioning like new and you saved me $800 on a new one. A great way to spend a day staying safe at home and away from Covid! Thank you!
Outstanding. I also saved myself $800 by doing this. These are great machines when they are truly clean. Thanks for the comment. Stay well.
Next video - Joe manually lathing the Dyson Animal's venturi head. In brass. In a single setup.
Deep screw tip - Toilet paper. Double it up, place on fastener head, press bit into socket, tear off excess paper. Will hold it vertically with the correct amount of TP.
In most cases the TP will stay in the screw head, but being as it's just tissue, if it comes loose, it's able to work through any holes/gears/parts without damage occurring.
Video was right-on! I was able to take mine apart, clean it, (not as clean as yours), and put it back together in under an hour. Awesome!
Glad it helped.
I'm so glad I found this tutorial, my vacuum is good as new now. Thank you for this extremely helpful and straightforward guide.
My channel is normally a machining channel, but I thought it may be helpful to post this. Apparently 45,000 other people think so too. Thanks for watching.
This is an AWESOME video! I have had my DC17 since they first made them (bought it new). It has survived numerous German shepherd dogs, cats, and even 'ranch life' debris! But I don't think the company intend for their customers to take it apart! Trust this video though and this was the (only) second time I have broken it down completely-so I knew that it took patience, strength and perseverance to get the first part off! Don't lose the screws and remember these are 'star head' screws, so make sure you have the right tools. Couple of tips, use caution with the clear silicone ring at the base (as he says one side is higher than the other) and make sure you feed the red 'push handle' through the right slot, it can be loosened from the top (screws) so you don't have to bend it if you forget like I did! LOL Thank you for this video, it is excellent and very detailed! BUT.....can one do anything about the horrific smell when you open up the cones after years of clogged dog hair? LOL🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for sharing your how to video. It really helped me. I took mine apart by watching g your video, cleaned it really good and put it back together. When I had to put the 8 screws back in I used some needle nose pliers to get them down in the holes. Worked like a charm. Thanks again. 😊
Glad it ended well.
Great video and walkthrough. I couldn’t believe how clogged that top portion was once I got it apart. Thanks for taking the time to make this video!!
Glad it helped!
Thank you for posting this! I acquired DC17 that the rich owner thought did t work anymore and used your vid to bring it back to life!
Glad I could help!
I have a neat trick for holding screws on the driver, I use a piece of heat shrink tubing that just fits over the head of the screw, fit the screw on the driver, put the sleeve over and shrink it down... You can fit another screw in easily. Works for nuts too, when you can't get your hand in to hold the nut...
Thanks! This was an excellent tutorial. I feel 100% comfortable that I can get my Dyson apart & put back together with no problems. I appreciate it so much!
I thought I'd share a tip/trick that we use in building airplane fuel pumps. We use Vaseline on the tip of our screwdrivers & screw heads to hold the screw on when we're installing them into deep locations. Its by far the best tip I've ever learned. A small jar of Vaseline will last forever.
Popping the top will be the toughest part. All other details were covered. The vaseline is a good idea. Good luck.
Joe, great video, I have always stripped my Dysons. Top tip for your viewers, if you intend to take it apart again, lightly dust the rubber/silicone gaskets with magnesium tri-silicate (talcum powder) it makes disassembly so much easier. You are indeed a patient man. Kindest regards. Joe. PS Yes I have also used some silicone grease, for the average punter, I think talk is easier.
This is a most fantastic help! Excellent walk-through and this fixed all my vacuum problems. I thought our 15 year old Animal was done but cleaning out the innards made it like new again. THANKS JOE!
Glad to help. Ours performed like new after this cleaning. I had to share the work.
When putting the screws back, it is a good idea to gently push on the screw and turn it counterclockwise and feel or listen for a “click”, a bit like cracking a safe! This positions the screw helix in line with the original groove it cut when it was first inserted, so not only will the screw go in nice and easy, it does not cut a new thread in the delicate plastic boss.
You prolly dont give a shit but does someone know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow forgot the account password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me!
@Skyler Harlan instablaster :)
@Aaron Kamdyn thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Aaron Kamdyn it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thank you so much, you saved my account !
@Skyler Harlan you are welcome =)
Thank you so much! We cleaned our vac out, dog hair blocking tubes. We didn't go as far as you did. We were concerned we'd have trouble getting the purple part back together so I used a small straw cleaning brush to reach up into the upper chamber. As far as I can tell it worked, shined a flashlight in from side to check. Not a full clean out but now the machine works again! Saved us a ton of money and we are so proud of ourselves too. :)
Glad it helped!
Second time I referenced for cleaning, and it is very much appreciated. Complete disassembly wasn’t required the second time, but while I had it apart, it was peace of mind knowing it was only the lower half 80% blocked and the rest was fine.
This video was great and gave me the confidence I needed to get the job done. Thank you! A couple of notes, I used a small 2 x 1 board under the top half of the canister to elevate, tilt, and stabilize the canister. This gave me better control, support, and more room to push bottom towards the floor. I got one click on my first push but, as Joe says, you still need to work cautiously, slow and even. Regarding the screws, yes the screws are all the same size but I had to use a small tool kit drive in order to reach the 4 screws mounting the white plastic assembly, a 1/4" apex holder or standard ratcheting screwdriver will no go into the holes. I also used a Sharpi to mark the pieces for reassembly.
Excellent video!!! I so totally would have broken mine getting it apart (like I have so many times before), if not for this video. You give extremely useful info in a very calm, patient manner. Thank you! I've liked the video and subscribed to the channel. As I see a lot of these Dyson vacuums, I'm sure your videos will help me again in the future.
fantastic video. the 3 clips were indeed a challenge. I knew there had to be a way to separate it. i saw a different video by some woman who simply said "Dyson doesn't recommend submerging your cyclone". Nothing about getting it apart. lol, gee... thanks. i can wipe down a vacuum without a video tutorial. Yours was spot on for help. thanks again!
Glad to help. These are great machines, but when they clog like this, they are usually set by the curb.
Gotta love a great machinist with patience thanks for the video Joe Great job
Thank you! I used your video to disassemble my vacuum and it was all clogged with pet hair. Very satisfying to have cleaned it. Thanks!
Excellent. Glad it helped.
This is Engineering at its best.. A respected Engineer takes apart to restore functionality of a machine. Also known as maintenance, and great for the Environment. Good on you Joe great to see you Back. Always a Privilege to see you vids 👍
And engineering at its worst? That award would go to the guy who purposely designed this machine to plug up and become useless after a certain period of time, and knowingly followed that up with the way it was put together so as to be almost impossible to clean out and maintain.
All to the good, IF you happen to be the one hoping to sell idiots the same 500 'dollar' piece of plastic every year for the rest of their life. But someone(like Joe) always comes along to shine light on the darkness loving scam artists.
Interesting.. the mere fact that “you can open it up” is great engineering after all many companies encapsulate so it breaks when dismantled. Me I met the man who invented them... when I did I told him I had a Henry vac. I like simple. Joes great he’s my Hero teacher that I Never had. Enjoy your Day but Relax man.
Flattered guys. thanks.
Wonderful video with clear, concise instructions. I found that I had to carefully place a short piece of 2X4 under the wholly assembled two pieces in order to keep the small end up off the floor in order to exert side pressure, per your video, to separate the two halves. The crud and packed dirt in the unit was incredible and I thank you for this video. Also found that I could carefully grip those deep Torx-head screws in the upper chamber with a needle nose and then place them in their sockets for re-assembly before tightening them with a T-15 socket on an extension bar.
I am glad this helped you. these machines are great, but when the upper end gets jammed up, they just quit pulling. I like your channel avatar. English bulldogs are great companions.
Outstanding job on this video!
Your very clear & patient instructions are priceless. Using this video has made a confusing task very simple and straightforward. In the past I have worked on several Dyson models, but never tackled the upper cannister.
Thank you very much for taking the time to create this video, and posting it.
My pleasure. Dyson makes a great machine, but when the top clogs up, most people just throw them away or take them in for costly service. I'm glad this helped.
Thank you! Your breakdown helped me disassemble mine to rehab it today, can't wait until everything is dry so I can put it back together and use it. I'll plan on doing this once a year now that I know it can be done! :)
Glad to help. It should feel like new now.
You have great timing I've been trying to figure out how to take my wife's apart and couldn't figure it out. Love your videos!!!
Dude, that was useful...I can overhaul mine now. Thanks for posting.
These are amazing machines, but anything that so difficult to service really can't be considered a "design success", unless you're talking about creating jobs... ;-) I would remove those tabs entirely, and just tape the thing together with duct-tape to make disassembly easier the next time. I can tell that the folks at Dyson don't do their own vacuuming, a they totally ignored the most significant advance in consumer vacuum design... the self-retracting cord. If they had figured out a "whizzy" way to do *that*, they would most certainly deserve a Nobel! Great video! Thanks so much!
I just blow mine out with compressed air after dumping you WILL BE AMAZED at what comes out!!!
Americans for the most part are too lazy to go through this process we just buy new ones!
JUST go to your local recycling center and look in their vacuum cleaner bin😳
I get one or two every trip and they are happy to let you take them because they pay a contractor to take those away!
I have built three good Dyson vacuum cleaners mostly it’s the power brush or the bearings or the motor that are junk........haven’t seen one with a vacuum motor that’s failed! VISIT YOUR recycling center or the place people take their trash and look around you’ll be amazed! Great video!
I may just do that.
Okay... I just want you to know... this was an EXCELLENT video for me because it encouraged me to clean a very dirty DC17. And... BAM... it did the job! I now have suction! THANK YOU!
Glad I could help!
This is a great video. I was able to disassemble, clean and reassemble in one shot. The process went exactly as described.
Excellent. It will perform like new. Thanks for the comment.
Thank you I own one of these, fortunately, it still sucks, but as for the disassembly I would have expected better engineering from Dyson. But now I know how to clean it.
Great video. I have one that someone threw away and I'm going to use this excellent video to clean it all up. Thanks for taking the time to make this.
We're in UK, and had one of the first Dyson cleaners, believed the advertising, but it was absolute rubbish. Within three weeks it was unusable, and having replaced components, parts of it overheated after a few more months. The scam of not buying bags, but having to buy filters, and the mess of emptying is a joke for bagless cleaners.I see the design has not improved, nor the price for Dyson stuff. The best, simplest vacs we found, were made in USA - Oreck -now owned by Vax and not now available over here. Simple bag to change, light weight, lasted ages. Still, Joe, if you're happy with it, then I'm happy for you too.
*why do I like watching these kinds of videos*
Thank you so much. This worked perfectly. I could not believe what was “hidden” in there. Like a new machine.
Glad it helped.
Hi Joe, my stepdaughter picked up Dyson Animal on side of road left out for trash-man, completely blocked lower section. I cleaned it out but doesn't seem as good as our 'standard' Dyson. I've used a pressure washer to get all the holes clean on 'standard' one but I didn't know there was a section that needed so much disassembly on the 'Animal'. I'll take another look at it now. Thanks
I Knew the spider HAD to come off the cone, but I was afraid to apply that much force. I had to be missing something... All I was missing was confirmation on using more force ;-) Thanks a ton for making, editing and posting this!! (This time I'm going to try polishing the inner clean surfaces with a dryer sheet.)
It will perform a lot better after you do this. Good luck.
A few brownie points off the wife there Joe. Your talents know no bounds.🤗 For screws in hard to get places i just use some blu tack on the end of the driver to hold the screw in place.
Thank you for making this video! It was very informative and saved this Dyson from the landfill.
Thank you so much for this video. You did a great job explaining how to take it apart and put it back together again. I've had mine since they were new on the market and I love it. I had never deep cleaned it like I did tonight. I can not believe how much pet and human hair was in there.
It really does bring these units back to life. Glad the video was helpful.
Very nice and detailed
assembly of that most complicated collection of plastic gadget. Now I know what to do with something which I never buy, espacially because I have no idea what is it and for what tó use it.
Nevet mind I really enjoyed the whole video, it’s has good and clear audio and clear photography and great dynamics.
man if I could give an award for "best executed/most informative & thorough RUclips tutorial on the 'net" (like ever, not just about vacuum repair/maintenance) it would go to this guy. seriously, you must have been a teacher in a past life. thanks for turning us from clueless to *almost* pros
Thank you very much. Glad it helped!
3 things I can attest work that you didn’t mention. 1. The clear silicone seal(the last step), I had to remove ours, it was torn. I used clear bathroom silicone in the channel, then pushed the pieces together and let dry to get a good seal. 2. The black seal at the bottom of the cylinder, I used the same clear silicone in the channel and pushed the black seal into the channel and let dry. It won’t work it’s way out of the channel and move up causing no seal(which is what causes all this mess to begin with). 3. I used a black sharpy to mark the locations of the locking tabs on the outside. Since new, I’ve had to open and clean ours 3 times, those marks make it easier to open it up.
Marking the tab locations is a good idea.
I like it Joe! Great video on how to fix, maybe you should throw one of these out once in a while. They are very useful. Thanks 👍👍
Thanks. I know someone will benefit by it.
How come they don't mention all this in their commercials? 😁
Now I know what to do when "my unit isn't performing".... thanks Joe!
Get down on the floor and have someone try to break it in half. You're welcome.
Extremely valuable video thanks ... allows you to temper the amount of medieval applied when doing something like this for the first time and seeing this done here can be the difference between ending up with a pile of cracked parts or an 'as new' functioning vac. Cheers Joe.
Sitting next to this assembly now, on one we picked up complete at a thrift store for $8. It runs well, but smells so bad, I can smell it next to me on the floor. Definitely worth giving your very good instructions a go for the $8. It will almost be easy come easy go, or about like buying two half gallons of ice cream and pigging out!
Check the brush area too. Sometimes that smell is burning hair as the roller turns. Let me know how you do.
And how’s mother suppose to clean it thoroughly, looks like it’s been designed to go back for servicing. Good video Joe. Cheers
Peter
For opening plastic cases that use clips, the correct tool is a "spudger". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spudger
Typically you would use two spudgers, and use them like bicycle tyre levers, to work around the perimeter of the casing until the entire case opens.
The spudgers help to gently pop the clips (without damaging them), and to prevent each popped clip from closing again while you move on to pop the next one.
Using a spudger would damage a very small sealing lip on this unit. I really wouldn't suggest it.
Awesome!!! My vacuum doesn't smell like dog anymore!!!
very nice tutorial, it was a great explanation and provided how to manhandle the unit yet not break it. always an issue for me as I usually use too big of a hammer to do the job. Now, regarding the screws, use a magnet on the screw driver side usually does the trick. Great you point out the various clocking and slots for error proofing.
It appears to be a common issue based on the number of views and comments this video got.
Great instructions! It fixed the suction problem on my dyson. Thanks so much
Thanks for watching.
Wonderful video, the best I've found and your explanations are great! Much Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! Be sure to hit the subscribe button !!
Hi Joe, don't have one as I've heard mixed reviews about said problem but now I know how to sort said problem, no problem :) I do get an odd satisfaction from taking things like this apart and getting them to do what they are supposed to, TFS. G :)
Me too.
Wrangling plastic parts on the floor is all too familiar. Thanks for the video Joe.
This is a great video. I followed Joe's instructions and managed to get it taken apart, cleaned and reassembled with no problems. Although I was a little apprehensive to try it, I actually had fun doing it. This is one of the very best instructional videos that I have ever seen on youtube. Great job, Joe! By the way, I had no trouble getting those 8 screws back in, I took the long torx bit, but a screw on it (with nothing between the bit and the screw), and held the top unit horizontally in my left hand and inserted the bit with the screw on it right into the hole and "hand tightened" the screw. To do this, I did not have the bit attached to anything-just in my hand-like a pencil-had no problems. Once the screws got started, I attached the bit to the drill motor and torqued them down lightly. Thanks again, Joe!
Glad it helped. The machines run like new afterwards.
Thank you. Great video. My vacuum was working, what I thought was "fine" but getting debris on top of the round sponge filter. Completely disassembled, found so much up inside, reassembled and no more debris on filter and it works like new again. I had no idea that it was not performing as well as it should have.
Glad it helped
Thank you for your help fixing my sister's Dyson DC17.
Glad it helped.
This was the most helpful video! Thank you so much!
Thanks. I hope it helped.
thank you i needed a giggle. ive been sorting to playlist at video "housekeeping" anyway, poppy's workshop says HI
You a good vacuum cleaner technician.... What kind of engineering is that, that keep a crucial point of dirt accumulation not accessible to cleaning?
Great video and how to Joe, thanks!
P.S. I used a silicone mold release spray. It goes on pretty much dry and will not attract as much dirt as grease will.
For future cleaning you could take a sharpie and mark where the locking tabs are located.
Great. Now I know how to open it.
An advice, from my experiance to keep the plastic studs from break down,
put a little vaseline on the screw-thread and while putting the screw in, turn in anti clockwise until you
feel the screw fall into the old trhread, it will go down very smooth than and nothing will be damaged.
Thanks
Thanks for the video.
I thought I was going to see a video with a large blender and a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Should blame AVE, thinking that all Dysons get fixed with blenders.
Nice repair demo.
Thank you!!! Successfully able to clean out my vacuum cleaner!
Glad I could help!
Thank you so much for making this video! 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
"All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer."
IBM maintenance manual, 1925
so you didnt have two star bit screws to remove before snapping the top and the bottom apart? One of mine did, but this one i have now , i can't see any. i little nervous. thank so much for the video. Cant tell you how many dysons i have see out for the trash and all they needed was a good cleaning.
Now that's it's fixed, momma will be happy. You all know, if momma ain't happy then nobody is going to be happy. Lol
So true.
Amazing video! I did have some trouble cracking it open the first time. So I labeled the location of the 3 clips on the outside. It really helped the second time. I’ve had this wonderful vac since 2008. It lost some power in 2019 and that’s when I found your video. I had a long hair cat that entire time and it only clogged after 11 yrs. All that time the #6 filter always had only light dust .The cat died in early 2020 and I figured the vac wouldn’t have to be disassembled again for quite a while. But the #6 filter started piling up with heavier dirt. I mean a lot of stuff laying on top of the filter. So I took it all apart again and cleaned it out. Two nozzles were blocked. Am I doing something wrong? Why is heavy stuff getting to that filter? There’s really no way to put this together incorrectly. Thanks, I could never have done this without you. 👍🏻
"Be patient"
I felt that.
I found a way to easily separate the canister. If you put a small piece of wood or in my case a hammer handle, just below the seam. Then apply even pressure to both halves, then rotate a little ways, again with the pressure. I had it open in less than a minute with out any struggle.
Nice, just don't crack the housing.
Indeed, this guy is an idiot
My Dyson has a screen above the dump basket that always plugs up. I've blown it out with compressed air with some success. I'll try taking it apart and see if there is plugged ventricular passages. Thanks for the detailed instructions.
I bet you'll be shocked. Good Luck.
i like kirby's. wanting to use the vacuum tends to restrain the use of a hammer!
I ruined my Dyson by sucking up brick dust, took out the motor but all the plastic parts did clean well in a dishwasher, thanks for the video Joe.
That would do it.
That's not Dyson s r 4
My Dyson D.C. 27 animal is 10years old and still going
Dyson s in the U.K. r different to USA 1s
Thank you very much .. very informative and to the point. Highly appreciate your time and interest. Great help.
Glad it was helpful! I've received some good feedback on this one.
Wow - thanks for figuring this out and sharing.
Next: Joe makes a whole new improved part on a rotary table.
Good stuff Joe - I agree. Good unit.
Did the same thing on ours. Pretty impressive design and manufacturing processes involved with making one.
_Dan_
I have had a couple of shark vacuums, I like them all round.
How do you take the wand off to clear out a clog? Thank you. John