How to Empty and Clean Any Dyson Vacuum Cleaner

When your Dyson vacuum has a full canister, it’s time to empty it out so your machine works properly. The exact way you empty a Dyson vacuum depends on the model, so we've outlined the steps for every Dyson model below. We’ll also cover what to do if your Dyson canister is stuck closed, and how to clean out the filter.

How to Empty a Dyson Vacuum Bin

The exact steps for emptying a Dyson vacuum depend on the model you have, but in general, start by removing the canister from the vacuum’s base. Hold the canister over a trash can, and press down on the canister’s release tab to empty out the dirt.

Section 1 of 12:

Dyson Cordless V8 and V7

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Press the red button on the nozzle attachment and remove it from the canister. Hold the canister over a trash can or a large plastic bag. Then, just pull the red lever on the top of the canister straight up to open the bottom and release the dirt inside. Close the hatch on the bottom so it clicks.^{[1]
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- For additional cleaning, press the red tab on the buttons where the vacuum base connects to pull out the filter. Then, press the red tab on the bottom of the canister to take it off the base. Wipe inside the canister with a damp cloth to pick up any leftover dust.

Section 2 of 12:

Dyson Cordless V11

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Press the red release button where the wand connects to the base of the vacuum and remove it. Hold the vacuum canister over a trash bag, and hold onto the red lever under the handle. Push the lever straight down to open the bottom of the canister and empty out any dirt and dust. Close the hatch and slide the canister up to lock it back in place.^{[2]
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- If you want to do a deeper clean, press the red release tab on the canister to slide it off of the vacuum base. Wipe the inside with a damp cloth, let it dry, and then reinstall it on your machine.

Section 3 of 12:

Dyson Cordless V12 & V15

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Press the red tab where the vacuum wand connects to the base. Hold the canister over a trash can so it’s pointing down. Press on the red release tab near the middle of the canister to slide it down and open the hatch. Once all the dirt and debris falls into the trash, push the bin upwards and snap the hatch closed.^{[3]
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- Press the red tab on the back of the canister to completely remove it from the base for a more thorough cleaning. Wipe the inside with a damp cloth, let it dry, and then slide it back onto your vacuum.

Section 4 of 12:

Dyson Cordless DC44 and DC35

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Hold the Dyson vacuum canister over your trash can. Push the red button on the side of the canister to open the bottom hatch. Give the canister a few shakes to remove all the dirt and dust before closing the hatch.^{[4]
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- When the canister is open, look for a red release button under the handle. Press the button to remove the canister and wipe out any leftover dust with a damp cloth. Once the canister dries, replace it back on the vacuum base.^{[5]
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Section 5 of 12:

Dyson Omni-Glide

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Press the red wand release button where it connects to the vacuum’s base and pull it out. Hold the bottom of the canister over a trash can. Hold down the red release lever on the side of the canister to slide it down and open the hatch on the bottom. Once you empty your Dyson, slide the canister back up and close the hatch so it clicks into place.^{[6]
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Section 6 of 12:

Dyson Cinetic Big Ball & Big Ball Cylinder

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Look for the red release button on the top of the vacuum’s handle, and press it down to remove the canister. Hold the canister over your trash can and press down on the red button on its side. When the canister slides down, the hatch opens to release all the dirt and dust. When you’re finished, close the hatch and push the canister until it clicks. Then, place the canister back into your vacuum.^{[7]
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Section 7 of 12:

Dyson Ball Cylinder

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Find the gray canister release button near the vacuum’s handle and press it down. Hold the canister over your trash can, and push down on the red button on top to open the bottom hatch. Give the canister a few shakes to get rid of the debris before closing the hatch again.^{[8]
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- If dust is stuck inside the canister, press the gray button on its side to remove the top. Wipe the inside of the canister with a damp, lint-free cloth and let it dry. Then, slide the pieces back together and put them back on the vacuum’s base.

Section 8 of 12:

Dyson Upright Vacuums

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With your Dyson vacuum in the locked, upright position, press down on the red button at the top of the canister’s handle. Hold the canister over your trash bin, and press down on the red release tab again to open the hatch. Shake the dirt out of the canister before closing the hatch and reinstalling it on your vacuum.^{[9]
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- These instructions work for any Dyson upright vacuum, including the Cinetic Big Ball, DC50, and DC40.

Section 9 of 12:

Dyson Humdinger Handheld

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Press the red button on the vacuum wand and pull it off of the base. Hold the canister over your trash can and press down on the red button on the side. Slide the canister down to open the hatch and empty your vacuum. Then, close the hatch and slide the canister up until it clicks into place.^{[10]
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- To clean the vacuum more, push the red tab on the canister to the side to remove it from the base of the machine. Wipe the inside out with a damp cloth, let it dry, and reattach it to your machine.

Section 10 of 12:

Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum

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Press the red release button at the top of the vacuum’s bin and lift it up to remove it. Hold the bin over your garbage can and slide the red release button on the handle forward to empty the bin. Wipe the inside of the canister out with a damp cloth and let it dry before reattaching it to the vacuum base.^{[11]
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Section 11 of 12:

What to Do if Your Dyson is Stuck Closed

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Press the release button down completely. If you only press the release button down partially, then the bottom of your Dyson canister will not open properly. Push or slide the release button fully to force the canister open.^{[12]
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- If your Dyson bin is still stuck closed and won’t open, then you may need to replace it. Visit the Dyson support site, find your vacuum model, and order a new bin.

Section 12 of 12:

Cleaning a Dyson Filter

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Remove and rinse the filter under cold water. The filter location depends on the Dyson vacuum model you have, but they’re usually found near the top of the canister and can easily be pulled out. Alessandra Mendes, a cleaning specialist, says to “rinse it with cold water until the water runs clear. Make sure you don’t use soap or place it in any kind of washing machine as it will damage your filter. Gently squeeze the water out and allow it to air dry completely before using it again.”
- Regina DeCorte, a residential cleaning specialist, recommends cleaning the filters on a regular monthly schedule to keep your vacuum running properly.

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Tips

Empty your Dyson vacuum any time it reaches the max fill line on the side of the canister. If you continue using your vacuum while it’s full, it may not have enough suction to effectively clean your home.

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Hold the garbage bag tightly to the sides of the Dyson canister to help prevent dust and dirt from floating out.

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