How to Empty a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner

Not sure how to empty your Dyson vacuum cleaner? Here’s a quick guide to emptying some of Dyson’s most popular vacs.

Dyson vacuum cleaners all have a bagless design, so they are simple to empty and don’t need replacement bags. Each model has a slightly different emptying process, however, so it’s important to know how to empty your specific vacuum.

Here’s a simple guide to emptying both cordless and corded Dyson vacuum cleaners. Even if your model isn’t listed below, the emptying system is likely to be similar to one of the vacuums we’ve included.

Tips for Emptying all Dyson Vacuums

It’s important to make sure your Dyson is never filled beyond its capacity (usually indicated with a “Max” line on the side of the dust bin.) Overfilling can lead to a loss of suction and reduce your vacuum’s cleaning performance.

As Dyson vacuums are bagless, we recommend emptying them into an outdoor bin. This is particularly important if anyone in your household suffers from allergies. Indoor emptying will allow a cloud of dust and other fine particles to escape.

If you’re not sure how to empty your Dyson, make sure to check the manual. You can often find a digital version on the Dyson website showing the steps required – although we don’t always think Dyson manuals are the easiest to understand!

How to Empty Dyson Cordless Vacuum Cleaners

Dyson cordless vacuum cleaners have small dust capacities, so they need to be frequently emptied. The process is usually straightforward, but it’s important to empty the vacuum using the proper method to avoid damaging the device.

Tip: It’s also vital to keep your Dyson vacuum filters clean. Read our guide to cleaning cordless Dyson filters for more information.

How to Empty the Dyson V7 and V8

The Dyson V7 and V8 have a basic emptying system. We’ve found that these models are usually easy to empty, although clumps may get stuck around the bottom of the cyclone and need to be pulled out by hand.

Unplug the vacuum. Remove the wand and any tools for easier emptying.
Hold the vacuum over a bin, then pull the red lever back and upwards to release the trap door. The cyclone will be pulled up to ensure less dirt is trapped in the bin.
Push the cyclone back down into its regular position. Dust often falls out when the cyclone clicks, so it’s best to do this with the vacuum still held over the bin.
Manually shut the trap door until it clicks. Make sure to do this after the cyclone is back in place.

Tip: The Dyson V7 Trigger handheld vacuum cleaner has the same bin design, so the emptying process is identical.

How to Empty the Dyson V10, V11, and V15

Dyson cordless vacuums after the V8 have an improved emptying system. The body of the vacuum has been redesigned so that the bin is in line with the wand, so the process is slightly different.

Detach the wand and any tools. Unlike the Dyson V7 and V8, you must detach the wand and tools before emptying the vacuum.
Point the vacuum into a bin then push the emptying lever. The trap door at the bottom will open and dirt forced out by the internal collar.
(Optional) There is a button you can use to completely detach the canister to give it a clean. Make sure to only use a damp cloth and allow the bin to completely dry before reattaching.
Close the bin trap door then push the bin upwards until it clicks back into place.

How to Empty the Dyson Omni Glide

The Dyson Omni Glide is the company’s first dedicated hard floor vacuum. Here’s how to empty it:

Make sure the vacuum is switched off. The Omni Glide doesn’t use the same trigger system as Dyson’s standard cordless vacuums, so you don’t want to accidentally try to empty the vacuum with it still running.
Detach the wand and any tools.
Point the dust canister down into a bin, then press the bin release button (red). This will allow the bin to slide down the device, before the trap door opens at the bottom.
Shut the trap door and push the bin back into position.

Tip: Make sure you press the bin release button firmly, otherwise the trap door may not open.

How to Empty Dyson Corded Vacuum Cleaners

Dyson corded vacuums have a different emptying system to their cordless machines. Here’s how to empty two of the company’s most popular corded vacuums.

How to Empty the Dyson Ball Animal 2

Switch off and unplug the vacuum cleaner.
Detach the canister and cyclone by pressing the small button on the top and lifting away from the vacuum.
Hold the vacuum deep inside a bin (ideally outdoors.)
Press down the same button on the top (near the handle) to open the trap door and allow the dirt to fall out. Give it a small shake to get rid of more debris.
Close the trap door until it clicks, then reattach the bin to the vacuum.

Tip: The emptying button is often stiff on new Dyson vacuum cleaners. It will loosen up after a few weeks of use.

How to Empty the Dyson Small Ball Allergy

Switch off and unplug the vacuum cleaner.
Detach the canister using the red button next to the handle on the top of the dust bin.
Place the vacuum deep inside a bin (again, this should ideally be outdoors.)
Press down the same button to open the trap door. This will allow dirt to fall out into the bin.
Close the door until you hear a click, then reattach the vacuum.

Summary

Emptying Dyson vacuum cleaners is usually a straightforward process. Most of the company’s models have a trap door emptying system, where you hold the canister over a bin and release the dirt. Some Dyson vacuums have an internal collar to push out more dirt, while others rely on gravity alone.

Unfortunately, Dyson vacuum manuals can sometimes be difficult to understand. If you’re struggling to decipher your manual, we’ve tried to explain the steps for emptying more clearly in the article above.

Do you have any questions about emptying a Dyson vacuum cleaner? Let us know in the comments section below. You may also want to read our guide to cleaning your vacuum cleaner.