A WOMAN has issued an urgent warning to other Shark vacuum owners after accidentally replacing her fully working device. Gem explained that she'd gone out and spent £299 on a new Shark because she thought her first was broken. Sharing a video on TikTok, Gem called the device a "present to myself".
![[Two Shark upright vacuums.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/abb627bb-488a-4b60-9666-e7de9c06c29a.jpg?strip=all&w=576)
But she then explained further, as she showed how she'd vacuumed with her old Shark, and then the new one - just to see the difference in how much dirt it picked up. However, one person commenting on the video quickly pointed out that there's a secret filter on the old vacuum, "under the grill at the front".
![[Shark vacuum cleaner filter cleaning instructions.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/b1f7fe28-c3ff-4c8f-971a-12ff0995389b.jpg?strip=all&w=576)
"If you lay it back, it should clip off and a filter will be revealed which can also be washed," the person added. "No, I did not know this!" Gem exclaimed. She then laid the appliance down, and unclipped the grate part at the bottom front. "Shut up!" she shouted, as the grate came off.
![[Shark vacuum filter cleaning.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/7ae68a84-cd66-44ac-8ea0-44588b12515e.jpg?strip=all&w=576)
"Oh my God!". Gem then continued to remove things before uncovering the filter at the bottom, as she said: "Hang on, is it that colour?. "Should it be that colour? What's all this?. "I never knew this and I've had this over for five years!". And in the comments section, Gem quickly found out she wasn't the only one to be oblivious about the secret filter.
![[Dirty Shark vacuum filter.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/299-new-shark-vacuum-i-967098120.jpg?strip=all&w=540)
"Amazing! Mine's FILTHY! Thank you for your service," one wrote. "I have never ran so fast," another said. "I have this hoover - OMG!". "What???? I thought I was doing so good to wash all the other filters regularly and I have completely missed this!" a third commented.
![[A hand rinsing a dirty Shark vacuum filter under running water.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/082bfe28-46a6-4095-9c74-017bd746d6a7.jpg?strip=all&w=576)
