Why Does My Henry Hoover Smell? (And How to Fix It)

If your Henry Hoover smells bad, it can actually make your home worse after cleaning than before! Don’t worry — the cause is almost always simple, and today we’ll go through every part of Henry to track it down and solve it once and for all.

We’ll check the tools, hose, tub, filter, and even a hidden filter inside Henry’s hat that hardly anyone mentions.

Step 1 – Floor Tools

  • Remove the floor head from the pipe.

  • Give it a sniff — if it smells bad, that could be your culprit.

  • A deep clean usually sorts it.

Step 2 – Metal Pipes

  • Check inside and smell both ends.

  • They’re easy to clean with hot soapy water or a bottle brush.

  • Make sure they’re completely dry before refitting.

Step 3 – The Hose

  • Disconnect and smell down the hose.

  • These can be the worst offenders because of their corrugated design.

  • Cleaning is tricky (they rarely dry properly). Instead:

    • Use an antibacterial spray or vacuum freshener.

    • If the smell persists, consider replacing the hose.

Step 4 – The Filter

Henry’s filter is one of the biggest causes of bad smells.

Can you wash it? The label says do not wash — and we agree. Wet dust trapped in the fibres can smell even worse.

👉 If your filter stinks, the best solution is to replace it. They’re not expensive, and a new one makes a huge difference.

Step 5 – The Bag

Sounds obvious, but if the bag is full or smelly — change it!

If you’re not using bags at all, that’s likely the whole problem. Without bags:

  • Dust clogs the filter.

  • Suction drops.

  • Everything smells.

Switch to proper Henry Hoover bags and you’ll notice an instant improvement.

Step 6 – The Tub

Henry’s main tub is easy to clean:

  • Use hot water with Zoflora or disinfectant.

  • Leave to dry fully overnight before reassembling.

Step 7 – The Hidden Filter Inside Henry’s Hat

Here’s the one nobody talks about: Henry has a noise filter around the motor, inside the hat.

  • Remove the outer screws and open Henry’s top section.

  • You’ll find a fluffy ring filter around the motor.

  • If it’s dirty or smelly, it needs attention:

    • Wash it with disinfectant, then dry thoroughly (24hrs minimum).

    • Or replace it with a new noise filter.

👉 If you skip this step, even if the rest of Henry is spotless, the smell will still blow out the back of the vacuum.

Reassembly

  • Put the filter and motor back in place.

  • Refit the cable rewind and shell.

  • Replace the bag and main filter.

  • Henry should now run fresh and clean.

Final Thoughts

Most smelly Henry Hoovers are fixed by:

  • Changing the bag.

  • Replacing the filter.

  • Checking the hidden noise filter.

With those sorted, Henry will be back to his best.

For more step-by-step help, check out my YouTube video where I show the full process.

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