This is one of the worst things you can do to your vacuum cleaner – experts warn it will slash its lifespan by years and damage the motor

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I know what you're thinking: my vacuum cleaner has a maximum fill line, right? As long as I'm avoiding filling it past that, surely I'm not overfilling it?

Well, that depends on the vacuum, and how much you want to take care of it. Even if you're not filling it past the max line, you can still cause potential damage by not regularly emptying your appliance.