As a vacuum repair shop one of the biggest mistakes we see people make is using carpet powders. These include that candle company and baking soda brands. Using any carpet powder that is a fine powder like baking soda is an absolute NO NO! and a sure fire way to ruin your vacuum cleaner and filters. Why you say……. well there are a number of reasons. First, the powder is too fine, when put on the carpet it falls through to your sub floor under your carpet pad and stays there. There are no bag-less vacuums that are going to get 100% back out of your carpet. Second if you get any moisture or urine on your carpet it mixes with the powder to create a nasty paste that again stays under your carpet pad. The only way to remove is to pull the carpet and pad up and clean which can be costly. Third, the powder cakes up the inside of your vacuum like cholesterol in arteries. Eventually this restricts airflow, puts unneeded dusts into the air and ruins your filters and will kill your vacuums motor. Even washable filters must be replaced if these products are used! We recommend having your vacuum professionally cleaned if you have been using these products and replacing all filters. SO…what can you use? There are some wonderful products out there that are made for use with vacuums, these products are thicker, much more like little hard crystals. Fragrant Scent pouches are a great brand and carried in our store! Or if you have a bagged vacuum adding a drop or two of essential oils to the bag is fine too! We do not recommend using oils on bag-less filters. Hope this helps keep your vacuum and house cleaner!
Vacuum Cleaner Warehouse 
Aren’t dust particles just as fine, if not more so, than baking soda?
Dust is finer than powder. But there isn’t as much in your carpet as when someone uses perfumed carpet freshener or baking soda. So it is the amount going into your filters at one time that causes the problem with the vacuum.
Right on! As my father told us girls when we were growing up, “Don’t ever use powdered carpet freshener on carpet…it’s identical to using your vacuum in a dirt field.’ I know my dads words of wisdom are true. I have never used any powdered carpet freshener on my carpets, BUT the houses I clean demand I use the powdered carpet fresheners. I follow their orders and they replace their vacuum cleaners every 1 to 3 years! For my own home I just use the scented wax cubes to keep it smelling fresh. Oh, I have the same vacuum cleaner since 1980… my loyal and trustworthy Electrolux. And I take it to my vacuum cleaner repair man once a year for a complete check up. I love my Electrolux!