Vac Manual

Dyson stick vacuum floor heads: remove and clean the brush bar

You can open all of these heads with a coin. Motorized brush bars can only be wiped clean; soft rollers can be washed in cold water.

  • Direct Drive
  • Torque Drive
  • Motorbar
  • Fluffy

Which head do you have?

HeadFound onBrush bar releaseWashable?
Direct DriveV6, V7, V8 era; V10Coin, fastener marked with a padlockNo
Torque Drive / High TorqueV10, V11, V15Coin, quarter turnNo
MotorbarV8, V10, V11Coin, twist off the end capNo
Digital MotorbarV11, V15Coin, unlock and twist off the end capNo
Fluffy / soft rollerV7, V8, V10, V11Coin, end cap lock 180 degreesYes, cold water
Fluffy OpticV15 DetectPush the end cap upYes

Safety: Take the vacuum off the charger and detach the head from the wand before you touch the brush bar. Some brush bars have carbon fiber filaments that can irritate skin.

Direct Drive head

967483-03Direct Drive cleaner head. Listed on Dyson's V8 parts page.
969569-01Direct Drive brush bar. Listed on Dyson's V10 parts page.
  1. Pull the obstruction out by hand first if you can reach it.
  2. If not, turn the head over and use a coin to unlock the fastener marked with a padlock.
  3. Remove the brush bar and clear the hair or debris from it and the housing.
  4. Refit the brush bar and tighten the fastener.

Torque Drive and High Torque heads

969110-01Torque Drive cleaner head. Listed on Dyson's V10 parts pages.
969331-01Torque Drive brush bar (V10).
971655-01High Torque brush bar (listed for V15 Detect).
  1. Turn the head upside down.
  2. Use a coin to turn the end cap a quarter turn counterclockwise until it clicks unlocked.
  3. Slide the brush bar out and remove hair and fibers.
  4. Slide it back and turn the end cap a quarter turn clockwise to lock.

The suction slider on this head has three settings: + for hard floors and heavy dirt, the middle for light carpet and large debris, and - for deep pile and delicate floors.

Motorbar and Digital Motorbar heads

972182-01Motorbar cleaner head. Listed for V8 and V10.
972163-01Motorbar cleaner head. Listed for V8, V10 big bin and V11.
974950-01Digital Motorbar cleaner head. Listed for V11 and V15 Detect.
974714-01Digital Motorbar cleaner head, alternate listing for V15 Detect.

These heads have vanes or a comb that strip hair off the bar as you clean, but long hair and string can still wrap.

  1. Remove the head from the wand and turn it upside down.
  2. Use a coin to unlock the end cap, then twist it off. Don't wash the end cap.
  3. Slide the brush bar out, clear debris, and check inside the head.
  4. Wipe the bar with a damp, lint-free cloth. It isn't washable.
  5. Slide it back, refit the end cap and turn it to locked.

Fluffy soft roller heads

966489-15Soft roller cleaner head (V11 parts pages).
966489-11Fluffy cleaner head (V8 parts pages).
966488-09Soft roller brush bar (V10).
972522-01Fluffy Optic cleaner head (V15 Detect).

The Fluffy head has two washable brush bars: the large soft roller and a smaller rear bar.

  1. Use a coin to turn the end cap lock 180 degrees counterclockwise until it clicks unlocked.
  2. Push the end cap open and slide the main roller out. Take the end cap off the roller; don't wash it.
  3. Lift out the smaller brush bar.
  4. Wash both under cold running water, no detergent, then stand them upright to dry for at least 24 hours.
  5. Refit the small bar first: put the round end in, then push the octagonal end down until it clicks. Slide the main roller in and turn the end cap lock 180 degrees clockwise.

On the V15's Fluffy Optic head, push the end cap up fully to pull the roller out. See the V15 guide.

Brush bar not spinning

Dyson says a jammed brush bar is common in homes with pets or long hair, and most cases clear by pulling the debris off the bar or taking the bar out.

  1. Switch off and detach the head.
  2. Pull wrapped hair and string off the bar, cutting it with scissors along the bar if needed (cut the hair, not the bristles).
  3. If it still won't turn freely by hand, remove the brush bar using the steps for your head above and clear the housing and bearings at each end.
  4. Check the head's neck and the wand for a blockage, which also stops a head working properly.
  5. Refit and test. If it's free, clean and still won't spin, the head or its connection may be faulty: contact Dyson.

More on this symptom across brands: brush bar not spinning.

Related fixes and models

Official manuals and sources