How To Help A 4-year-Old Who Is Scared Of Vacuum Cleaners?

Vacuum cleaners are loud and VERY LOUD. Anyone can get scared if you suddenly turn it on while the other person is not expecting it. If your 4-year-old is scared of vacuum cleaners, it’s not something different. Many kids around the world are scared of this noise-maker thing. 

Moreover, this fear of the child can be very troublesome for parents. You will have to wait for him to go somewhere to finish cleaning. If the child is in the other room, he will still get to know that you are using the vacuum cleaner because of the loud sounds. 

Let’s discuss the major reasons behind this problem and what you can do about it. 

Why might your 4-year-old be scared of a vacuum cleaner?

Following are the common reasons why a 4-year-old is scared of vacuum cleaners. 

Because of the loud voice:

The first and most common reason is the extremely loud noise of the vacuum cleaners. 4-year-olds are still young to understand this type of machinery.

Typically, the sound created by vacuum cleaners is around 80-85 DB which is a lot, especially for sensitive kids. 

Vacuum cleaners do not start to make noise gradually. They will become loud instantly as you turn them on. This will make your 4-year-old scared, and they will ask you to turn it off immediately.  

Because of the weird look:

Do vacuum cleaners look cute? No, they are weird. Your 4-year-old might not be scared of a vacuum, but its shape and appearance. 

Now pair the look and sound of the vacuum cleaner. How’s it?

He happened to touch it while it was working:

If your 4-year-old is suddenly scared of vacuum cleaners, it can be because they happened to touch it while it was working. The vibration can scare a little one. 

He hates it because of its job:

When a 4-year-old understands the job of a vacuum cleaner, he might become scared of it. A machine that eats everything that touches its mouth. It can be scary for a child. 

Zuigerphobia:

Your 4-year-old might have zuigerphobia, the fear of vacuum cleaners. The word zuiger means “sucker.”

Not all 4-year-olds scared of vacuums have zuigerphobia, but there are chances. 

If your child throws tantrums, asks you to turn it off right away, or runs away from the room crying, this is just fear. However, phobias have totally different signs. 

Key symptoms of phobia in kids are:

• Sweating
• Face color changing because of extreme fear
• Being still, trembling, or shaking because of fear

If you think your child has zuigerphobia, seek medical help. And don’t worry, this condition is treatable. 

How to help a 4-year-old overcome the fear of vacuum cleaners?

Now, I’m gonna share some tips to help your 4-year-old overcome the fear of vacuum cleaners. 

Communicate and address his fear:

4-year-olds are very verbal. Gently ask him why he fears vacuum cleaners and what he hates about them. The sound? The look? Is it the job? Or something else?

Gently address the issue. Talk to your little one and tell him stories about how people used to clean before vacuum cleaners and how this machine is helping them now. 

Tell your child it’s loud because he is tired of the job or excited about his work. Talk to him according to his personality and your parenting style. 

Let him decorate the vacuum cleaner with his favorite stickers:

Allow your child to decorate the vacuum cleaner with his favorite stickers or ribbon. Kids love decorating. If he agrees to do this, he will start liking the vacuum cleaner while he decorates it. 

Get him “vacuum cleaner storybooks”:

Fortunately, there are many kids’ storybooks available that feature vacuum cleaners as something really interesting. 

Here are a few suggestions:

1- Goodnight Vacuum:

This is a story about a boy who loved his vacuum cleaner. His vacuum takes him on an adventure all night. 

This story will show a different side of this machinery to your kid.

2- The Vac Pack:

This story will introduce different types of vacuum cleaners to your child. Your little one will come to know how each one of them is unique and what they do to clean your house. 

3- Skylar The Vacuum Cleaner:

This is the story of a vacuum cleaner who didn’t want to go to sleep. Your child will see the vacuum cleaner in another character other than a cleaning machine. He might start to like it. 

Get him vacuum coloring & activity book:

A vacuum coloring and activity book will engage your child while making him comfortable with the machine. 

Get him a toy vacuum cleaner:

A toy vacuum cleaner must help. Your 4-year-old may become more familiar with a vacuum cleaner and its function. 

For example, Play Circle by Battat – Home Neat Home Vacuum Cleaner Set. Your 4-year-old will enjoy role-playing with this vacuum cleaner. The realistic sound of this toy will make your child more familiar and comfortable with the normal vacuum cleaner. 

Try a robot (quiet vacuum cleaner):

If nothing works, you can try a robot vacuum cleaner like eufy by Anker. The sound of this vacuum cleaner is just like the sound of a microwave oven. It can clean hard floors and low to medium-pile carpets. 

Unfortunately, you will still need a regular vacuum cleaner for high-pile carpets. 

Summary:

A 4-year-old might become scared of the vacuum cleaners because of their loud noise or weird look. Some kids also have zuigerphobia which is treatable (seek medical help). 

You must address your child’s fear. Get him storybooks, activity books, or toy vacuums to make him familiar and comfortable with this machine.