How To Make The Best Vacuum Attachment For Tight Spaces

With a handful of drinking straws, you can make a great DIY vacuum attachment that will get into the tightest spaces with ease.

Vacuuming is certainly the easiest way to pick up dust and dirt around the house, but most vacuum attachments aren’t made for tight spaces. While lackluster vacuum performance is sometimes due to user error (like neglecting to regularly give your vacuum a good, thorough cleaning, for example), even the most powerful and well-kept vacuums can struggle in that regard.

The problem is that the majority of vacuum attachments aren’t suited for cleaning out narrow and hard-to-reach areas. Even so-called crevice attachments aren’t usually nimble enough to reach deep into small spaces where dirt and dust accumulate, such as sliding door tracks and car cup holders.

The Best Vacuum Attachment You Can Make At Home

All you need is a handful of straws for this vacuum hack.

While I still use my DIY cardboard vacuum attachment fairly often, even that is sometimes too large and inflexible to get the job done. But I recently came up with a new DIY vacuum attachment that’s perfect for tight spaces, and I only needed some straws and a rubber band to do it!

I’ve been very pleased with the results of this “nooks and crannies” tool, and it’s definitely earned a place among my all-time favorite vacuum hacks! Here’s how to make a vacuum tool that’s perfect for those hard-to-reach areas.

To see this vacuum hack in action, watch the video at the end of this post!

Straws will let your vacuum attachment get into very small spaces.

How To Make A DIY Vacuum Attachment For Nooks And Crannies

You’ll need:

Directions:

Grab a handful of drinking straws and tuck them into the end of your vacuum hose. Add or remove straws as needed until they fit snugly in the hose, but not so snugly that the straws become bent or squished.

For the vacuum attachment hack, get enough straws to fit snugly in the opening, and rubber band them together.

Once you’ve figured out the ideal amount of straws, remove them and wrap a rubber band around them to secure them together.

Slide the rubber banded bundle of straws into the vacuum hose attachment.

Insert the secured bundle of straws into your vacuum hose, and your new vacuum attachment will be ready to use!

How To Use Your DIY Vacuum Attachment

I have yet to find a space too small for this awesome extension to come in handy! Here are just a few of the nooks and crannies you can clean out easily with your newly-fashioned vacuum attachment.

This is the best vacuum attachment hack for cleaning window sills.

1. Window & Door Tracks

Open your doors and windows and let the fresh air flow! The straws can squeeze into even the thinnest door and window tracks to suck up dirt, pollen, and any other natural debris that may find its way to the threshold of your home.

Cleaning car vents is a breeze with this vacuum attachment.

2. Car Dashboards & Consoles

The flexibility of the straws makes this attachment ideal for cleaning out your car. They can make short work of cup holders, air vents, and even the dreaded gap between the seat and center console!

Related: 17 Brilliant Hacks That Will Make Cleaning Your Car A Breeze

Use this diy vacuum attachment to easily clean air ducts.

3. Vents & Fans

Air vents, exhaust fans, and even dusty vent covers don’t stand a chance against this nimble attachment! Keeping your vents and exhaust fans clean is one of the best ways to ensure they continue functioning properly.

Use this vacuum attachment hack for cleaning cupboard corners.

4. Cabinet Corners

Who knows what’s lurking in the dark and dusty corners of your cabinets, drawers, and pantry? Just use this DIY attachment to clear out crumbs and cobwebs from those hard-to-reach places, and you’ll be able to answer that question with the best possible answer: “Nothing!”

Related: 9 Useful Tricks For Cleaning Hard-To-Reach Spaces

Have you struggled to clean any tight spaces with your vacuum attachments?

YouTube video
Clean out the cracks and crevices where dirt likes to hide!

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Jill Nystul Photo

Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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15 Comments

  1. I usually love your ideas but this one really bothered me as plastic straws are so not eco-friendly.

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    • You can always use paper straws though they may not last as long.

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  2. Brilliant idea! I was looking on Amazon to buy a knockoff of the original but there were too many negative comments and the original was too pricey. I’ll have to buy some plastic straws since my only straws are stainless steel!

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  3. Genius!! I almost ordered the vacuum attachment like this a few months ago, but figured there had to be a cheaper option. Leave it to Jillee!!

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  4. What about using this contraption to get down deep into the dryer area beyond where the lint gathers on the screen? It bothers me that I can never get the left over lint out of that area.

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  5. What keeps the straws in the middle from being sucked up in the vacuum? I think it would be better to glue them together then reinforce with a rubber band.

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    • I agree with Deborah! If the straws in the middle go up into the vacuum, they could cause a bigger problem. I use a cardboard tube from toilet paper for small spaces. You always have a constant supply and you can shape the ends to fit the space as needed!

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      • Jillee showed us the cardboard tube adaptation some time ago and mentions that in this article but adds that the straws idea is more useful for some situations than the cardboard tube.

  6. I had bought the real one on Amazon,not as creative as you! I do inside my baseboard heat,computer keyboard and yes the side of the car’s seat where all things disappear! If you look at the ad about the tool it shows all the ways to use it.Good thinking Jillee!

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    • I was going to say that I have trouble getting down around the base where my car seats are attached to the floor. I’m going to start collecting the straws my husband gets with his take out. I can’t wait to try this out!

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  7. WOW another great idea I wish I could have come up with. Have a bunch of those sitting in a drawer. And yes that is another spot to clean the back of the silverware drawer where crumbs always seem to get where I prepare at my counter. Love your ideas. Keep up the good work.

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  8. Oh my goodness… this is a real fantastic idea !!! I will definitely try it out ! Would have never come to my mind… Thanks for your great posts…

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  9. This might seem silly, but it helps! I bought an attachment a while ago, and I didn’t realize it’s essentially a bunch of plastic straws! It lets you get into all the weird places that other attachments can’t fit into. Thanks Jillee for a cheaper alternative!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.

Leave a Comment

15 Comments

  1. I usually love your ideas but this one really bothered me as plastic straws are so not eco-friendly.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • You can always use paper straws though they may not last as long.

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  2. Brilliant idea! I was looking on Amazon to buy a knockoff of the original but there were too many negative comments and the original was too pricey. I’ll have to buy some plastic straws since my only straws are stainless steel!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  3. Genius!! I almost ordered the vacuum attachment like this a few months ago, but figured there had to be a cheaper option. Leave it to Jillee!!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  4. What about using this contraption to get down deep into the dryer area beyond where the lint gathers on the screen? It bothers me that I can never get the left over lint out of that area.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  5. What keeps the straws in the middle from being sucked up in the vacuum? I think it would be better to glue them together then reinforce with a rubber band.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • I agree with Deborah! If the straws in the middle go up into the vacuum, they could cause a bigger problem. I use a cardboard tube from toilet paper for small spaces. You always have a constant supply and you can shape the ends to fit the space as needed!

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
      • Jillee showed us the cardboard tube adaptation some time ago and mentions that in this article but adds that the straws idea is more useful for some situations than the cardboard tube.

  6. I had bought the real one on Amazon,not as creative as you! I do inside my baseboard heat,computer keyboard and yes the side of the car’s seat where all things disappear! If you look at the ad about the tool it shows all the ways to use it.Good thinking Jillee!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • I was going to say that I have trouble getting down around the base where my car seats are attached to the floor. I’m going to start collecting the straws my husband gets with his take out. I can’t wait to try this out!

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  7. WOW another great idea I wish I could have come up with. Have a bunch of those sitting in a drawer. And yes that is another spot to clean the back of the silverware drawer where crumbs always seem to get where I prepare at my counter. Love your ideas. Keep up the good work.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  8. Oh my goodness… this is a real fantastic idea !!! I will definitely try it out ! Would have never come to my mind… Thanks for your great posts…

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  9. This might seem silly, but it helps! I bought an attachment a while ago, and I didn’t realize it’s essentially a bunch of plastic straws! It lets you get into all the weird places that other attachments can’t fit into. Thanks Jillee for a cheaper alternative!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.