---
title: "How loud is a vacuum cleaner?"
description: "A vacuum cleaner reaches 62–85 dB. How that compares to other things, and where the number comes from."
url: https://atoneplace.net/loud/vacuum-cleaner/
site: "At One Place"
---

# How loud is a vacuum cleaner?

**Typical loudness: 62–85 dB**

A motor-driven fan that draws dirt through a nozzle into a bag, bin or cyclone.

> Manufacturer-declared operating levels at the user position across corded and cordless models.

## How that compares

*Vacuum cleaner against things of a similar loudness.*

- Hair dryer: 75–95 dB
- Pressure washer: 75–95 dB
- Lawn mower: 80–85 dB
- Leaf blower: 65–92 dB
- Air compressor: 60–92 dB
- Vacuum cleaner: 62–85 dB
- Washing machine: 70 dB
- Generator: 52–82 dB

## How long you can safely listen

Safe for a full day, though prolonged exposure is tiring.

Decibels are logarithmic, which makes the intuitive arithmetic wrong in a way worth knowing: every 10 dB is ten times the sound energy, and two identical sources together are 3 dB louder than one — not double. So two 70 dB fans are 73 dB, not 140 dB.

> Levels are measured at roughly one metre unless stated otherwise. Sound falls off with distance — about 6 dB per doubling — so the same appliance is noticeably quieter across a room than beside your ear.

## More about a vacuum cleaner

- [How much does a vacuum cleaner weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/vacuum-cleaner/) — 2.5–11 kg
- [How much does a vacuum cleaner cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/vacuum-cleaner/) — 50–900 $
- [How long does a vacuum cleaner last?](https://atoneplace.net/how-long/vacuum-cleaner/) — 5–12 yr
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Blender](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blender-vs-vacuum-cleaner/) — Side by side
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Air purifier](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-purifier-vs-vacuum-cleaner/) — Side by side
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Sewing machine](https://atoneplace.net/vs/sewing-machine-vs-vacuum-cleaner/) — Side by side
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Microwave oven](https://atoneplace.net/vs/microwave-vs-vacuum-cleaner/) — Side by side
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Coffee machine](https://atoneplace.net/vs/coffee-machine-vs-vacuum-cleaner/) — Side by side
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Air fryer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-fryer-vs-vacuum-cleaner/) — Side by side

## Common questions

### How loud is a vacuum cleaner?

A vacuum cleaner reaches 62–85 dB. Manufacturer-declared operating levels at the user position across corded and cordless models.

## Related pages

- [How much does a vacuum cleaner weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/vacuum-cleaner/)
- [How much does a vacuum cleaner cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/vacuum-cleaner/)
- [How long does a vacuum cleaner last?](https://atoneplace.net/how-long/vacuum-cleaner/)
- [How loud is a washing machine?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/washing-machine/)
- [How loud is a air conditioner?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/air-conditioner/)
- [How loud is a dishwasher?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/dishwasher/)
- [How loud is a blender?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/blender/)
- [How loud is a hair dryer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/hair-dryer/)
- [How loud is a dehumidifier?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/dehumidifier/)
- [How loud is a air purifier?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/air-purifier/)
- [How loud is a pressure washer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/pressure-washer/)
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Blender](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blender-vs-vacuum-cleaner/)
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Air purifier](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-purifier-vs-vacuum-cleaner/)
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Sewing machine](https://atoneplace.net/vs/sewing-machine-vs-vacuum-cleaner/)
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Microwave oven](https://atoneplace.net/vs/microwave-vs-vacuum-cleaner/)
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Coffee machine](https://atoneplace.net/vs/coffee-machine-vs-vacuum-cleaner/)
- [Vacuum cleaner vs Air fryer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/air-fryer-vs-vacuum-cleaner/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)
- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (https://www.osha.gov/noise) [Public domain (US Government)]