CPSC, Procter & Gamble Announce Recall of Sweep+Vac Battery-Operated Vacuum Cleaner by Swiffer

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #05057) was formally reported on November 26, 2004. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), of Cincinnati, Ohio is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 175,000 units are affected, a scale large enough to require multi-state distribution tracking.

The documented reason for this recall is: In some cases, when the vacuum cleaner is left in the "on" position, the rotor can lock up and cause the unit to overheat. This poses a smoke and fire hazard. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should stop using the product immediately and disconnect the Sweep+Vac by removing the top section of the pole. To disconnect the vacuum cleaner, press the small green button on the pole, a… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 22 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.