An upright vacuum cleaner includes a suction nozzle unit, an inlet formed on a bottom surface of the suction nozzle unit, an injection path disposed near the inlet, a suction motor mounted in the suction nozzle unit, and a main body attached to the suction nozzle unit and in fluid communication with the suction motor. The injection path ejects air toward a surface to be cleaned. The suction motor generates a suction force to draw in air and dust through the inlet. The main body separates dust from the air using centrifugal force, collects the dust, and discharges the air to the suction nozzle unit. The air discharged from the main body flows through the suction motor, is ejected from the injection path toward the surface to be cleaned, and is then suctioned into the inlet so that a portion of the discharged air circulates within the vacuum cleaner.