A housing for a hand held vacuum cleaner is so constructed that a suction motor mounting bracket which is enclosed by a lower housing section, is removably secured to an upper housing section. A suction coupling pipe section is either an integral part of or directly secured to the suction motor mounting bracket, so that forces introduced to a suction tool attached to the suction coupling pipe section are transmitted through the mounting bracket to the upper housing section thereby at least partly relieving the lower housing section from forces passing from the suction tool to the handle and vice versa.