How do you clean your wet/dry vacuum cleaner filter?

[vlasala]

I've been using a soft plastic brush to clear out the big stuff then using my household vacuum to clear out the fine particles. Anyone have a different technique?

[buffalobill]

buffalo ny: depending on the suction and size of filter an old pillowcase held in place around the filter with a heavy rubber band may make cleanup easier if dry vac. on one of mine there is a washable cylinder of spongy material for wet vac. different makes and models may have washable replacement filters available.

[Pauli G]

I beat mine against a stone wall outside. It seems to do a good job of dislodging everything. Mine is a Craftsman Wet/Dry Vac by the way. The filters are made of paper-type material.

[HerHusband]

First, buy a fresh new filter. Then pick up some "fine filter bags" to install inside your shop vac. You will rarely, if ever, need to clean the filter, and the bags make it much easier to dump the debris when the vac is full.

Before I started using the filter bags, my shop vac filter would clog up frequently with sawdust and other fine dust. I would take it outside and beat off as much as I could, but it just clogged up again the next time I used it (putting additional strain on the vac motor).

Anthony

[DerbyDad03]

Toss it really high in the air and let it crash to the ground about 15 ft away. Repeat numerous times.

Dust blows away and you're not standing in it like you would be if you banged it against the wall.

On occasion I'll blast each pleat with a hose to get it really clean and then let it dry in the sun.

I'm kinda liking the fine filter bag suggested by another poster. I will look into that.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Is this the sort of thing you refer to?

It looks like it fits over the pleated paper filter with maybe an elastic top opening.

If so, I'm going to pick some up, thanks.

Jeff

[AZ Nomad]

If it's paper, replace it. If not, wash it, running water through it in the direction opposite to the normal air flow.

[DerbyDad03]

re: If it's paper, replace it.

Why?

[Jeff Wisnia]

Agree with the question. The paper filters for my Rigid shop vac cost about $15. Too rich for my blood to just toss them away the first time they get dirty. (Or the second, third, fourth, etc. for that matter.)

Jeff

[BobK207]

I have a few of HEPA filters, too expensive to toss.

I hit them against the inside of our trash bin & then water wash in the laundry sink with water from the washing machine.

Let dry for a couple days (that's why I have more than one).

This has worked (so far) for dozens of cycles & filters appear to work as good as new.

cheers Bob

[Rick Brandt]

I own two. When the one in use is dirty I replace with the other one and then use a hose with a spray nozel to clean the dirty one. It then goes on a shelf in the shop and will be dry and ready to use by the time the fresh one has gotten dirty.

[Dave Martindale]

If you have compressed air available, you can use a short air gun to blow out the filter from the inside. This will remove a lot of what's stuck in the pleats of the paper filter. Do this outdoors, placing yourself upwind. Probably not as effective as washing, but the cleaned filter is ready to be used again immediately.

Dave

[HerHusband]

Jeff,

Nope, the ones I use sit inside the tank, connecting to the inlet hose, and wrap all the way around the inside of the tank. As far as I know, they're just made of paper. Like these:

You can find them at any Lowes or Home Depot.

Anthony

[DerbyDad03]

Seems like that would limit the uses of your (well, *my*) shop vac. I wouldn't want to use it for wet stuff or sharp stuff with that bag installed.

Yes, I could remove it for those types of uses, especially the wet use, but it seems like it would defeat the purpose (keeping the filter clean) if I had to remove it before I vac'd nails or other sharp objects along with the dust.

[HerHusband]

Yes, you would need to remove the filter bag if you wanted to vacuum liquids, but the same reasoning applies to the pleated paper filter that comes with the vac.

Personally, I have never had a need to vac liquids. Most of what I vacuum is sawdust from woodworking, automobile carpets, drywall dust, and COLD woodstove ashes (after shoveling the vast majority out). I don't vacuum sharp objects very often either, but I've had nails and other items go through and have not noticed any rips or tears in the liner bags.

Another big bonus to the liner bags is when the tank gets full. No big cloud of dust as you dump the tank, just unhook the bag and lift it out. Very quick and painless...

Anthony

[The hooligan]

The 15 gallon shop vac I bought at lowes has its own bag, like a home vac, when its full just replace it. 3.00 bucks, it hold a BUNCH, the filter never gets dirty, not for wet apps though obviously

[Rick Brandt]

Nope. Pleated paper works fine for wet pickup.

The people making regular vacs can hardly give away models that use bags any more. Most people want bagless. I see little chance of shop vacs moving in the opposite direction.

[Ben]

[HerHusband]

I'll take your word for it. As I said, I never vac liquids, but I would think the filter would clog up even more if you tried to vac dust after it was wet from vacuuming a liquid?

Shop Vacs are essentially "bagless" by design, but adding the "bag" inside the tank really improves the filtering ability and clogs far less frequently.

Anthony

[Jim Elbrecht]

My Sears vac says I can leave the filter in if vacuuming up 'light spills' -- but then it says to remove the filter and dry thoroughly before vacuuming dust. I remove mine for liquids. [light spill? use a towel]

I also just bang it out inside a garbage can every couple of dumps. Jim