Anyone got any tips for cleaning shop vac filters?

[transatlantic]

Anyone got any tips for cleaning shop vac filters? I've seen some of the videos on youtube where people are throwing them around or blowing them with the blow mode of the vacuum, but I don't think my neighbours would appreciate me blowing all that dust their way!

My current method is just to stand with it over a bin and pick it out with a flat head screwdriver. Takes a while ...

What would happen if I put some flat brown paper or similar, wrapped around the v grooves? That way, at least I could easily brush the dust off a relatively flat surface?

 

[Rorschach]

Buy a wet/dry replacement, you can then wash it down with a hose outside, much less messy than blowing it out.

 

[RobinBHM]

for cloth filters, I put them in a plastic extraction bag (any biggish bag would do). Put in the filter but keep it in your hand with the other hand wrap the around your wrist to seal off, then shake or bang the filter to gets most of the dust off.

 

[transatlantic]

Buy a wet/dry replacement, you can then wash it down with a hose outside, much less messy than blowing it out.

Does it have the same v goove type design? so would still need picking out?

for cloth filters, I put them in a plastic extraction bag (any biggish bag would do). Put in the filter but keep it in your hand with the other hand wrap the around your wrist to seal off, then shake or bang the filter to gets most of the dust off.

I've tried this too, but I find it only removes the outer stuff that can easily be brushed. It's the stuff between the grooves that sticks around

 

[mbartlett99]

brown paper isn't porous - will just stop the vacuum. I tend to use the bin bag approach but have finally gone for a cyclone because cloogging filters is pretty annoying.

 

[transatlantic]

brown paper isn't porous - will just stop the vacuum. I tend to use the bin bag approach but have finally gone for a cyclone because cloogging filters is pretty annoying.

I'm avoiding the cyclone for now as I have very little space as it is

 

[transatlantic]

brown paper isn't porous

I was thinking more taking apart a proper dust bag and wrapping it around, but I'm guessing there is a reason for not doing this as it seems the obvious solution

 

[LancsRick]

Washable ones are the way to go. When it's had enough I just blast it down with a hose or shower head and leave it on a radiator/windowsill overnight. Job done!

 

[Fitzroy]

I hold mine in my hand and bang it about in the wheelie bin whilst wearing a dust mask. Dust everywhere and not a perfect job but restores most of the suction and takes 30seconds. I previously did the screwdriver pick it out approach but was slow and the incremental improvement negligible over my current approach.

Fitz.

 

[gregmcateer]

I hold mine in my hand and bang it about in the wheelie bin

Ouch! :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist

 

[yorkshirepudding]

Clean it more frequently = less dust. Yes, I really should practice what I preach.

 

[scholar]

Anyone got any tips for cleaning shop vac filters? I've seen some of the videos on youtube where people are throwing them around or blowing them with the blow mode of the vacuum, but I don't think my neighbours would appreciate me blowing all that dust their way!

My current method is just to stand with it over a bin and pick it out with a flat head screwdriver. Takes a while ...

What would happen if I put some flat brown paper or similar, wrapped around the v grooves? That way, at least I could easily brush the dust off a relatively flat surface?

The answer in most cases is another vac!

Various other comments appear to be addressing different types of filter, but from what you say you have a rigid pleated filter.

I too have one of these on my workshop extractor, similar to this http://thumbs1.picclick.com/d/l400/pict ... h-fine.jpg

From other comments, it seems I am not alone in leaving bag-emptying till the last possible moment!

I have seen suggestions that you can clean the filter by blowing an airline from the outside - I tried this, but it didn't seem to do much. What I do is as follows:
- before detaching the bag, I bang the sides of the filter casing all around with the flat of my hand - this detaches quite alot of the dust and chippings stuck in the pleats;
- leave the dust to settle a little while before taking off the filter - vacuum around the top lip of the bag holder etc and then detach the bag and empty it (in the case of my extractor, this is a messy business as the dust and chippings have to be transferred into two large bin bags - this has to be done outside and I try to avoid standing downwind!).
- the filter I clean with the workshop vac and a crevice tool - I start by turning the filter upside down and brush downwards in the pleats - I keep the vac running and the hose just poking into the upturned filter and this keep the fine dust from blowing around.
- then I just hoover down each of the pleats and swear that next time I will not leave it so long.....

Hope that helps

cheers

 

[Orraloon]

I hold mine in my hand and bang it about in the wheelie bin whilst wearing a dust mask. Dust everywhere and not a perfect job but restores most of the suction and takes 30seconds. I previously did the screwdriver pick it out approach but was slow and the incremental improvement negligible over my current approach.

Fitz.

After trying a few other methods I have settled on this also.
Regards
John

 

[AES]

My good lady made me a "filter cover" out of an old T shirt and some elastic (she didn't say if it was knicker elastic or not!).

She got the measurements of the pleated filter from me (mine's a Karcher vac if it helps), put a hem with the elastic around one end of the T shirt "strip", sewed that into a cylinder, then sewed a T shirt material "cap" around the other end, ending up with what is an open topped cloth cylinder.

I just fit the cardboard filter as usual, slip the T shirt cylinder filter over that, make sure the elastic is tight (don't want any dropped knickers do we!) then fit the standard paper bag to the inlet as usual. No apparent loss of suction.

Yes, it gets just as dusty inside the vac, just as it always did, but I use another vac to get the worst off the T shirt filter cylinder (which is where most of the rubbish ends up), then with the cardboard filter still fitted, go and shake the remainder off the T shirt filter over the dustbin. Then a quick vac all over the cardboard filter still in-situ. A LOT easier than picking all that crud out of the pleats of the cardboard filter.

P.S: NOT my own idea, something I saw sometime somewhere on the net.

HTH

AES

 

[Rorschach]

But if you use a vac to clean a vac, what do you use to clean that vac?

 

[shed9]

A cyclone is probably still the best solution IMO. I appreciate you mention space is at a premium but a lot of designs can fit straight over the vac reducing the need to take any more floor space. That is of course assuming there is height available above the vac itself.

The benefits far outweigh the other options; more effective suction for longer and less cleaning intervals of the filter itself. Also, it's so much easier to remove the waste as you don't need to contend with the vac / filter head every time you empty which ironically usually requires cleaning up the fine dust with the same device you just removed it from.

 

[Rorschach]

A cyclone is probably still the best solution IMO. I appreciate you mention space is at a premium but a lot of designs can fit straight over the vac reducing the need to take any more floor space. That is of course assuming there is height available above the vac itself.

The benefits far outweigh the other options; more effective suction for longer and less cleaning intervals of the filter itself. Also, it's so much easier to remove the waste as you don't need to contend with the vac / filter head every time you empty which ironically usually requires cleaning up the fine dust with the same device you just removed it from.

I agree, the cyclone was a great investment for me, has really cut down on filter cleaning and damage to my vac.

 

[scholar]

But if you use a vac to clean a vac, what do you use to clean that vac?

Why, another vac!

Actually, the workshop vac I have is a Fein Dustex that uses disposable bags, so that one doesn't need extensive cleaning when emptying.

But you are right some vacs need another vac to clean it:

- I have a Festool CT26 that has a reusable textile bag and, whilst you can just shake it out, it is better and less messy to vac the inside of the empty bag with another vac (the Festool CT mini obvs!)

- We have a central vacuum system at home and that needs another little vac to clean around the cloth filter etc when emptying the bucket.

I remember when it was "the Hoover" - now I'm overrun with vacs!

Cheers

 

[AES]

The other vac after it's cleaned. The 2nd vac also has the "T shirt" filter.

AES