Dear Home Ec 101,
I admit, I was one of those – a bagless vacuum cleaner! What an amazing idea! No thought was given to what I was going to do with the container full of dust and debris. I’ve figured out that one – dumping out the junk is fairly easy although many people including myself dislike the cloud of who-knows-what that comes from dumping days’ worth of stuff sitting in the canister. What I can’t figure out, nor find online, is how the heck to clean the filter. Everything says, “clean the filter,” but then i see, “don’t touch the filter.” How does one clean the filter of a bagless vac? I’m pretty confident I’m getting lower performance because the filter is, um, gross. (The same can be said for my handvac but I’ll be satisfied today with knowing how to clean the filter on my less-than-a-year-old hoover.)
So i turn to the experts – how do I clean the filter on a bagless vac?
Signed,
Could Be Cleaner
Heather says:After emptying the canister, pull the cartridge filter out. Bang it carefully on the inside of your trashbin. (This will help contain some of the dust that is going to fly out). Be sure to only tap the rubber gasket portion of your filter. If you hit the paper portion it may be damaged by the impact. This should loosen most of the debris. If you have access to an air compressor, once the loose debris has been removed, blow any stubborn dust away. Using a rag or paper towel wipe out any lingering dirt and debris from your dust cup before replacing the filter.
With care these filters can last for quite a while, but they must be replaced on occasion. Before ordering a new filter inspect your vacuum carefully, occasionally small toys, change, or string can lodge in a tube or hose and reduce the suction. Don’t forget to examine the agitator and belt while you are down there. A beater bar full of hair will certainly reduce your machine’s capability. Use a box cutter or scissors to carefully cut away tangled hair and string. Hopefully you’ll be back to Hoovering the floor in no time.
On a side noteI suckered talked Mr. Heather into a refurbished Dyson four* years ago. It’s still going strong, and I still love it. There, yet another shameless plug for a company not currently sponsoring us.
*Hey refurbished was half the price of new.
Submit your household questions to helpme@home-ec101.com
Tags: Appliances · Dust · Vacuum
Ivy says:
Our fabulous commenter Bramble asked:
How exactly does one dust the wall? Do you dust the entire wall with a dust cloth? Do you wash it?
This, of course, varies depending on how big your walls are and how dirty your walls are. My preferred method is to use a wool duster with an extension handle. The wool picks up dust very well and since it has an extension handle, you’ll be able to reach just about everywhere. (Unless your walls are as tall as mine, then you’ll need a ladder.)
Now, for really dirty walls, it depends on the type of paint that is on your walls. If you have satin or semigloss, just use a damp rag to wash down the walls. I like a little Pine Sol in a bucket of water. To me, nothing smells like “clean” more than Pine Sol, a throwback to my childhood or something. With flat paint, it’s a bit different. I’m tempted to tell you to repaint with satin or semigloss, but naturally not everyone can do that. The alternative is using a dry sponge like this. For what those sponges cost though, I’d try to clean the walls with a wooly duster first, or perhaps gently washing them with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
There ya go, Bramble! More than you ever wanted to know about cleaning walls!
Tags: Dust · Living Area · Walls
Dear Home Ec 101:
I have several faux wood white blinds that I have stored in the garage. I want to use these now and they have needless to say their share of spider webs, dust and other weird things on them. What is the best way to clean them?
Thanks!
~Dust in the Windows
Heather says:
Since there are several type of faux wood blinds there are several tactics to consider.
If the blinds are veneer try:
- The damp wipe: After ensuring no spiders are still lurking about, use a damp microfiber cloth to remove the dust, rinse and wring out often.
- Compressed air: If you have access to an air compressor, a few blasts will quickly remove the worst of the dust and spider webs. A quick wipe down should finish the job.
For plastic blinds:
- Water: break out the hose and lay those badboys out in the sun to dry.
Once they have been thoroughly cleaned simply use the soft bristle attachment and vacuum them on a regular basis. If you keep up with them, you will rarely have to deep clean the blinds. Pay heed, I’m about to have to tackle mine after having spent so long on bedrest.
Tags: Dust · Living Area · Whole House
Heather says:
Ivy recently reminded us to clean our fridge coils to keep our refrigerators running efficiently. However, some have asked “Just how do I do that?” Here is a step by step guide to removing the dust and dirt to ensure your fridge is operating in peak condition.
- To reduce the risk of shock, either unplug the fridge or flip the circuit breaker.
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The location of your appliance’s coils will depend on the age of your fridge. On many older models the coils can be reached by removing the kickplate just beneath the doors. This may either snap out of place or may be secured with screws. Once this is removed, I take it outside and spray it down with the hose. If yours is particularly grimy, use degreaser to help break up the film.
Using the wand attachment to your vacuum and carefully suck out all the grime. Some companies sell specialized attachments that have bristles solely for this purpose, but I believe it to be unnecessary. Replace the kick plate when you have finished.- There are two other possible locations for the coils. If they are not located beneath the doors, carefully pull the fridge away from the wall. Always move the fridge straight in and straight out to minimize damage to the flooring. The coils will either be exposed on the back of the appliance or behind a kick plate. If the coils are exposed simply vacuum of any dust with the vacuum’s soft bristle attachment. Alternatively, if the coils are extremely grimy, use a rag dampened with degreaser or white vinegar.
If the coils are not exposed, use a wrench or screwdriver to remove the screws. Just so you don’t think I know everything, I had to look up what these screws are called – hex headed screws.
Once the plate has been removed, use the soft bristled vacuum tool to remove any built up dust. Replace the cover, sweep or vacuum up any debris, and carefully push the appliance back into place, being sure not to pinch any electrical cords or water lines.
- Restore power to the unit by either resetting the breaker or plugging it in.
- This project should take less than ten minutes start to finish, if it is performed on a regular basis. However, if neglected it may take longer.
Tags: Appliances · Dust · Seasonal Cleaning · Vacuum
Ivy says:
A comment on this post reminded me of something I had been wanting to post about for awhile. Typically, you should be vacuuming your refrigerator coils twice a year with your spring and fall cleaning. Vacuuming the refrigerator coils not only extends the life of your refrigerator, but it helps save electricity, because a dusty fridge has to work harder.
However, if you have pets, you should vacuum more often- the more pets, the more vacuuming. I have 2 cats and a dog, and I vacuum once every couple of months. It really does save electricity costs- when I started doing this, I noticed a small drop in my electricity bill!
Tags: Appliances · Dust · Kitchen · Refrigerator
