How to Neatly Re-Use a Vacuum Cleaner Bag

These Bags are expensive! Depending upon what kind of vacuum cleaner you have, you may be able to re-use the "disposable" bag that you have been (up to now) compelled to throw away!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vacuum Cleaner Bags
• Good Ol' Duct Tape
• Razor Knife
• Shop Vac or just your hands...

1. Take a strip of duct tape about 6 - 7" long and fasten it vertically to one of the wider sides of a new vacuum cleaner bag.

2. Carefully and neatly cut a slit along the length of the tape' s center. Leave an inch at both ends, but do cut into that side of the bag. (You may find it helpful to put on the tape, vacuum using the bag a little bit to fill it up slightly, and THEN do the cutting. This will help you avoid cutting through to the other side...). After this, add a little piece of tape at the ends of the 1st piece to strengthen the hole you made with the knife.

3. Go to the roll of tape again, and fold over the end to create a little "tab" to pull with later. Now tear off a strip long enough to adequately cover the slit, and place it directly over it.

4. You have now created a re-usable vacuum cleaner bag. For the price of a short strip of duct tape (if you even need to re-use that, and you probably will...), you have access to the inside of the bag time and again. Simply tear off the replaceable strip with the tab you made and insert the suction hose of your shop vac to empty it out. Then make a new strip if needed and you're ready to re-use the bag. When the shop vac ever gets full, your dust and dirt can go out with the other contents as you normally would empty them.

Tips & Warnings

• I've heard the normal contents of a vacuum cleaner bag make great compost.
• You may, on occasion, need to use your hands to coax out the first clumps of dust, but if you avoid "packing" the bag in the first place you shouldn't have much trouble; try rubber gloves to improve your grip.
• Best to transfer the dust in the cellar or garage.
• Not "packing" the bag will help to avoid stressing the motor, too, so empty out before this becomes an issue.
• If you are allergic to dust, remember to use a dust mask just to be safe.
• It is assumed that your vacuum cleaner bags act like filters; allowing air through while collecting the dust and dirt.
• Very little tape is needed; this method covers a very small percentage of the bag's surface area. Too much tape may restrict air flow to a point where the vacuum motor can overheat.

[nkvets]

on 6/9/2009 This is a great article, but is it possible to include pictures with this? I'm unclear as to where exactly the pieces of duct tape are actually being positioned on the vacuum cleaner bag? Thanks for posting this wonderful tip because these bags can be really expensive! :)