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DIY Project: Re-Using a Vacuum Cleaner Bag

09 Jun

Until today I didn’t even know that people would consider re-using their vacuum cleaner bags.  Isn’t it worth a few dollars to know that your vacuum is operating in pristine condition without worrying about risking a bad cleanup or mess because of a re-used bag?  Some people actually do re-use their bags to save money and be environmentally friendly.  For those of you who think this may be a good idea, I have researched some methods for doing so and tried them on my home vacuums to see how it should be done.

The process of fixing your bag for re-use is actually very simple.  This is how it is done:

1) Take a strip of duct tape several inches long and fasten vertically to a wide side of a NEW vacuum bag.  This is important because it sets the area that your vacuum hose will end up inside.

2) Carefully cut a slit along the length of the tape.  This should obviously be in the center of the tape.  Leave about an inch of tape uncut at both ends of the strip.  It may help to vacuum with the bag a little bit before doing this, because it will reduce the chance of cutting through both sides of the bag when performing this step.

3) Attach small pieces of tape at the ends of the tape on the bag.  This will strengthen the hole that was made by slitting the bag.

4) With your tape roll, fold over the end of the tape about two inches to make a tab to pull with.  Then tear a strip of tape that is long enough to cover the slit (plus the tab’s length).  Place this piece of tape directly over the slit.

5) Thats it!  To use your re-useable bag, all you need to do is tear off the replaceable tape strip before vacuuming and insert your vacuum’s suction hose to empty it out.  You can then replace the tape strip or make a new one to re-use the bag even more.

There are other methods out there to make a re-useable bag, but this method worked the best for me.  I would recommend it to a thrifty shopper because it is worth the money savings for the time it takes to create and is quite efficient.  If anyone else has other methods to making a re-useable bag or other DIY tips, feel free to comment on this post.

 
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Posted in DIY Projects

 

Ways to Save Money on Vacuum Bags

06 Jun

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, there are many places you can purchase vacuum cleaner bags.  The options include on the internet, at retail stores, or at vacuum accessory stores.  Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Buying vacuum accessories on the internet is generally the cheapest way to buy vacuum bags.  You can shop to your vacuum make’s website to purchase bags directly for them.  You will have the advantage of knowing that the bags will fit your vacuum.  For better deals, head to places like craigslist, Ebay, and Amazon.  Craigslist can get your surprisingly good deals if you look enough, Ebay will have the lowest prices overall, and Amazon will be always be a reliable guarantee.

Another good method for saving money on bags is contacting the bag makers for a wholesale discount to you.  If you want to purchase a lot at a time, this could save you some big bucks over time.  If you decide this is too much for you, you can resell them on bay or craigslist and quickly get your money back and then some.

Shopping at nearby retail stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond and Wal-Mart can normally get you decent prices on bags and a steady amount for sale at a time.  The deals will not be as hot as they are online, though.

Going to a nearby vacuum accessory store will generally get you the best customer service possible on your buying situation.  The employee should be able to direct you to the most effective bags for your vacuum to maximize its efficiency.  It may be a little more expensive than shopping elsewhere, but you will get good service and develop a rapport with a shop that could fix your vacuum if it breaks.

When it comes to saving money on vacuum bags, the options are clearly in front of you.  Go to the sites you trust and frequent, like Ebay and Amazon, for the best deals around.  If you don’t want to shop online, you should know where to go.  And if you’d like, re-use your bags. Don’t let something as trivial as vacuum cleaner bags to annoy you one day when you really need them.

 
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Posted in Shopping

 

The Best Online Vacuum Cleaner Retailers

04 Jun

A simple google search of “vacuum cleaner bag replacement” will show you firsthand how diluted the internet is with vacuum cleaner replacement part stores.  Many of these sites look utterly similar, selling nearly the same products.  Without further research it is not easy to tell which websites offer the highest-quality services you desire.

One high-quality retailer that a friend told me about is www.bestvacuum.com.  This website provides vacuum reviews and recommendations as well as selling vacuums.  This makes visiting the site comparable to hitting two birds with one stone.  You can do your research on what you are interested in and then purchase the item a few clicks away.  The site sells most major vacuum cleaner bag brands, including Miele, Sebo, Dyson, Oreck, Nacecard, and others.  I have heard that their service is outstanding, so be sure to take a look.

Govacuum.com is another reputable vacuum parts retailer.  Their major claim is free ground shipping within the Continental US, a nice treat for customers since shipping can secretly add a good portion of money to your order.  They also provide many coupon codes for their products throughout their site, helping to keep your vacuum cleaner maintenance bill low.  They carry nearly every brand, including Advance, Hoover, Dirt Devil, and more.  This is another site to consider when shopping for vacuum cleaner bags.

If you do not want to shop to possible discounts through a third-party retailer, be sure to browse over to your vacuum brand’s official store.  This can be found through google or in your owner’s manual.  Your brand’s site will often include articles relating to your ownership of their products, an extra resource that could potentially be very helpful.  You will also have the trust of knowing which bag style you should buy for your vacuum if you use your brands site.  If you are uncertain about what to buy, consult your brand’s online home.

Be sure to consult several different resources before buying new vacuum cleaner bags and other accessories.  It is good to see different prices and opinions before making a final purchase.  You can find other quality sites by doing internet searches.  Be careful buying products online, and make sure that you are using an authorized retailer.

 
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Posted in Shopping

 

Comparing Bagged and Bagless Vacuums

01 Jun

In recent years, there has been a huge surge in the advertising of bagless vacuum cleaners.  At first glance, these sound superior in every single way to vacuums that use bags, as they require less maintenance and do not require the user to continually replace bags.  The replacement process can get annoying for a lot of people, so it seems that a bagless vacuum solves all these problems.  Although bagless vacuums do have a lot of benefits, they are not perfect, so before getting one you should be aware of all the pros and cons.

A bagged vacuum

The first thing to realize is that there is still some level of maintenance to carry out when working with bagless vacuums.  Instead of using a bag, the dirt is sent into a dedicated compartment, that you can easily remove and empty directly into the trashcan.  Since the compartment is reusable, you do not need to worry about continually purchasing bags.  In this sense, a bagless vacuum is superior to a bagged alternative, but in addition to convenience, there is also the question of efficiency.

You want the vacuum you own to be able to get the job done, and if a product cannot do that, then it is certainly an inferior device.  A problem with bagless vacuums is that they have not been around for that long, and there has not been enough time for the technology within these systems to be perfected.  Therefore, there are sometimes problems with how effective the vacuums function.  Due to the current way the devices work, a lot of the smaller dirt particles can be exhausted back out after being initially caught up.  This means that despite doing a complete vacuum job, your carpets may not be completely clean.

A bagless vacuum

There are a few other problems with bagless vacuums, such as the fact that they can break and you still need to replace the filters, albeit not as often as you need to for a bagged vacuum.  Realize there is a lot of variation between different vacuum models, and some products are definitely better than others.  By being aware of all the factors that distinguish bagged vacuums from bagless vacuums, you can make a more informed decision about what kind to get.  If you really care about solid cleanliness, then you should go with a bagged vacuum, but if you just want to finish up quickly and do less work, a bagless device may be for you.  In any case, you have to make some sort of decision, because carpets don’t clean themselves.

 
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Posted in Types of Vacuums

 

The Process of Purchasing Vacuum Bags

28 May

Now that you know the importance of purchasing high-quality bags, it is necessary to discuss methods of purchasing such bags.

There are two different ways to purchase vacuum cleaner bags – retail stores and online marketplaces.  A general retail store, like Target or Wal-Mart, will offer many different types of bags to suit your vacuum.  They will most likely come in varying sized packs, depending on the brand.  If you are looking for a general vacuum bag or need one very quickly, a large retail store is your best bet.

An even better option would be to visit a local vacuum supply store.  There are plenty of stores that solely sell vacuums and their accessories and can make repairs.  Stores like these will probably have a wider selection of vacuum cleaner bags along with a very knowledgeable retail staff that could help you find the best bag to match your vacuum, even if it is a different brand’s product.  The downside to such stores is that bags will probably be more expensive than at a general retail store.

The internet is also a great place to shop for vacuum cleaner bags, along with many other types of products.  By making a simple search on Google, Amazon.com, Ebay.com, or other online retailers, you should have no problem finding nearly every vacuum cleaner bag sold on the market today.  Downsides to this method include having to pay shipping for something that could be picked up in a nearby store.  However, if you want to purchase bags from the comfort of your home, the internet is the way of doing so.

One cost-cutting option is to purchase vacuum cleaner bags in bulk quantities.  You will save a hefty amount of money with this option, sometimes as much as 50 percent per bag.  The best deals on bulk quantity bags are found online.  The bags can be shipped directly to your home and be at your doorstep as soon as you’d like, depending on the shipping options available from the retailer.

No matter how you buy your vacuum cleaner bags, it is even more important to make sure that you are purchasing the proper type of bags and using them efficiently to improve your vacuum’s effectiveness and efficiency.  See my post below if you would like a detailed explanation of how to do so.  And don’t forget – you can always re-use your vacuum cleaner bags!

 
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Posted in Vacuum Cleaner Bag Information

 

Vacuum Cleaner Bags Overview and How to Maximize Vacuum Efficiency

28 May

Although vacuuming is an important chore to keep a room looking clean, it is not something most people enjoy.  Since this task is unavoidable, it is wise to make a smart investment in high quality vacuum cleaner bags to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your vacuuming.  Many different brands and types of bags can be found at nearby stores or online retailers.  Some types of bags are suitable for certain vacuums more than others, so it is important to know what exactly you are purchasing.

There are four main types of vacuum cleaner bags: Type A micro fresh, Type B micro fresh, Type J micro fresh, and Type J micro filtration.  Other types include Type D micro fresh and Type U micro fresh.  You should purchase the type of bag that best accompanies your vacuum, which can be determined by reading through your owner’s manual or a simple Google search.  Most brands will recommend that you purchase their brand’s vacuum cleaner bags – this is a good general idea, but if a different brand produces higher quality bags of the same type (determined through reviews and ratings), it may not be a bad idea to try out a different brand’s bag.

Vacuum cleaner bags become useless when they are full, but what most people don’t know is that dust accumulation in the bags causes your vacuum to lose its peak efficiency before it is completely full.  Once the bag becomes around 75% full, the vacuum becomes harder to clean and its motor loses efficiency.  You will most likely have to spend more time vacuuming because it will be more difficult for the vacuum to pick up dust from the ground.  You are also hurting your vacuum by letting the bag get too full, subsequently shortening its life span.  To increase your vacuum bag’s life span, you can make a re-useable vacuum bag that will last for a long time.

Most people wait until their vacuum cleaner bag becomes completely full to replace it.  To some, this seems like the most cost-efficient course of action because the owner is using the bag as long as possible.  To continue using a working vacuum for a longer period of time, it is wiser to replace the bag a little earlier for the vacuum’s sake.  This will also save money on future repair bills and possible replacement vacuums.

 
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Posted in Vacuum Cleaner Bag Information

 

Welcome to Best Vacuum Cleaner Bags!

28 May

Hello everyone, and welcome to Best Vacuum Cleaner Bags!  You will find tons of information regarding the best vacuum cleaner bags available on the market today, as well as informative articles on vacuum cleaner bags.  Feel free to purchase these products online per my recommendation.

 
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Posted in News