Fed up having to buy new filters for your vacuum?

Over the years I've lost count of how many companies stop selling replacement filters for their long deceased production vacuum models or that filter replacements are becoming increasingly difficult to source. There are usually universal "microfilter" replacements which are easy enough to find and cut to size, but if you can't be bothered to do that, there are ways around to renew your existing filter even if the manufacturer or the user manual states that the filter cannot be washed.

You see, any filter can actually be washed - if it is a single cloth filter - as opposed to a micro pleated section of many layers sewn together. If you have such a filter, a single cloth filter which the user manual says cannot be washed, this is a blatant lie. Remove the motor filter as normal (usually found at the bottom where the paper bag goes) if it is embedded with dirt and wash under a hot tap of water with either household washing up liquid or soap. Once the filter has been completely cleaned, place the filter into a pillow case and chuck into an electric dryer on a low heat. Instead of waiting 24 hours normally for a filter to dry to room temperature, you'll cut your waiting time by a day simply by allowing the gentle heat from the electric dryer to circulate around the pillow case which holds your vacuum cleaner filter. Once the filter is completely dry to the touch and does not feel damp in any way, install back into the vacuum cleaner.

I have also done this with HEPA paper filters which apparently are not washable according to the manual, and to stop the plastic cartridges from bouncing off the walls of your electric clothing dryer/tumble dryer put an extra towel or cloth into the pillow case to minimise damage. What is then revealed is a new, dry and clean filter which can be used again instead of spending lots of money trying to source a new one.

At the same time, if your vacuum cleaner has a soft bag, take it off and put it into the washing machine to give it a clean lease of life - but you won't need to put it into a pillow case to dry in the electric dryer - simply chuck the bag in to ensure it gets dried properly before putting it back onto your vacuum cleaner.