laundering dust collection bags?

I seem to recall hearing/reading that you are not supposed to wash the felt type bags. Mine is getting pretty clogged as well, although I believe it is a 1 micron bag. My plan is to knock what I can out before removing it and then turning it inside out and using the shop vac on it.

-- CutNRun - So much wood, so many trails, so little time

CutNRun – But then how will you clean the shop vac filter!? It’s a vicious cycle :)

-- Gary, Los Angeles, video game animator

Hey gary
Still looking at my keys. any how I’ve heard the same thing CuyN said, it will mess up your bag. I try to talk people into mounting the dust collector out side if at all possoble then it does’nt matter if it’s 200 micron bag.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

You could buy an extra bag and wash your old one. You never know. It may be an old wives tale.
I think I would take it to a laundromat though. Don’t want to piss off the wife.

Maybe a dry cleaner?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Gary, someone posted the same question 2 days ago, and one of the responses was from a guy that contacted the mfg. and was told these bags are NOT TO BE WASHED! as this will loosen the material, and will reduce the filteration to 1000 micron…

just blow it with compressed air. and beat it outside.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

PurpLev – Which manufacturer and what type of bag? Some are just made from cloth.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I thought that as the filter got clogged it got better at keeping the air clean. I realize that suction goes down but I would think that you don’t want to get that 30 micron bag too clean. It will just spew stuff into the air.

-- Gary, South Central Wisconsin. So much to learn, so little time!

I don’t really think there are any 30 micron bags that are shaker felt. You’re not suppose to wash the shaker felt bags. I have the old 30 micron bags that originally came on my DC and they appear to be just canvas. I don’t think washing them would hurt them. The only thing 30 microns stop is wood chips.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

something I just thought of (never researched) is what about putting the bag on inside out (while outside) and running the machine while GENTLY tapping it with a stick. Would this blast the dust out by adding some pressure (for those of us that don’t have an air compressor)? I think you’d just need to make sure your intake hose is far upwind from the dust (so you don’t get both sides dirty). Just thinking aloud. I love overusing parenthesis (anyone notice?).

I was the one who posted the same question a couple of days ago. I washed mine on delicate cycle, then air dried. Worked fine and it works like new now. I am definitely not recommending going against manufacturer directions, just telling you what worked for me. Could be they sell more bags that way, don’t know. If you do choose to wash, I would certainly do the delicate cycle and air dry.

-- Gary, Huntsville. May you live as long as you want and not want as long as you live.

i think the trouble is knowing whether performance is affected by washing or not. the particles that come through may be smaller than you’d be able to see.

Thanks for all the replies. I’m pretty sure they’re just something like canvas. That’s what they feel like.

Taking in all the advice here, I’m a little bit skeptical about washing them, but if I happen on some new bags in the future, I will probably give it a shot with the old ones. One of these days I’m going to pick up a little digital microscope. They’re pretty cheap now, and I thought it would be fun to catalog wood end-grains for my ID’ing shenanigans. I could take some closeup pics of the weave pre and post washing to empirically solve this mystery. I’d be able to see if it opened up any.

Gary – thanks for being the guinea pig! I appreciate your real-world input on this.

Hokie – at 30 microns, I can already see dust come through it. A little tap, and a plume of microfine dust will waft from the surface. I hope someday to upgrade to a <1> I have now.

-- Gary, Los Angeles, video game animator

I wash mine about once a year. Works greats, doesn’t seem to affect the bag and revives the suction. I have no idea as to whether it alters the size of particles it filters…but my dust collector is in a different room from the tools and I haven’t noticed any increase in dust floating/settling around. Your mileage may vary.

I bought two very nice thick industrial felt bags from an auction .However they needed (like yours) a good wash. I asked my wife to do me a favor and washed them both in the washer and then dry on the washing line outside.It did the job wonderfully. I have to emphasize that these were good thick industrial quality bags and would be reluctant to be responsible for ruining anyone’s good felt bags by my advice but I would emphasize you could always wash gently by hand in a cool wash I think my wife spin dried mine now I come to think of it best of luck I feel sure you will be fine as said my two were great after a good wash. Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Just let my wife wash them, she would turn that 30 micron bag into a 1 micron bag in no time. :)
(She tries to say I’m gaining weight)