The Shop Vacuum Grows Up: Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaners

These handy combinations of wet and dry vacuum cleaners are now for more than just the workshop. Improved technology has reduced their well known volume level and made them more practical for other applications. You can now use these vacuums to clean up a wide variety of spills and dirt without hearing that familiar screeching noise.

There are some important things to be familiar with when you are ready to purchase your new vacuum with wet and dry features. There are now many different models with varying capacity (from 6 to 22 gallons) and horsepower (from 1.5 to 10.5 HP). You need to think about what you really need and then find a wet/dry vacuum to match. The following tips should be helpful.

If you regularly need a wet/dry vacuum for small jobs such as spills a great choice may be a wall mounted unit with 1.5 HP and a 1 gallon tank. Storage is made simple since you can just mount the unit on the wall. You will find that the six gallon models are much easier to store than the larger models and perfect for small jobs. One thing to consider is that smaller models are more likely to tip over and much noisier than larger models. Smaller tanks will need to be emptied more frequently. Those in a garage or workshop that frequently sees large spills will most likely benefit from purchasing the larger model. You will need to empty the tank much less often than you would with a smaller model.

Wet/dry vacuums can come with a variety of features and options and you will need to decide which ones are most important to you. Some of the most popular features include:

Pleated Cartridge Filter This filter is convenient as it does not need to be removed when switching from wet to dry functions. You can rinse it and reuse it, and it is much more efficient at filtration than flat filters. Automatic Shut Off - To prevent overflowing this function automatically shuts off the vacuum once it is full of liquid. Most vacuums will include this feature. Wide Set Wheels This is important to prevent your vacuum from tipping over. Leaf Blower Conversion This feature is available on some of the larger models. It is a great idea to have if you have lots of trees in your yard. Built In Pump Attachments This feature allows you to attach a garden hose through which water can be pumped out. Drain Valve or Spout This feature makes it much easier to empty your vacuum cleaner. Emptying water or liquids from a vacuum without this feature will require that you take off the lid and dump the entire thing over. This process often leads to accidental spills. You will usually not find this feature on smaller vacuums. Wide Hoses and Floor Nozzles These are great to have as they prevent the hoses from becoming clogged.

Some attachments do not come standard with your wet/dry vacuum cleaner but are available for purchase separately. These include:

Crevice Tool This enable you to clean floor edges and tight corners with ease. Extension Wand Makes getting into those hard to reach areas a snap. Hose Couplings Allows you to attach the extension wand to your existing hose. Combination Nozzle Lets you switch functions without switching nozzles. Gulper Nozzle A great enhancement to the wet vacuum feature. Round Brush Great tool that can be used for scrubbing. Cleaning Kit Kit that includes all the material you need for cleaning upholstery and other delicate items.

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