Cleaning Cloth Bags - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly...

Lately my collection had taken on a life of its own and has started to reproduce. With that comes a lot of dirty cloth bags to clean. I first vacuum out the large debris, then wash the bags in slightly warm water with Woolite Delicates Care and let them hang dry overnight. In the morning I set up some fans to blow into and inflate them to complete the drying process. They always come out looking (and more importantly SMELLING) great. The notion of someone else's dirt in my home is icky.

Anyway, after having cleaned many dozens of bags, I've seen some that were remarkably clean, though most were full of dust and in many cases, pet hair. Some of them, however, had contents that proved more difficult to clean. A few bags that gave me trouble had things such as kitty litter (GROSS), drywall/plaster dust, and in some of the older machines that hadn't been used in many years, coal dust.

The other day, the bag from the Hoover Junior Model 115 was up for cleaning. It was actually very clean looking both inside and out, save for some hair inside. Well, it turns out someone had gotten a hair cut and this machine was used to clean it up. Human hair clippings were a first for me, and hopefully a last! I vacuumed the bag out, washed it over and over, used a brush, and even vacuumed it again after it was dry and there is STILL some hair I can't get out of the fabric. To date, this is the most difficult and tedious substance I've had to clean from a bag. Too bad I haven't found anything good yet, like old coins or jewelry!

I'm still on the lookout for a Hoover bag cleaning machine (and not that water damaged, cobbled together junk heap on eBay...)

What sort of bag cleaning stories, processes, or tips do you have?

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Post# 333042 9/2/2015 at 09:13 (3,151 days old) by HisMastersVoice (Ferndale, MI)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Lately my collection had taken on a life of its own and has started to reproduce. With that comes a lot of dirty cloth bags to clean. I first vacuum out the large debris, then wash the bags in slightly warm water with Woolite Delicates Care and let them hang dry overnight. In the morning I set up some fans to blow into and inflate them to complete the drying process. They always come out looking (and more importantly SMELLING) great. The notion of someone else's dirt in my home is icky. Anyway, after having cleaned many dozens of bags, I've seen some that were remarkably clean, though most were full of dust and in many cases, pet hair. Some of them, however, had contents that proved more difficult to clean. A few bags that gave me trouble had things such as kitty litter (GROSS), drywall/plaster dust, and in some of the older machines that hadn't been used in many years, coal dust. The other day, the bag from the Hoover Junior Model 115 was up for cleaning. It was actually very clean looking both inside and out, save for some hair inside. Well, it turns out someone had gotten a hair cut and this machine was used to clean it up. Human hair clippings were a first for me, and hopefully a last! I vacuumed the bag out, washed it over and over, used a brush, and even vacuumed it again after it was dry and there is STILL some hair I can't get out of the fabric. To date, this is the most difficult and tedious substance I've had to clean from a bag. Too bad I haven't found anything good yet, like old coins or jewelry! I'm still on the lookout for a Hoover bag cleaning machine (and not that water damaged, cobbled together junk heap on eBay...) What sort of bag cleaning stories, processes, or tips do you have? View Full Size

Post# 333061 , Reply# 1 9/2/2015 at 13:50 (3,151 days old) by citroenbx (england)
Checkrate/Likes I would use I vax carpet cleaner

Post# 333078 , Reply# 2 9/2/2015 at 16:14 (3,151 days old) by bikerray (Middle Earth)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Just be careful, if you leave the Kirbys and Hoovers alone in the living room you just might end up with a Kirver or a Hooby. I know my vacs multiply like rabbits when left alone.

Post# 333090 , Reply# 3 9/2/2015 at 17:56 (3,151 days old) by jeschbac (Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *Mine too...* v

Post# 333091 , Reply# 4 9/2/2015 at 17:58 (3,151 days old) by jeschbac (Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *sorry* Darn I hate this laptop! Anyway, I like your bag-cleaning protocol. I do turn mine inside/out and shake them good before washing like you do.

Post# 333122 , Reply# 5 9/3/2015 at 01:53 (3,150 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)
Checkrate/Likes This is where you need one of those Hoover bag cleaner machines like what some guys on here have.

Post# 333138 , Reply# 6 9/3/2015 at 08:08 (3,150 days old) by HisMastersVoice (Ferndale, MI)
Checkrate/Likes I'd love a Hoover bag cleaner! I don't know of anyone willing to give one up at the moment, though. I know they turn up here and there, maybe I'll find one on my next vac shop adventure.