Thread Number: 37284  /  Tag: 80s/90s Vacuum Cleaners
What is your bag preference?
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Post# 397908   9/8/2018 at 01:09 (2,028 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        

rivstg1's profile picture
So, I picked up a Kirby G5 ( my fav due to the color) and it came with a 10 pack of paper bags for that machine specifically. I"m considering using them...or donating them to my friend in the vacuum store. I really only use Hepa bags ( except for one....temporarily) as I only used water (Rainbow) for allergy preferences from decades ago. I 'opened up' to bagged machines with HEPA only when I learned that technology had come a long way with filtration. So, I'm wondering what the rest of you do when vacuuming with your bagged machines. Use paper exclusively ( it's cheap), cloth Hepa ( better but more expensive, or a mixture depending on your machine. I"d imagine many of you with many vacuums....who rotate using them, might use the paper due to the cost of bagging all of them.

Tell me what you use!

Kurious Kelton


Post# 397911 , Reply# 1   9/8/2018 at 02:30 (2,028 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

The spun woven cloth HEPA style bags-they filter better-resist clogging better-you can pack them more full then with paper bags.Like one cloth bag can equal 2 or even more paper bags that their pores have clogged.

Post# 397922 , Reply# 2   9/8/2018 at 07:20 (2,028 days old) by blackheart (North Dakota)        
Bags

blackheart's profile picture
I use hepa bags in any vac that can take them. They always seem to provide somewhat of a improvement to the machine's airflow, and as Rex stated they retain power better as they fill. The only real downsides are the increased cost and the longer decomposition time (I think)

Post# 397923 , Reply# 3   9/8/2018 at 07:25 (2,028 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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I had never used HEPA cloth bags before, I always used paper bags, some with the allergen layer inside. But my Kenmore Progressive upright came with a new HEPA cloth bag and it seems to filter very well and no odors yet. When I replace it I'll order online as they are very expensive. I might switch to HEPA bags in my Kenmore canister as well. I use allergen bags in that but they don't filter as good.

In my Eureka Boss I use the Arm & Hammer paper bags, no smell and filters good with the outer bag.

In my vintage Hoovers, I use vintage green bags. I don't use those much, so can't say how the filtration is. There's no HEPA option with J unless I modify a bag to fit the collar.


Post# 397924 , Reply# 4   9/8/2018 at 07:50 (2,028 days old) by Josh1998 (Colorado )        

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For my Kirby I use the generic paper bags. We have 2 dogs that shed so the bags get full pretty quick. The hepa bags are too expensive. I'm not like a cheapskate or anything, it's just that owning a house is more expensive than I realized it was going to be. I used whatever bags I could find in my eureka canister but right now I'm using the genuine eureka H bags. I found like 8 packs of them at a flea market for $5. The packs weren't opened but the bags are vintage. The paper is really thick and they have the black cursive E stamped on them as well as saying "genuine eureka".

Post# 397927 , Reply# 5   9/8/2018 at 08:12 (2,028 days old) by broomvac (N/A)        
Synthetic HEPA all the way.

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All of my bagged vacuums except for my F and G Sanitaire use genuine synthetic HEPA bags. The only reason I don’t use them with my Sanitaire is they don’t exist in that type.

With synthetic HEPA bags, you will notice a marked improvement in the following:
- Filtration (obviously)
- Life (it takes noticeably more dust to reduce the airflow)
- Strength (highly unlikely to tear or burst)


Post# 397937 , Reply# 6   9/8/2018 at 10:42 (2,028 days old) by blackheart (North Dakota)        
F+G

blackheart's profile picture
They do make Hepa F+G bags, or you could use an overmold tube to convert to ST style bags

CLICK HERE TO GO TO blackheart's LINK


Post# 397961 , Reply# 7   9/8/2018 at 18:28 (2,027 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
Bags

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I posted a link to sanitare St bag converts f&g.  No dirty bottom of bag.

I use Kirby hepa bags on Kirby's.  I use riccar brand hepa bags for supralite 4.  The riccar bags hold alot of debri.  I use it for almost a month vacuuming once or twice a week and we have a golden lab indoor dog.  I opened the last bag you could make a fur blanket.  The Kirby hold quite a bit too.  

We have g4 that uses micron magic paper bags.  I'm not a fan reduction in power is noticeable.

 



CLICK HERE TO GO TO Lesinutah's LINK on eBay

Post# 397991 , Reply# 8   9/9/2018 at 11:09 (2,027 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        
Thank you blackheart

rivstg1's profile picture
I've been looking for hepa f&g!

If hep bags are costly to ya, an idea of getting more life from them would be to empty them carefully by hand and turn them inside out, use compressed air and blow them out, them turn them back outside in


Post# 398026 , Reply# 9   9/10/2018 at 10:25 (2,026 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)        

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Rivstg1:

 

Emptying and reusing HEPA bags is not recommended. When a HEPA bag is full, its pores are mostly clogged as well reducing airflow significantly. So, when you re-install a used HEPA bag you are reducing the performance of your vacuum by quite a bit.

 

 


Post# 398028 , Reply# 10   9/10/2018 at 10:35 (2,026 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        
Sptyks

rivstg1's profile picture
Ok, how about when it's not full but you turn it inside out and blow it out? How is that different from just using it when it's only 1/8 full? Blowing it out/clean as can be can only help it as compared to not and just using it till full. Advantage of doing that( especially of you have many machines that will almost never fill up or will take years to b/c you rotate there use) is that you wouldn't have to buy so may bags AND you limit accumulation smells in the bag. No?

Post# 398029 , Reply# 11   9/10/2018 at 10:46 (2,026 days old) by compactc9guy (Bathurst NB)        

compactc9guy's profile picture
Re using any bag reduce air flow the bag is clog donnnnnmt do it sont turn it inside out you are using a clog bag and that is verrry bad.......ok

Post# 398032 , Reply# 12   9/10/2018 at 10:52 (2,026 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        

rivstg1's profile picture
How is reusing it different than using a bag that's not new? Ie, using same bag for 3-6 months? It's clogged, according to what you are inferring , after you use it, even after only one time of use? Mehta am I missing here?

Post# 398035 , Reply# 13   9/10/2018 at 11:19 (2,026 days old) by bnsd60m9200 (Akron OH)        
i think hepa is way over rated

bnsd60m9200's profile picture
hepa is a RATING of filtration , not a style of filtration. what most people dont realize, hepa was designed for hospitals, cleanrooms etc. and is WAY beyond what is necessary for home cleaning even people who blame vacuum bags leaking dust on allergies. the market has brainwashed people into thinking hepa is the only viable way to filter all particulates out. in reality this is impossible, as the next day, more dirt and dust in the carpet you just vacuumed.

i use original brand vintage bags in all my machines when possible. genuine light blue or green old hoover bags filter well in my experience and dont leak dust. lux c bags filter amazingly well. sears bags filter ok, but i use merv 13 a/c filter on pre and exhuast air filters on my canisters no matter the brand anyways. the only bags i use that arent "original" is compact, because envirocare seems to be the only supplier of them, and vintage ones ive never seen.

old paper bags for vacuums from the 60s and 70s seem to filter much better the 80s or 90s original bags. thankfully those are still for the most part, plentiful reguardless of brand. generic brand bags unless they have a high micron filter rating i would avoid. generic brand vintage bags, on the other hand, in personal experience, are quite crappy and leak dust badly.

this is all provided of course, you empty the bag properly when full and dont let it burst.


Post# 398036 , Reply# 14   9/10/2018 at 11:26 (2,026 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

human's profile picture
I just use the cheap paper ones. I haven't noticed my vacuum cleaners belching dust and I'm no germophobe, so they work just fine for my needs.

Post# 398048 , Reply# 15   9/10/2018 at 15:08 (2,025 days old) by compactc9guy (Bathurst NB)        

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Never neeeeeever re use bag period dont care how full it is its pores are clog your DAMAGING your vacuum so neeever re use bags

Post# 398053 , Reply# 16   9/10/2018 at 19:04 (2,025 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        
bags on my Kirbys...

I use the yellow paper bags on the Tradition since the HEPA ones will not fit it. I do not wish to modify it either. They seem to work okay, too.

I use the white HEPA bags in the 505 ('stealth' conversion) and Omega ('stealth' conversion and HII conversion options).

I converted my Mom's D50 to take the HEPA bags also in both 'stealth' and HII conversions. She is a clean freak and hated the dust buildup around the base of the old dump bag.

Yes, the HEPA bags are more expensive but online they can be had at reasonable cost. Buy a big pack since they will last. It also take me 2+ years to fill one of those big bags, so the cost per year is less than that of one lousy lunch. I do not have pets or kids, so my house stays pretty clean.

For those who have pets and or kids, a bag will fill in no time. Regular paper should be fine then unless someone has certain allergies.

If anyone is going through the dirty job of trying to clean & reuse a disposable bag, they might as well get a bagless vac and enjoy the mess less the bag expense... ;o)


Post# 398068 , Reply# 17   9/11/2018 at 08:49 (2,025 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)        

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I agree with texaskirbyguy. If you are so cheap that you are going through all the trouble to turn a bag inside out, blow it out with compressed air which is a messy job and then re-install it, you might as well just get yourself a cheap bagless plasticrap  vacuum. Then you only have to empty the dirt bin and you're ready to go.

 

I own several Kirby's and a Royal metal upright and I use brand new HEPA bags in all of them. Nothing but the best for all my machines. At least I know that my machines are running at full performance and that their exhaust air is as clean as it can be.

 

 

 


Post# 398069 , Reply# 18   9/11/2018 at 09:07 (2,025 days old) by Kloveland (Tulsa)        
I'm not a big Hepa person either

kloveland's profile picture
I prefer to use the paper bags that actually go with my machines. I use mostly pre 1988 vacuums anyway. And when they start to smell I just throw them away and put a new clean bag in. And vintage bags are easily found at estate sales and thrift stores at least for me anyway.

Post# 398111 , Reply# 19   9/12/2018 at 01:02 (2,024 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        
Bagels vacs require

rivstg1's profile picture
Emptying every time or every other time, cleaning out a hepa cloth bag once or twice a year hardly compares to a bag less machine. Anyway, it's an experiment

Post# 398118 , Reply# 20   9/12/2018 at 08:16 (2,024 days old) by vaclab (Pickerington, Ohio)        
Kelton, I've performed extensive bag testing

vaclab's profile picture
And here's some of the results:





How much do you pay for your paper bags? I normally get a six pack of Kirby HEPA bags (various versions) for around $12 on eBay. Then I had an idea: turn them inside out and blow them out with a Kirby. And guess what? It works perfectly and I was able to blow them out up to 8 times.

And to all those claiming that the pores clog on HEPA bags, you're dead wrong!

Typical airflow loss (typical house dust, carpet, dog hair) from a FULL Kirby bag is around 11%. So you would still have 89% airflow still available using a HEPA bag when it's full.

After you blow it out (I've made several videos showing this), the bag will give you about 94% of new bag airflow with no change in filtration capability (yes, I have a particle meter).

Bill (VacLab on YouTube)


Post# 398150 , Reply# 21   9/13/2018 at 01:04 (2,023 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        
Bill,

rivstg1's profile picture
Yes. YOU are the inspiration for my attempts at blowing out/cleaning the hepa bags!! Thank you for chiming in on this discussion . I have not found those bags at the prices you have though , I would like to!

Post# 398162 , Reply# 22   9/13/2018 at 15:20 (2,022 days old) by mariotron (Texas )        
Cloth HEPA bags!

mariotron's profile picture
They allow for more and better air flow even as the bag fills. From my experience, even when cleaning up fine debris like baking soda the loss of Airflow is reduced. Plus, the outer bag and fill tube stay nice and clean!

Post# 398180 , Reply# 23   9/13/2018 at 23:48 (2,022 days old) by myles_v (Fredericksburg, VA)        

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I almost always use cloth when I can. I try to primarily use my Miele and Filter Queens as daily drivers because of their excellent filtration. But if there's a cloth bag available for any of my other machines they I always try to buy a few.

Post# 398186 , Reply# 24   9/14/2018 at 04:04 (2,022 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

I use the cloth as stated before.I do have a Drainvac Atomik "portable"central vacuum.It came with cloth bags that do have a zipper on them.They are made of the material normally used for disposable cloth bags.I duct tape the zippers shut-it opened on the maiden run of the machine.Had to use the new "Pig" to clean the Atomik out.My plan is when the bag fills-just going to throw it out,duct tape the zipper on a new bag.Will contact Drainvac and see if they have bags without the zipper.already the bag is discolored-if that is the case the bag SHOULD NOT be reused.I don't plan to try to dump out or blow out used cloth type disposable bags.Too much trouble for what its worth.The cloth bags are really NOT that expensive-and unlike paper bags you can fill the cloth ones without worry of bursting as paper ones can.

Post# 398207 , Reply# 25   9/14/2018 at 10:21 (2,022 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)        

sptyks's profile picture

The amount of time and effort it takes to remove a full cloth HEPA bag, turn it inside out, blow it out, turn it back out side in and reinstall it is just not worth it for me. I replace a bag in one of my 4 Kirby's that use disposable bags about once every 6 months or so, and since I can buy genuine Kirby cloth HEPA bags for less than $3.00 each, it is just not worth the time and effort.

 


Post# 398208 , Reply# 26   9/14/2018 at 10:54 (2,022 days old) by Rivstg1 (colorado springs)        
I appreciate everyone's input

rivstg1's profile picture
and bag thoughts on this thread!!!!


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