Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I checked with Eureka, no longer available, checked with a few distributors, no generic bags available either. These fit the ancient 900 series models (rotomatic) Are there any substitutes a guy could use instead??

Thanks Mike!

Michael

Mike_W wrote:

Sorry to disagree with you on this Mike, but it's not 'fine,' IMHO.   Vacuum and brush?  Most definitely.  But NEVER EVER use water on a cloth bag of this era, especially if you want to reuse the cloth bag in the vacuum for operational purposes.  Water degrades the porous nature of the cloth bag [and performance] much as filling to capacity with dirt/dust and not dumping.  The bag cloth is made to allow the fibers to give the optimum air filtration and dirt/dust containment.  Washing, even by hand, compromises the filtration performance.  Adding a detergent to the water, even mild, makes the cloth bag fibers even worse. 

Carmine D.

Hi,

During the 1950s and into the 1960s, in regard to many canisters that used both disposable and cloth bags, disposable bags were more a convenience than a "must".  As for filtration, the larger part of GE's, Eureka's, Royal and crew's disposable dust bags were not of great substance. A couple of niche brands were big on touting air quality but Eureka was not among them.  The thin "liners" provided eliminated the larger part of the work in having to repeatedly shake out a cloth bag until it was clean and unclogged.  

The heavvyweight bags used singularly appeared mainly in Electrolux and Air-Way.  Yet even Electrolux and Air-Way, both noted for their especially unique disposable bags, offered cloth bags as an alternative for those who opted for thrift through use of a permanent dust bag.  I thought the like was a waste but knew more than one person who'd acquired them.

Also, though it may take a little time to look, I think I can dredge up a few old vacuum user manuals as well as housekeeping guides of that of that era that did not recommend washing cloth dust bags.  The usual rule was to buy a replacement cloth bag if the original had gotten a little ratty.

As for odors, try a little dry borax or a tadsworth of moth crystals.

Venson

Though from way back in the day, here's a major manufacturer's, not a collector's, advice regarding bag care ---

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/00ShowCollectionGETD.cgi?photoshow=825-07.jpg&dir=/OWNERS_MANUALS/Hoover%20825

Venson

Hello Venson:

Thanks for taking the extra time and effort and posting the HOOVER bag care instructions.  This model appears to be one of the early 700 series, [without the headlight which came later].  Usually called the Greater HOOVER.  I say the greatest of the great.  Probably early 1930's. 

Of note, HOOVER suggests emptying the bag after each use.  And says to ensure that a "servant" is told to follow these instructions.  If I recall correctly, the engraved logo on the top of the motor hood cover of the 700 series shows a man with the words "servant to the people." 

Of note too, HOOVER refers to its "agitator."  A topic of another thread. 

Also of note, HOOVER suggests placing "sand," "salt" and/or another "granular substance" [read old coffee grinds] on the carpet in front of the vacuum to determine if the agitator is working correctly.   How?  By the substances vibrating on the carpet.  A topic of another thread.

Have to love those old time black and white graphics. 

Carmine D.

Y ou know you got to love it, i mean by seeing and reading about where this industry has come from and where its going.

All the PLAYERS had their own style and identity,you could tell one brand from another [the craftmenship was outstanding] companies acually took pride in their workmanship, they really thought things through, people acually enjoyed going to work each day,

Maybe they were really the good old days...........................

MOLE

Venson wrote:
Ah, so that is where you got your info for Michael.  Notice nowhere did it say  "Do Not Wash the Bag".  HOOVER, and others, wanted to make maintenance of their machines easy.  Users would not wash their bag nor would they sweep it out.  Who wants to clean their shake out vacuum bag.  Hey, plenty of vacuum makers told people to empty their bags after every use.  But did they do that? No.  What do they do if the bag needed to be cleaned?  They would  take it to the vac shop and it would be hooked up to a machine that brushes it for them.

Hand washing a cloth bag on the Eureka Rotomatic/Super Rotomatic canister would probably only be done once or twice in its lifetime.  There is no reason to wash it on a monthly basis.  The above poster, Michael, is a collector.  He wants to make his newly acquired machine more presentable.  The handwashing will not hurt the bag if he has examined it before he washes.

You will be hardpressed to find any old manuals that state, "Do Not Wash".  Today it is different, because shake-out bags are made differently.  I know that for years, Eureka/Sanitaire always says, "DO NOT WASH OR DRYCLEAN".  I also know that today, there are some that say it is fine to wash.  Take a look at Air Storm.

To sum things up, it is fine to wash the outer bag of a canister like the Eureka Rotomatic/Super Rotomatic.  As a collector, Michael, you have to examine it first and make sure it will hold up to a washing.  If it is hard and brittle, it ain't going to make it. 

CarmineD wrote: It is fine if you disagree w/me.  I think you need to explain more how water is going to degrade the cloth vacuum bag of this Eureka.  There are actually other factors that degrade cloth and it is not water and detergent.  The sun is one of them.  Another is bleach.  How about agitation and friction.  If the Eureka bag is so old and frail, then I think the agitation and friction, from a broom, will be damaging also.

If you're worried about possible chemical degradation of the bag material, and the bag fabric is still in good condition, hand wash it with Woolite in warm water, I've done so with good results.  Woolite has a reputation for being extremely gentle (yet still sudsy) and is probably the only chemical I'd use on a cloth bag at this point.  Be extremely gentle and you should have no problems with wear.  As Mike mentioned above it's not a good idea to wash any bags silk-screened or printed logos, there is a very good chance that even the gentlest hand-washing will fade or remove the logo entirely.

Also, never machine-wash cloth bags (especially not vintage; you could probably get away with it on a new bag, but it would cause additional wear), or use fabric softener.  As a waxy substance, it *will* clog the fibers and the bag will not be as porous as it once was.

-MH

Mike_W wrote:

Hello Mike:

I defer to your superior knowledge and experience over the collective vacuum industry guidance and teaching of the past. 

But please to eliminate any doubt I might harbor that you may be wrong, share the tests/measures you use/perform before and after bag washing to make your above statement. And even to conclude and recommend that hand washing these old cloths is just fine and poses no degradation/risks to vacuum performance and operation.  

Feel free to cite here any other authoritative source on the matter to validate your opinion.

Carmine D.