Isn’t it frustrating if you have to wipe up water spills and accidental mess from coffee and drinks? Rags and cleaning wipes might do the surface job, but it might not be enough for bigger leaks or hard to reach areas. In this situation, a Shop VAC might be more effective for thorough cleaning.

Using a Shop VAC for liquid disposal is possible, and in some cases, the only option for cleaning liquid. You don’t have to look for the mop and bucket combo anymore because of this machine. Here are the benefits of using Shop VAC for water disposal and how to do it properly.

Advantages Of Using Shop VAC

For a lot of people, getting a Shop VAC is all worth it due to its benefits. You don’t need to buy two machines because Shop VACs take care of both dry and wet problems.

  • Reachability – Shop VACs can reach areas that are hard or impossible to reach using mops and rags.
  • Versatility – You can use it to clean the carpet with dust, as well as liquid spillage. This also means getting the best bang for your buck, as one device has two primary functions.
  • Power – Shop VACs pack a cleaning power that can be compared to their traditional counterparts. The suction power is quite impressive, as one can also use it for liquid.
  • Efficiency – And last but not least, Shop VACs are efficient in fuel, even with an impressive performance. It is also not as space-occupying for storage.

How to use Shop VAC for water

  1. Check your filter and bag

There are Shop VAC models that use a separate wet tank and dry tank bag for collection. However, cheaper options usually use one collection tank for both. If you have the cheaper option, check if you have a dry dust bag inside. Remove the dry bag if needed.

The next step is to remove the dry filter that is being used in the vacuum. Your dry filter can develop mildew if it makes contact with water. If you’re planning to run the vacuum directly to the tank, you can’t really use your setup for dry things.

  1. Replace your foam sleeve

Running the vacuum directly without a filter is possible in some models. However, it is not really recommended for big wet vacuuming operations. What happens is that the foam sleeve keeps the water from the collection tank from seeping into the motor, damaging the device. It’s more of a “stop device” to know if the tank is filling up. In most Shop VACs, you need to remove the retaining lid, release the cartridge filter, and slip the foam sleeve in the motor cage.

  1. Attach the right hose to suck water

Your Shop VAC should have a water hose removal accessory. Most of the time, this accessory is designed to remove water from front surfaces, including carpets. If this attachment is not available, you can also put your flat attachment, which does the job as well.

  1. Start sucking water

You can start sucking water out of the surface. Most of the time, small spillages will work just fine without incidents. However, if there’s a lot of water in the mix, you might have to monitor your Shop VAC’s container.

  1. Cleanup and dry

And last but not least, turn off the vacuum and empty the contents of the collector tank. You can do this by pouring the water out of the tank or by removing the plug for drainage. Wash the container if necessary, and hand dry it after use.

How do you use a shop vac to pick up water?

Vacuum the Water

Hold it in place until the water under and around it is depleted. Progressively move the nozzle to a new section until all of the water is gone. Turn on the vacuum and place the nozzle on top of the water. Wet/dry vacuums can vacuum up large quantities of standing water very quickly.

Do you use a filter in a shop vac for water?

Some shop vacuums can be run without a filter. If you plan to run without the filter, then it should only be used for water pick up only. A shop vacuum should only be run in 2 settings – with the filter on or water in the tank.

How do I turn my shop vac into a wet vac?

Contents show
  1. 1 Make sure you have the right type of shop vac.
  2. 2 Check the collection tank.
  3. 3 Remove the filter and the filter retainer.
  4. 4 Attach the accessory for removing water.
  5. 5 Turn on the wet-dry vacuum.
  6. 6 Turn-off, Unplug and empty the contents of the tank.

Can you use a shop vac without a filter?

They are extremely powerful and versatile. It’s good to have them around for all kinds of vacuuming work. Having said that, you should use your shop vac only for cleaning wet debris and water when you decide to go without a filter. Otherwise, your vacuum will soon get clogged and it may stop functioning.

Can you use a shop vac as a regular vacuum?

You may have heard the term “shop vac” before, but may not be all top clear on what it actually is. To say the least, shop vacs are indeed very powerful and useful cleaning tools. Simply put, it is a vacuum intended for heavy-duty uses that normal vacuums just cannot deal with.

What is the difference between a shop vac and regular vacuum?

The most significant difference, as mentioned, is that a shop vac features a much more powerful suction force than standard vacuums. Traditional vacuums are meant to get rid of general household dirt, dust, and smaller particles whereas shop vacs will suck up bigger chunks without any trouble.

Is a shop vac the same as a wet vac?

As a quick wrap up, all Shop Vacs are wet-dry capable so you can be assured you can use this for any of your wet and dry projects around the house, basement, garage or even outside.

Is a shop vac the same as a wet/dry vac?

What should I look for when buying a wet/dry vac?

Wet/dry vacuums, sometimes called “shop vacs” because they’re often found in construction and workshop settings, make quick work of cleaning up both liquid spills and dry messes. These vacuum mops perform as traditional vacuums with the added ability to clean up liquid spills and wash flooring.

Should I buy a wet/dry vac?

There are two important specifications to consider when choosing a wet/dry vacuum: horsepower (HP) and tank capacity (gallons). Horsepower provides an indication of suctioning power, while tank capacity measures how much waste the vacuum’s tank can hold before it needs to be emptied.

How do I choose a wet/dry vac?

This is because wet and dry vacuum cleaners are designed to eliminate all forms of dirt, grime and spills. While a regular vacuum cleaner will simply pick up dry dirt, dust and keep your floors and carpets clean, a wet and dry vacuum cleaner can go a step ahead.

What Shop Vac has the best suction?

How do I get a good shop vac?

The aforementioned Ridgid WD1450 and the Craftsman 12007 are notably among the shop vacs with the strongest suction at 6.5 HP and boast 14-16 gallon tanks, making them the strongest shop vacs for big jobs.

What do you do with a wet/dry vac?

What to Look for in a Shop Vac
  1. Capacity. Shop vacs come in small (2-6 gallons), medium (6-14 gallons), and high capacity (14-18 gallons).
  2. Air power. Air power, or air-watts, refers to the suction power of your shop vac.
  3. Tank. In addition to size, you’ll be faced with another choice: plastic or stainless steel tank.

Can a wet/dry vac pick up water?

Wet and dry vacuum cleaners are ideal for cleaning floors as well as curtains. Floors and curtains collect a lot of dust and debris on a day to day basis. You can use the wet and dry vacuum cleaners like ordinary vacuum cleaners to remove dust or debris from floors and curtains.

Why does shop vac have two holes?

Can you vacuum water?

Chances are you may not have thought a Shop-Vac® Wet Dry Vacuum could take on your water-filled basement, but the good news is, it can. As you vacuum the water, the water is pumped through the vacuum tank and the garden hose, out of your basement.

Why are vacuums so bad?

The suction side channels air through the bag/filter to catch debris and the exhaust simply lets the ‘cleaned’ air out. Shop vac, and similar brands, have one hole for intake, ie to vacuum with, an the other hole is the blower output, which can sorta be used to blow stuff around. The other is an exhaust.