Instead, the vacuum motor creates a pow-erful airstream that recovers water and debris through the hose and into the machine. Once in the machine, the air enters a chamber where the airstream slows down. This reduction in speed loosens the air’s grip on the moisture and soil, allowing it to fall into the recovery tank below. These systems perform by moving large amounts of air quickly, so wet/dry vacuums with multi-stage vacuum filtration are recom-mended. Multi-stage vacuum systems can help filter the air so that contaminants are less likely to be released from the exhaust, becoming airborne and potentially harming indoor air quality. Safely Using A Wet/Dry Vacuum Earlier, I mentioned that some of the attach-ments on a wet/dry vacuum are similar to those on a typical canister vacuum cleaner. Because of this, many users new to wet/ dry vacuums use the system as if it were a canister, pulling the machine along with its hose. This should be avoided. Commercial wet dry/vacuums are larger and heavier than canister vacuums; pulling a machine with its hose can damage the hose and possibly tip over the machine, causing a spill. Do not use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to pick up flammable or combustible items such as gasoline. A wet/dry vacuum should also not be used to vacuum up lead paint debris, unless using a specialty wet/vacuum system designed to recover lead paint debris. Within the manual, the manufacturer will likely list a number of safety rules and pre-cautions that should be read and heeded. When the dry vacuuming is completed, the machine’s dry paper filter should be cleaned or replaced. Usually, all that is necessary is to shake the bag — preferably outside — to loosen and remove soils and particulates. The machine should also be emptied and rinsed out if used for wet vacuuming. Solution and soils should never be left in the machine while it is in storage. Emptying a wet/dry vacuum has not always been an easy task because some older machines are bulky and can become heavy with use. However, newer systems have “tip-and-pour” dolly designs, allowing the machine to be safely tipped on its frame so that both wet and dry soils can be removed relatively easily. A final step that is often forgotten, but will help keep the vacuum in tip-top running order, is to let it run for a few minutes after use before putting it away. This helps remove any remaining mois-ture from the tank or hose and ensures the machine is dry and ready to go whenever and wherever it is called next. CM Mike Englund has more than 30 years of experi-ence in the professional cleaning industry. He is a trainer and product manager for Powr-Flite, a lead-ing manufacturer of professional cleaning equip-ment, including wet/dry vacuums. Product Information no. 252 on page 24 www.cmmonline.com 33
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