Charcoal HEPA Cloth vacuum bags

[kirbylux77]

Hey Vacuumlanders. So, I was vacuuming with my Kenmore canister today....just changed the bag a week ago, & a tiny bit of dirt in it. Yet the bag is already starting to smell! So, put some scented oil on the bag. But it occurred to me....Why aren't charcoal HEPA Cloth bags more common?? The only ones I can think of on the market are made by Hoover & (I think) Oreck may still have them for the Magnesium upright. I would think the charcoal lining would help keep odors down, make vacuuming more pleasant for consumers, & they would be willing to pay a slight premium for aftermarket HEPA Cloth bags with the charcoal in them if it worked well.

Opinions please?

Rob

 

[vacuumlover]

There might not be a high demand for them thus not many companies producing them anymore.


Just a thought though.

 

[sebo_fan]

I doubt that it has to do with demand. Charcoal isn't that cheap to embroider/stitch into bags. Companies probably feel that buyers will pay more for charcoal filters instead of the bags.

 

[vacuumlover]

Agreed.

 

[kirbylux77]

Vacuumlover

There was only 2 brands that even offered charcoal HEPA cloth bags....Hoover & Oreck. I do believe both still offer them to this day. So not a case of a lot of companies producing these bags, many consumers not aware of them, therefore low demand. However, if there HAD been more charcoal bags as aftermarket or OEM genuine bags, I think it would be different & there would be high demand if consumers were aware of them.

Nar - I don't think it's a case of the cost to infuse charcoal into the bags being expensive. One of the bags I am referring to is the genuine Hoover Type Y bags for Hoover Windtunnel uprights. That is a VERY COMMON bag here in North America. The regular OEM Type Y HEPA bags are $8.99, & the charcoal OEM Type Y bags $9.99. That is not a huge difference to me. I have to wonder if Hoover, or the company that makes these bags for Oreck & Hoover, holds a certain patent on them that hasn't run out yet?

And for companies thinking consumers will pay more for charcoal filters? Last time I checked, the only manufacturers offering charcoal filters at all were Sebo, Miele & Riccar/Simplicity. There may be others, but not aware of them. And there are charcoal sheets for air purifiers you can cut to fit, but those don't work too well & are a joke really.

Rob

http://hoover.com/parts/details/ah10165/type-y-carbon-hepa-bag-2-pack/

 

[sebo_fan]

Oreck bags with charcoal? Really? They never had that option in the UK when my parents shelled out for the expensive CELOC white bags over the blue standard ones.

Charcoal isn't perfect though - it gets ruined when brands like Oreck offer drop in bag fresheners. So whoever it benefits will be short term if they like air fresheners in a vacuum and they have installed a charcoal bag.

Miele warn the usage of air fresheners with their charcoal filters and whatever else grid they have fitted to the Active Air Clean filter and the separate more expensive HEPA filter, of which I am lead to believe that Miele no longer fit a layer of charcoal to.

SEBO's charcoal filter is different - they have different designs but the one on the X has powder underneath the felt roll. I recently bought the X HEPA series filter but its a grey import and I wasn't impressed with it, being made of poor paper pleats..but that's another story.

 

[pinkge]

Do this...

take a 1/3 cup of charcoal and put in the bag.Problem solved.I do this with my canister.It stay's fresh until I replace it.And smells are gone.

 

[kirbylux77]

Michael

Great idea! I never thought of that! . Ok, so now where do you find the charcoal to do this with? I definitely want to try this.

Rob

 

[spiraclean]

Any aquarium store will have activated carbon, stocked with the filter consumables. Check the cost per pound carefully, because the smaller jars can work out expensive; whichever works out the cheapest will do just fine for this application.

 

[kirbylux77]

Mac & Michael

A couple of days ago, I went to a local pet shop & bought a 900g bottle of Fluval granulated carbon. Was $20 dollars plus tax. Took it home & put 2 tablespoons of carbon in the lid & let the vacuum suck it up with the hose. Problem solved! The carbon did a excellent job of eliminating 90% of the odor. I can only slightly smell the home fragrance oil I used to scent the bag with when it started to stink. I think I will have to start using this with the rest of my vacuums .

Thanks for the tip Michael!

Rob

 

[pinkge]

Rob...

Your welcome...I too, go to the pet shop and get my charcoal.Your right $20.00 and it will last.Good luck,pass it on...Michael

 

[kirbylux77]

Hmm, interesting....

Looks like Envirocare is producing a Oreck CC charcoal HEPA Cloth bag for the Oreck XL uprights. It doesn't say the bags are charcoal in the description, but unless that's a old outdated picture the bags sure do look like they have charcoal in them.

http://tiptopparts.ca/P-OR1801H/Vacuum-Bag-8pk-Oreck-Type-cc-Hepa-Type.aspx

Rob