Using a dedicated trash can for vacuum dust?

[niclonnic]

This might sound like a silly question, but for those who own bagless vacuums, do you empty the bin either into your kitchen trash can, or a dedicated can solely for dust and dirt?

I tend to do the latter, since I have almost exclusively used bagless in my home. I, as well as every other family member, have generally always emptied the bin into the kitchen trash can. However, a number of years ago, I have stopped doing that, since I want to avoid reintroducing dust into the room I have just vacuumed. This has been beneficial, since we keep dog food and bowls on a counter right next to the trash can.

Instead, what I do is empty the bin into a reusable shopping bag that I keep in the garage, next to my Dyson DC17. It's been working out well for me, preventing dust from getting spewed back into the house. Whenever this bag gets full, I tie it up and throw it into the big garbage can outside. I then get a new bag and repeat the process afterward. So I'm essentially emulating a bagged vacuum while retaining the benefits of a bagless one.

Lately, I have been thinking about buying a small trash can from Amazon, to keep in the garage for the sole purpose of containing vacuum dust. This approach allows me to not have a bag full of dust lying around.

What do you think of this idea?[this post was last edited: 5/16/2025-19:19]

 

[tolivac]

Convert to a BAGGED vacuum makes the life much easier and no worry of the dirt and having to put it in a separate trash bin.

 

[amtraksebo1997]

The only bagless vacuum I really use now is my Dirt Devil Breeze bagless M088160, as bagless vacuums are almost universally pretty terrible, but when I do/did, there's been a few ways that I've emptied them.

1. Taking another machine and vacuuming out the bin and filters.

2. Emptying it into a plastic grocery bag, then throwing that out.

3. Waiting for my kitchen garbage to get full, then emptying into it outside.

Bottom line is that I don't think it's a good idea to empty your dirt bins inside, at least without proper ventilation of some sort.

 

[human]

I'm with Tolivac...

For me, filter bags are the only way to go. I had a live-in girlfriend a few years ago who insisted I use her plasticrap bagless Bissell. It took me longer to empty and clean the dust bin and filters than it did to actually vacuum the apartment, and I always ended up covered with dust. When we parted ways, she took that POS with her and I swore off bagless machines permanently.

 

[huskyvacs]

I just tip mine into the trash, never had any problems or thoughts about any of it. Dust is made of human skin and pet dander, as well as anything coming from outside when you open the windows, so just living in a house creates dust.

Make sure your HVAC is equipped with HEPA filtration and put filters on the inside of your HVAC vents and you'll have a little bit better results.

My house is so full of cobwebs and dust it just looks like Addams family . lol

 

[niclonnic]

Update

I ended up buying a TIPGO small trash can with a pop-up lid from Amazon, intended for bathrooms. It arrived today, and it is a lot smaller that I anticipated it to be. I also bought some matching 2-gallon trash bags to go along with this can.

So far, it's working good for me. However, because it is so small, my Dyson's bin doesn't quite fit around it. To address this, I figured out a workaround: the can's plastic is thin and flexible, so I can remove the lid and flex the can around the clear bin to hopefully reduce the mess. But when I did so, part of the bag ripped open. I had to put packing tape over the hole as a quick fix.

 

[panasonicvac]

When I empty out my central vac about twice a year since it's the only bagless vacuum I use, I use a trash bag to seal up the canister and dump everything in there. Then I seal up the bag and throw it outside in the garbage cans. I'd never dump my machines inside the house minus the cordless models I have. And I'm not going to have a bagless vacuum where I'd have to go outside every week especially in the cold wet winters to dump them out. When my folks used to have both of our cabins, we never had trash cans outside because no one comes by to empty them. It was either we haul all of our trash back home on a 5 hour drive or we pay the local dumpster to dump everything out. Thank goodness both of the places only had bagged machines because we didn't had to change bags out that often.

 

[amtraksebo1997]

PanasonicVac

You're still using that Beam system that you showed off in one of your videos?

 

[kirbyklekter]

More to the story

Emptying the dust bin in what ever method works for you is fine. All too often with bagless there's still the various filters that have to be removed so you can shake them out or tap them against the inside of your regular house trash bin outside or what ever and that can be very messy. You can use another machine to clean the filters but geez, that gets old. I've used old produce bags inverted over the dust bin and flipped the it over then sealing the bag,but always at the outdoor trash can. Nothing glamorous about emptying a bagless machine. Some easier than others but I still think a bagged vacuum is the way to go for me at least.

 

[panasonicvac]

Yes

It's the daily driver.

 

[niclonnic]

kirbyklekter

Another reason I prefer to use a separate trash can for vacuum dust? If I were to empty a bagless bin into either the kitchen or laundry room trash can, whenever I go to throw something else away, it would cause some dust to fly up into my face. So far, having a dedicated trash can has been working well for me.

I did have to buy a slightly larger, 4-gallon trash can from the same company (TIPGO), as the last one was a bit too small to comfortably empty the Dyson bin into. The new one is gray in color, and allows for a little more breathing room for a larger dust bin. I decided to bring the small black can upstairs to the laundry room and use it as a "Litter Genie" of sorts.

And, as I have stated on here before, the DC17's Achilles' heel is that the shroud gets clogged with fine dust and hair much more quickly compared to the DC07 (my last Dyson). This means that, every time the bin gets to the MAX line, I have to separate the clear bin from the main cyclone unit after emptying, and then use a small broom to brush off all the dust and hair. This process is just as messy as cleaning off the filter on a single-cyclonic vacuum. Last time I emptied the bin, I was trying to put the upper cyclone back onto the shroud. When I lifted up the merged cyclone assembly to put it back in the clear bin, the pieces separated; the shroud hit the ground in the garage and let loose a nice mound of dust. When everything was back together, I had to plug the vacuum in and suck that dust back into the bin.

I have been very spoiled by my almost bagless-only upbringing, so it's here to stay in my house. With a clear bin, I can see how well my vacuums are working.

 

[amtraksebo1997]

PanasonicVac

Huh. How's it running? Considering it's a 30+ year old bagless central vac.

 

[tolivac]

Yuck-I would replace that bag less central machine with a BAGGED MD central unit. I have dealt with bag less central vacs in other people’s homes and HATE them-just too messy.

 

[panasonicvac]

Still works fine

Since the video, had some minor things done to it. Got a new sock hose cover, re-raveled the hose, replaced the hose switch and wiring harness, replaced the two prong cord, put a new brushroll on, always replacing belts, and upgraded the lightbulb to a LED since the incandescent ones always kept burning out after a couple of uses. I also had Beam send me a new filter under the warranty when they were owned by Nuera Air since the old one disintegrated. One of the low voltage hoses unraveled which can't be fixed so it's been put into retirement.

I have no plans on replacing the unit, especially with an MD because they are expensive especially the bags. In fact my aunt passed on a MD and bought something else instead for that reason. Once mine burns out again, I'll get another motor unless if Beam (doubtful) offers to send out a new unit under warranty which I wouldn't mind at all. However, if I had to get a new unit, I'd prefer one that not only has the correct dimensions like the old unit where I wouldn't mess around much with the installation but also have a utility valve because I don't want to install another inlet in the garage as the garage hose still gets used once in a while and something that uses a bypass motor. So I'll just keep on using the Beam as is and fix it up for as long as I can or at least get a reconditioned Beam. Yes it isn't clean to maintain but I've been emptying it out for so long where I'm able to find a way to make it less messy. Like it or not, I certainly wouldn't mind another bagless unit for my next place preferably Vacuflo cause they're the ONLY bagless vacuums I'd have no complaints with using.