Washing kirby bags

[kirbykid63]

I always wash the outer bags before i sell them or put them on my collection machines.I first soak them In Foca Mexican detergent then I rise them out,then they are put into my whirlpool washer and washed again with Foca detergent and warm water to supper clean them. I then hang them out to dry in the warm Arizona sun.I have been doing this for years and never noticed any shrinking or fading.
Also Foca and water works great at cleaning the motor fields and fans,I never get the armatures wet I clean them with a cleaning stone to remove the carbon build up on the commutator.

 

[charles~richard]

This may be a good procedure for later bags (Sanitronic and up) that do not have silkscreened logos, but I would strongly advise against using this technique to wash the older gray and black bags. Why? Because most of the silkscreening will wash off. "Been dere, done dat." Especially when washing them in an automatic washer.

Even getting these old bags wet AT ALL can risk "logo loss." It depends on how dry and brittle the silkscreening is. I personally, after several heartbreaking experiences, would never get an old Kirby bag wet. What I do is CAREFULLY turn the bag inside out, vacuum it thoroughly with SUCTION only (the agigation of a beater bar can also loosen and crack silkscreening), turn it right-side-out again, spritz the interior with a little Febreze, and leave it at that.

 

[vintagehoover]

Also:

Don't the old Kirby bags specifically tell you not to wash them, because they're chemically-treated, and washing them will ruin their filtration abilities?

I'm sure I saw a picture - quite possibly on your site, Charles, although I can't find it now - of a label or manual page, stating the name of the chemical, and that the bag shouldn't be washed? Can't remember which model it was, though...

I know the manuals for the Hoover 541, and previous models with sateen bags, tell you not to wash, brush, or turn the bag inside out, to prevent damaging the chemical film they're lined with. No wonder so few lasted!! The later Hoover bags can be hand-washed in warm water with detergent without a problem - I've done it to all of mine.

I had a bad experience with the bag from a Vactric Junior, though; the logo came off, and all the colour ran :S

 

[vintagehoover]

Ah, I may be wrong!

I've found the pictures I meant now - on 137.com's Dual Sanitronic 50 page three - there is a label talking about the chemical KGF-40, but it says 'safe for use on all fabrics that water alone will not harm' - so I take it that means they can be washed, but without detergent? Or does it mean that nothing harms the chemical, apart from water?

Not really helping, am I? Just adding to the confusion!

 

[aeoliandave]

I know from personal dismay that the Tradition bag bleeds vivid blue dye from just calmly soaking in the bathroom sink. I snatched it out fast, did not wring it out and let it air dry as tumble drying would have faded it further. Same thing happened to Pete.

That's why I got a second unwashed Tradition bag in Moose Jaw - it's much brighter hued.

I'd never risk any patterned cloth outer bag in a washing machine, ever. Hand wash, block open and let air dry to re-set the fold creases.