Vacuum to clear out our eaves.

[TheHouseofMirth]

We've just broken into our eaves from our loft bedroom and want to board it for storage. Betweeen the rafters is lots of tiny bits of rubble and lots of dust.

DH is currently using my lovely Miele to clear out. It's slow going and I'm worried he's going to ruin it or bancrupt us with his use of hoover bags.

Can anyone recommend a more heavy duty machine that won't clog? I was wondering about this www.johnlewis.com/karcher-mv4-premium-wet-and-dry-vacuum-cleaner/p1191272?sku=233112582&kpid=233112582&s_kenid=4e850b38-0a6c-b768-4aa0-00000ba9eb7d&s_kwcid=402x21994&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=233112582#tabinfo-ratings though I don't understand how it can be bagless or use bags? Or even this one www.johnlewis.com/karcher-mv4-premium-wet-and-dry-vacuum-cleaner/p1191272?sku=233112582&kpid=233112582&s_kenid=4e850b38-0a6c-b768-4aa0-00000ba9eb7d&s_kwcid=402x21994&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=233112582#tabinfo-ratings

Can anyone please help?

A wet and dry canister vac, yes, and get some disposable paper bags to go in it, they will delay clogging of the filter. Get a spare cartridge filter. You can dry brush the pleats, and once it is thoroughly clogged, you can wash it. Keep the spare handy to swap when you get clogged. If you can't get bags and filters to fit, don't buy it.

A builders vac is cheaper than a karcher.

If you get a cheap one with a 2-year guarantee, you are likely to get your money's worth before it goes wrong.

Don't get the smallest one.

They are rather noisy so buy ear-defenders.

Never allow a builder or DIYer to touch your household vac.

www.screwfix.com/c/auto-cleaning/wet-dry-vacuums/cat810212#category=cat810212&sort_by=price

This one has a power take-off socket which is very very useful with a power saw or sander.

www.screwfix.com/p/titan-standard-cartridge-filter/47715

better ask if this bag fits [http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-vacuum-cleaner-filter-bags-20-30ltr-pack-of-5/89823]]

you do not have to use a bag, but I recommend it.

Thank you!

I'm assuming that we do actually need to do this and can't just whack some insulation down on top of the dust and rubble then board it?

you could do, but it would be very shoddy.

Why don't you hire one?

round here, a builders vac costs about £22 a day, so to my eye a low-priced one is better value. When you are not DIYing it will be useful for the car and garage.

Wet and dry vacs can be used to suck out blocked drains, spilled fluids and wet carpets, as well as plaster dust, wood shavings, socks, grit, gravel, sand and broken brick that would ruin a domestic vac. The tub is huge.

If you suck up milk or vomit with one, you can wash out the tub and filter so it need not stink.

DH bought a Karcher before I saw your message. It's a small one (despite your very good advice) and it's simply not coping with the amount of dust. Constantly clogging and losing suction either with or without a bag. "Luckily" we managed to get it for only £50 as opposed to £70 everywhere else but now I'm not sure whether something like the one you linked to would be better than hiring one like this for a weekend. Don't want to buy another one which can't cope.

I hired the big ones before I had my own. They are very awkward to get into a loft, or even upstairs, because they are so big and heavy. The one shown is 110volts so needs a yellow builders transformer (the hire shop will have them at modest cost). They may have improved now but used to have a sort of cloth filter bag which was not much good for trapping dust.

I think the one you show is £50 plus VAT for the first day, for which you could buy an economy builders vac. Have a look at the buyers reviews and think about it. I hear the more expensive vacs from Karcher and Nilfisk are sturdier than the little ones, but the Titan tools are cheap and cheerful and designed for uncaring builders who will not take care of them..

I'm quite happy with mine, though it is a discontinued brand, and it cheerfully copes with plaster dust and wood shavings which defeat more girly vacs.

We bought a wet and dry one from b&q for £30. It is BRILLIANT. Use it mainly for vacuuming plaster dust and it's still going, but if it died tomorrow I wouldn't care as it was so cheap.

Our builder came with his own Henry, years old and still going strong!

Henry, not the builder that is!

I've got a vax wet and dry one that I've had for around 10 years and it's totally indispensable. Especially for vomit. It also has a water chamber and pump and does carpet cleaning, which was a LIVESAVER with white carpet in one of my old flats.