I really didn’t want to give it up but it had served its purpose for so many years. We had been together, except for a kidnapping once, since 1975. That is a long relationship to have with a wet-dry shop vacuum.
The stolen or kidnapped wet vac was actually my brother who borrowed it without saying anything and then forget about it for a week. I was in a turmoil over it, checking anyone I could.
But it was too big in my mind and clumsy to use, also difficult to move from the basement to the garage or visa-versa. A few times I dropped it while utilizing the stairs but it always survived without a whimper. The original filter had long been discontinued and I had to improvise when the dust couldn’t be shaken or combed out it.
Only twice did I have to use it as a wet vac. Once when a downfall of rain got onto the garage floor. The second time was in the basement when a small plastic tube necessary for the pump of the water system broke. The water level was only a fraction below the propane furnace. Alarmingly the sump pump didn’t start. Fortunately, I noticed the excess water at this time. The old shop vac came through.
Just stepping out of the shower and in a rush. I was in a hurry for a meeting I had to be on time for. I knew there was an old saying that you shouldn’t go outside into the cold for one hour after eating. I didn’t have a hair blower but suddenly I thought of the new handy shop vac. If set on blower and it dried my hair quick and dirty. I thought afterword’s that it could double as a hairdryer for our cats when they came in wet from the rain outside.
I thought this was a useful tip. If you have a carpet and have moved a heavy piece of furniture out of position unsightly carpet dents are left behind. To remove them, place ice cubes over the dents and wait for them to melt. This will loosen the carpet fibers. Next, vacuum over them with your wet/dry vacuum cleaner to return the carpet fibers to their normal position.
Another problem that I was negligent about. Condensation builds up when the heating comes on and it’s cold outside. If ignored it can lead to long-term problems causing damage to walls. Now I tackle the problem early and vacuum up condensation with you know what.
Using it as a white noise machine is an ingenious idea for those who can’t fall asleep to dead silence. Turn on a Shop-Vac, place the nozzle somewhere unobtrusive to ensure safety, and float away to dreamland to the sweet, sweet sucking sounds of the vacuum. However Sheila couldn’t fall asleep and pulled the plug soon after.
Remove stains from car seats if they become stained or dirty. Using your wet/dry vacuum cleaner with a cleaning solution to the affected area. It will extract the stain and solution from the upholstery fibers and make car seats look like new.
I was thinking of how to dry my car if I ever wash it in the backyard next spring. My wet/dry vac on the blower setting would be perfect for the job.
Sheila was wondering if it would do as a lint roller. The shop-vac option can help and is a practical and environmentally friendly option to use.
I heard a good tip from a Beachburg chap. He said, “My wet/dry vac was perfect for emptying water from my hot tub, small pond and fish tank at both the beginning and end of the season.”
If a sudden rainstorm throw a wrench in your party plans, you could get your patio dry and ready for guests with a Shop-Vac. Even for porch furniture, pillows and welcome mats to hammocks, wicker chairs and the deck itself, your shop-vac has you covered.
There is likely many other uses for this versatile machine if you thought about it. As time goes by I recall less and less my original wet/dry vac: the new handier one has replaced it and more.
