Your shop-vac is better than mine. (hay cleaning help)

[pink piggy lips]

Ok, I put this into bedding since it's the bedding and hay clean-up I'm having problems with.

So, I finally bought a shop-vac last night after doing a forum search and seeing that members swear by theirs.

I'm also going to go ahead and give the back story.

I have acquired many name brand vacuum cleaners from my parents in their quest to find the perfect one. I also have an Oreck someone gave me. Total of vacs prior to my shop-vac: 4.

The Oreck I have is the shiznit, aka, fabulous. It never lets me down; just goes through belts a bit more often than I'd prefer. However, I need a hose attachment for those hard to reach places that the hay turns up. Oreck is not qualified for the job at that point.

I noticed that time and time again the hoses from my other vacs started becoming clogged up more often. Now one of them is about worthless due to how little suction there is.

Having had enough of the tiny hay tendrils everywhere, I put my foot down, laid my money out, and finally made the purchase I thought I'd never regret: the shop-vac.

We put it to use tonight. My husband just spent a half hour getting rid of the most horrendous clog you could ever imagine! We were using a mop handle to unclog it. A knitting needle. One of those long plastic sticks that come with blinds to open and close them.

I'm very frustrated right now, as well as tempted to whip out my credit card and charge to it a very expensive, high quality, industrial strength vacuum of my dreams.

Should I take the shop-vac back and get something better? Is there something better???? hmy:

Would one of those mini Dirt Devils be better? I just need something to suck up some hay, hair, and poos. Is that too much to ask?

Do any of you have a problem such as this? I saw someone mentioned cleaning 12 pens and their shop-vac helped them do it.

My question to you: HOW?

And also, we honestly are on a budget (who isn't these days). A capable vacuum unit is a necessity; but we really cannot go overboard on price.

 

[Jennicat]

For a shop vac to work, you have to buy the attachment kit with the 2.5" hose (I think that's the correct size). I haven't had a clog yet in my 2 1/2" hose, although the 1 1/4 clogged up frequently.

 

[Bonbonpie]

I also use a shop vac, bought it at home depot for 30 dollars. The hose only gets clogged if the bucket is full. I have no problem with sucking up all the stray hay with it. When cleaning the cage,I use fleece, I take all the fleece and bedding out and sweep up what I can by hand and then I use the shop vac to get all the remaining bits. I find this easier then unclogging the hose. I have one of those dirt devil hand vacs, totally worthless in my opinion. Hope this helps.

 

[pink piggy lips]

For a shop vac to work, you have to buy the attachment kit with the 2.5" hose (I think that's the correct size). I haven't had a clog yet in my 2 1/2" hose, although the 1 1/4 clogged up frequently.

Thanks! I had no idea about these additional accessories. When we spotted the vac in the store, I saw 'stuff' in the background; but thought it was all replacement stuff.

I bought a 5 gallon quiet shop-vac and just now realized its hose is 1 1/4 diameter. Hopefully we can run out and buy a bigger hose today before my husband goes to work.

 

[pink piggy lips]

OK, I searched around online and spotted a 2.5 hose at Lowe's. My husband and I went and bought one (a heaping $20); and then picked up a cone shaped attachment ($7), since it boasted better air flow.

The verdict?? Yes, yes, yes! I it.

The increase in diameter makes all the difference. Plus the cone-shaped attachment really makes the hay pick up so much better.

My husband just put it to his own test. We got a bale of hay last week and it broke apart in our trunk.

You should see the trunk now! So clean!

 

[Emily F.]

I have a shop-vac. I use it to pick up poops, hay, and little bits of newspaper. It was working very well, until last week it wasn't sucking up anything. I thought it was the filter, so I cleaned that, but it ended up being the hose, which is very long! It's completley clogged, I don't have anything long enough to push down there.

 

[pignewton]

Try pushing a broom stick in from both ends. You may dislodge enough stuff to unclog it.