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| Yes, Even The Ceiling and Walls Are Carpeted! |
Every once in a long while I find something that really does make cleaning easier in the RV. Much as I detest cleaning in general, it still has to be done. An RV can be a dusty place. I mean, you're on the road, opening and closing the doors and tracking in all sorts of camping debris. Desert dust, Forest Dirt and Parking lot Grit. I sweep the large bits out with a good, old fashioned broom but the smaller stuff just accumulates until it's everywhere. I used to lug a 120V electric upright vacuum into the RV once in a while and clean the carpets. (Not that I have much carpet on the floor!) but it was a pain in the, well, you know. And it really didn't get into the nooks and crannies in an RV. I also couldn't vacuum my ceiling and walls. Huh? Yup, My RV has carpeting on both,. Try holding an upright vacuum upside-down and vacuuming a ceiling one day. On second thought, don't. It's no fun. So what can you do? Buy one of these micro 12V canister wet/dry vacuums!
I am always skeptical of anything that purports to
run on 12 Volts. Most of the time they don't work very well. Not always, but most of the time. I saw this vacuum on sale in a Marshall's and for $7.00 with all the attachments I figured I could use it in the cars if all else failed. Once home, I unpacked it and saw immediately that is was well constructed and heavy duty. While still plastic, it was heavy plastic that wasn't brittle and used metal clamps to hold the lower catch bin in place and this tight seal really helps with maintaining adequate suction. The hose is a bit longer than 3 feet and the cord is about 15 feet long ending in a regulation cigarette lighter plug. The whole shebang weights about 2 pounds and is easy to move around. It also can be used as a blower or power inflator for inflatable mattresses or pool/lake/river floats and toys.
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| See The Dust! That AFTER I Cleaned. |
About the only problem I found was it would fall over when you pulled on the hose (which is a bit stiff) It doesn't change the suction at all, but if I was sucking up some liquid I believe it may get into the motor housing if it fell over, The unit comes with various brush and crevice tool attachments that I found would reach every little spot in my RV that I couldn't get to with a traditional vacuum. It readily sucked up washers, nuts and bolts as well as little bits of wood and sawdust from various projects. And also little bits of electrical wire insulation that fly off and disappear when you're working on something that requires wire stripping. (Yes, I make a bit of a mess...) I try and clean it all after I finish a project, but sometimes it's just gone! Well at least until later, sometimes MUCH later. There is a very fine filter inside that keeps the vacuum itself (and to some extent the air coming out) cleaner.
Of course, this means I have to clean for much longer since I can get to places I couldn't before. Hmmm...does that make this labor saving? I guess not! But I do get a much cleaner RV.
Be Seeing You...Down The Road,
Rich "
The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com
Editor: Here's a link to 12V wet-dry vacuums at Amazon.
I am always skeptical of anything that purports to run on 12 Volts. Most of the time they don't work very well. Not always, but most of the time. I saw this vacuum on sale in a Marshall's and for $7.00 with all the attachments I figured I could use it in the cars if all else failed. Once home, I unpacked it and saw immediately that is was well constructed and heavy duty. While still plastic, it was heavy plastic that wasn't brittle and used metal clamps to hold the lower catch bin in place and this tight seal really helps with maintaining adequate suction. The hose is a bit longer than 3 feet and the cord is about 15 feet long ending in a regulation cigarette lighter plug. The whole shebang weights about 2 pounds and is easy to move around. It also can be used as a blower or power inflator for inflatable mattresses or pool/lake/river floats and toys.
I bought a 12v vacuum at a truck stop years ago. It lasted for well over 10 years, worked great, but then died. Haven't seen a good one since. But we DO frequent Marshall's often, because you can find all manner of 'goodies' there. Now I'm hoping we'll find a gem like this.
ReplyDeleteMrTommy,
Delete10 Years is a great run...for a vacuum that is! If you do a quick online search for 12 volt wet dry vacuum you'll find lots for around $10.
Rich "The Wanderman"
I have one like that. It's great for removing bugs, like moths and flies, from my trailer. I find, like you, that it beats trying to get the 110V house vacuum into the rig. Oh, you can let the bugs out when you open the canister outside. Look for a 12V extension cord on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteDavid,
DeleteThat is a fantastic idea!
Rich "The Wanderman"
I had a wet/dry vac that fell over easily when tugging the hose due to it's top-heavy design.
ReplyDeleteI solved the problem by putting a brick in the canister. Perhaps you can put a small heavy object in yours.
Anonymous,
DeleteThe fallover issue doesn't really affect the suction or how well it works, it's just a tad annoying!
Rich "The Wanderman"
Plan to use my small leaf blower, open the front and back doors and blow all the dirt out from one or the other end. Great for blowing away leaves 'n stuff from camp site if it borders an open or wooded area. And don't forget the crap on the roof and possibly snow.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
DeleteI fear that would make a bigger mess. Besides, I use my leaf blower for a bit extra thrust on long hills!
Rich "The Wanderman"