We're often asked: How often should I change my vacuum cleaner bag?

The answer - there is no set answer. But there are some easy guidelines to follow.

First, understand that vacuum cleaners work by moving air through the machine, and that movement is air is what picks up the dirt. When that air movement is restricted - such as from a nearly full vacuum bag - your performance suffers greatly.

As a rule of thumb, plan on changing the vacuum bag once a month. However, you may need to change it sooner if one of the following conditions exist in your home:

(1) Your home is over 2000 Square foot and has large areas of wall to wall carpet.

(2) You have installed new carpeting in your home recently, which will 'shed' for many months.

(3) You have pets such as cats or dogs, which will continue to 'shed' for all of eternity.

Here's how to get a handle on the situation yourself:

Open the compartment and check the bag the next few times you vacuum - when it's 50 to 60 percent full, it's time to change the vacuum bag. After doing this for a while, you'll begin to 'get a feel' for how often to change vacuum bags based on YOUR individual home and needs.

This article copyright 2005 Kevin Haynes - all rights reserved.

Kevin Haynes has been working in the cleaning industry for almost two decades, and currently works with Vacuum Outlet.