Vaccuum ideas?
 

I'm just curious how many of you have a "special" vaccuum used just for sewing to clean your machines? Could you also share which brand you use and if it is effective for you? Thanks so much!
Judy

I will have to keep my eyes on this post. I have been thinking about getting one, but have not done it yet.

Thanks for starting this thread. I also was wondering about a vacuum. Will be watching to see what others say. BrendaK

I bought a tiny hand held vacuum some years ago from Nancy Notions. It works great. Also the sippy cup small brushes are fantastic for reaching in tight places to clean the machine. You get four to a package. I bought the set at Walmart.

http://www.munchkin.com/products/fee...brush-set.html

vacuum I bought with accessory kit:http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...vacuum+tank.do

I just use my regular vacuum with attachments. Mine isn't that hard to work with and I have a knee high that is attached on the end with a rubber band to catch any small parts. My flex hose is long enough to reach where I need it. I also have those sippy cup brushes. Everything I use to clean my machines (with exception of vacuum) is in a Ziploc bag. I have marked it's purpose on the front of the bag and it stays in my sewing room in my tool box.

I have a car vacuum that can be plugged in sitting beside my sewing machine. I decided that I didn't want to have to get out my big floor vacuum every time I cleaned my machine - having to do so would probably mean that I wouldn't do it.

I use my regular vaccum attachments. They work great.

I have the kit of small attachments that can be used with a regular vacumn. I got it many years ago.

here's an old thread that has some info.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...ne-t85156.html

I've got a tiny Shop Vac (not sure what it's called, but the canister is about the size of a gallon jug) that I attach a little nozzle bought from either Clothilde or some place like that. Works well.

{{{{BOING!!}}}} I never did think to use my little brushes like that. It's what I use to clean my cake decorating things. Will go out and buy a new set for the sewing room. Thanks.

Oh my gosh, the sippy cup cleaner brushes are a BRILLIANT idea! I'm off to Walmart....

No. but my floor vac needs replacing more often than if I didn't sew so much, or if I was more careful with loose threads. I usually buy middle priced vacs at WalMart and use the accessories to clean my machine.

I have an attachment that fits onto my normal vacuum cleaner hose. I use it to clean my machine(s) often.

We are told that we should not use compressed air to blow out all the lint, and this attachment sucks out all the lint, and my machines do sound much better after I've cleaned them. I vacuum whereever I can.

If you are interested in the attachment do a search on Amazon for Micro Vacuum Attachment Kit. That isn't where I got mine (I like to support local quilt stores), but you'll be able to see what it looks like.

Hope this helps. And, remember to oil. Machines like that. (I guess you can tell I don't have a computerized machine -- they might not like it so much, I'm not sure)

amh

I got a micro vacuum set at Harbor Freight and it works with my regular vacuum.

I bought one of those hose attachments from Annies. It comes with a brush etc. Works really good. Don't remember the name of the item.

That's what I have too. Now if I could just find them. Have not seen them since we moved but I sure could use them right now.

I bought the tiny attachments that I use on my canister vacuum cleaner. I only use it every so often, I use brushes more often.

I have the tiny vac attachment. I find it too short and inflexible at times so I have taped a soda straw to the end.
That thing will get just about anywhere inside the machine. Amazing the "gunk" that comes out!

I bought a mini vacuum attachment kit on Amazon that I can use on my full size vacuum. It works great and I can get into all the nooks and crannies of my machines. It is especially great with my serger. That thing creates such a mess when I use it.

I use the long pointy lid from a Mustard bottle on the end of the shop vac hose to clean my sewing machines, keyboards and any other small crevices. I also use a pipe cleaner bent in half to brush our the lint around feed dogs each time I change the bobbin.

I use a tool set made for computers. It's sized to fit a standard vacuum and has many tools to get in very small places. I found the set at WalMart in the hardware section and the cost is about $10.

I have small attachments that I fit onto my regular vacuum. They are sold at most of thequilt shows that I go to.

I have tile in my sewing room. I first run a dry Swiffer and then use an Oreck. Seems to work fine. If I need to find pins I just ask my husband to come in bare footed. For some reason he is the one that seems to find all of the pins I drop...LOL

Well I have the small brush attachment set, that attaches to your reg vaccuum cleaner. And I have managed to burn up the vaccuum cleaner. This particular one, for some reason when you are using attachments the beater brush still goes around. Sadly they do not go around at all now. So right now I have no vaccuum, and I have been using a eye shadow brush to clean out my machine. Its works pretty well, but I did notice yesterday some of the brisells (SPCK) were coming out of it.

So I am going to start looking for a new vaccum so I will be watching this thread alot!!

I have an assortment of brushes that I got at Harbor Freight. One set I know is for cleaning out the nozzles of air compressor attachments. Can't remember what the others said they were for. In any event, they are great for cleaning all the nooks and crannies of the sewing machine. I have a set in my kitchen as well for little places on drink bottles etc. My husband uses them to detail the car. I never vacuum my machine but after reading the posts I probably should.

if you need a vacuum for your house beware of the shark navigator in some ways it is nice but if you use it in the sewing room where threads wind around the brush or pet hair you cannot clean the roller brush my first one ruined the head in a matter of months and they did send me another one this is the same I called and ask how to clean the brush and they said no way it will not open so I am looking for a new light weight vacuum so any ideas would alsp be appreciated thanks

Not a vacuum, but don't forget about pipe cleaners, they really grab dust and lint!

I use a pipe cleaner, it gets all the threads and lint. As far as the floor in my sewing room the molly maids do that.

Those knee high nylons work great. Our foster children lost a really small die for the Mah Jongg set down the furnace register. I put the nylon on the end of the vacuum wand with a rubber band and put that down the register. Found it!

yes I have a Raccar ,bought $59.95, it just for my machines, came with the kit for the machines. works great light weight. I have 3 main machines sewing , embroidery and long arm quilting. they are much happier machines now.

I purchased a small vaccum from the Cotton Shop and it works great , it is a Fuller micro vac. Works great and was on sale for 15.00. It's been a couple years, but I think the regular price was only 25.00 at the time.

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Sigh..looked at our local Harbor Freight and they don't have them .. unfortunately !lol

I also have the vacuum from Nancy's Notions. I love it! It has really good suction and gets out dust and threads i can't reach with my brush. I use it about every three bobbin changes and always brush out the bobbin area for every bobbin change. My daughter saw me using this little yellow vac and was very impressed, so i bought her one for Christmas.

I AGREE !!!! And that is the truth for me too !!!

I have the small kit that attaches to the vacuum, but recently I just take the machine apart and blow it
all out with a compressor. Then give it a bit of oil and put it back together.
I have the Elna Pro Quilting Queen 7300.
I watched the sewing machine guy when he cleaned my machine and decided I could do that myself
and save a few bucks.

I want to thank you for mentioning the Shop Vac. After reading all the comments on this thread, I decided to check out that little shop vac DH had hanging in the garage. Oh very nice little small one, perfect size, and so I ask him, can you bring that inside I want to check out something. So, my mini vacuum attachments fit perfectly. So guess who does not have a shop vac in the garage any more. lol

This is the shop vac, http://www.walmart.com/ip/Vacmaster-...ingMethod=p13n

and these are the tools: http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...achment+kit.do

and I am all set, for the next cleaning on my machine : ) So thanks so much GailG for the Shop Vac suggestion.

I use my regular vacuum cleaner. Works great!

I use my regular Dyson but have little attachments that fit on the hose. They work great and I bought them years ago to clean my computer and any hard to reach spots. Cost me about $10.

I use my regular vacuum, but years ago got the mini attachments for a computer/sewing machine or any other tine mechanism that needs cleaning. It's a set of small size hoses and nozzles that fit on to a regular vacuum hose. I just didn't want to buy another appliance. The set is in expensive 10 on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Micro-V...-/390600509983. by using mini attachments the suction is reduced automatically. I rarely use it, because I'm lazy :), but it does the job. My sewing machine is in the basement and I have a second (small) vacuum downstairs. Getting another would put me over the edge. It's small enough to maneuver in the sewing room.