How Do I Look After My Filters?

We’ve written a little before about how the Big Brute’s fabric Primary and Secondary filters work.

A question we’re also often asked is “How do I look after my Primary Filter?” And, importantly, “Can I wash it?”

If you’re tempted to throw your Primary Filter in the washing machine, stop right now! And have a read through the best ways to keep your Primary Filter in top condition.

Which One’s the Primary Filter?

In all dry Big Brute models, there are 2 separate fabric filters. The Primary Filter sits inside the top of the drum and folds over the drum lip. The Secondary Filter is the square one attached permanently to the bottom of the power unit.

When in use, air and dust are sucked up into the drum and pass through the Primary Filter which does most of the work filtering out the muck. The air then passes through the Secondary Filter before passing through the motors and back into the air.

Keep your Primary Filter Clean

Because the Primary Filter does by far the most of the filtering, it’s the one that gets the muckiest, and needs cleaning regularly to keep the air flowing through your Big Brute.

As it gets muckier, it can slowly decrease the airflow through the Big Brute, reducing its suction.

Get into the habit of shaking the filter clean regularly. You can do this by taking the power unit off and, after making sure you’ve taken suitable precautions to protect yourself from dust, grabbing the handle on top of the filter and shaking it up and down.

This dislodges the caked on dirt on the underside of the filter back into the drum.

Alternatively, if your Big Brute has the optional Filter Shaker drum option, you can do this without taking the power unit off – just grab the handle on the front and give it a damn good thrashing up and down.

If your Primary Filter is really soiled, you can remove it completely and give it a clean. The best way to do this is to keep a spare Primary Filter on the shelf. When it’s time to clean your filter, take it out (after taking suitable precautions to protect yourself from dust) and replace it with the spare Primary Filter. You can then vacuum the old one clean and store it away ready to swap over again. This way you get your Primary Filter really clean and don’t get covered in dust.

Can I Wash My Primary Filter?

Tempting as it may be to give a really filthy Primary Filter a whizz in the washing machine, please don’t.

The fabric it’s made from doesn’t like getting wet at all and water can destroy its filtration properties. Further, washing detergent degrades the chemical coating on some of the more specialised Primary Filters, rendering them useless.

If your Primary Filter ever gets wet, we recommend leaving it to air dry until completely dry. If if still feels stiff once dry, then definitely replace it with a new one.

Further Filter Information

For more information on how to keep your Big Brute in top condition, including tips for caring for your filters, download a Big Brute Maintenance Guide. To learn even more about our filters, you can read our article on what size particles Big Brute filters stop.