Wet and dry vacuum cleaner: The clever solution for the garage, garden and household

Created: 08/16/2022, 17:22

By: Nina Dudek

Only a wet and dry vacuum cleaner will help here.

© JaCrispy/PantherMedia

Wet and dry vacuum cleaners are considered all-rounders among workshop vacuum cleaners.

You are always in demand when it is dirty and wet.

But: What is a wet and dry vacuum cleaner and when is it worth buying?

Note to our readers: 

Roll up your sleeves and get going: knocking the wet plaster off the basement wall, repotting plants with the usual chaos or removing the broken glass bottle and its contents - this is where standard household vacuum cleaners quickly reach their limits.

Not so wet and dry vacuum cleaner.

These power packs can not only vacuum up dust, crumbs and other dry dirt, but also coarse and wet dirt such as potting soil.

This property makes them ideal helpers in the basement, household and outside.

Insiders even use them as leaf blowers or leaf vacuums in the fall.

How does a wet and dry vacuum cleaner work

As the name suggests, wet and dry vacuums are experts at removing both dry and wet dirt.

But what is different here than with a normal vacuum cleaner?

Most wet and dry vacuum cleaners work according to the so-called boiler principle.

Like all vacuum cleaners, dirt is transported inside the device via the air flow in a suction tube.

But this is where the difference lies: wet and dry vacuum cleaners separate dry dirt from liquids in two separate collection containers.

Both collection containers can be easily emptied, whereby high-quality devices have a liquid overflow protection with automatic shut-off to prevent overflow.

Most models work with dirt collection bags for hygienic emptying.

As with household vacuum cleaners, these must be changed regularly, the same applies to special filter cartridges that are used for fine sanding dust.

Wet and dry vacuum cleaners from Kärcher: a classic with electricity

Wet and dry vacuum cleaner with electricity and lots of power.

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Unlimited running time thanks to electricity from the socket.

The wet and dry vacuum cleaner from the well-known brand Kärcher is a classic with 1,000 watts of power.

Wet vacuuming works here without changing the filter with a reusable cartridge filter.

A blessing for allergy sufferers

The water in the tank is good for allergy sufferers because it binds dust, allergens and other fine particles that are released back into the air in most vacuum cleaners without a special filter.

Wet and dry vacuum cleaner with air reversal

Many wet and dry vacuum cleaners can not only suck in dirt and water with negative pressure, but also blow away dust and dry dirt.

Especially handy for blowing dust out of inaccessible areas.

Coarse parts can also be blown into a heap in a corner and collected with the dustpan before the vacuum cleaner is used.

This saves capacity in the collection container.

This function turns a wet and dry vacuum cleaner into the perfect leaf blower in no time at all.

Wet and dry vacuum cleaners with rechargeable batteries are extremely flexible.

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With a weight of just 3.5 kilograms, a large container and a long-lasting Power X-Change battery system, this wet and dry vacuum cleaner from Einhell is an ideal companion for the garden or garage.

Thanks to the air reversal, it can also be used as a leaf blower outside the reach of the power cable and socket - or take it with you to the allotment garden.

Wet and dry vacuum cleaners: areas of use and applications

One device, many possibilities.

This dirt can be easily removed with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner:

• Potting soil, leaves, plant residues e.g.

  B. from basement shafts

• Clogged drainpipes

• Pointed objects such as a broken glass bottle containing liquid

• Harmful or dangerous substances

• car interiors

• Workshop dirt or garage dirt

Wet and dry vacuum cleaner: which is better, battery or electricity?

The answer depends entirely on where you intend to use the device.

Devices that are supplied with power from the socket via a cable have an unlimited running time, but their range of action is limited.

Cordless devices have to be recharged, but they can be used anywhere, for example in allotment gardens or in the furthest corners of the property.

Wet and dry vacuum cleaner for mobile use

What is already commonplace on construction sites and in large workshops is also finding its way into the hobby and do-it-yourself sector: portable wet and dry vacuum cleaners.

These flexible helpers can also be used with carrying straps in places that are difficult to access, such as on ladders.

For domestic use, however, there are still few powerful models - with the exception of Starmix.

Portable wet-dry vacuum for hard-to-reach areas.

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According to the manufacturer, the CAS battery used here is one of the world's most powerful battery systems in the industry with enormous suction power.

The device, which weighs just 4.2 kilograms, can be slung over the shoulder with a carrying strap and is therefore always and everywhere available.

Wet and dry vacuum cleaner: when is it worth buying?

Especially for homeowners with their own garden, there are many areas of application where a wet and dry vacuum cleaner is worthwhile.

This starts with everyday mishaps such as the broken water bottle with lots of shards that have to be removed quickly, to being used as a leaf blower in the garden.

With such a device, the clogged dishwasher drain can be cleared just as quickly and hygienically as the carpet in the car after driving to the organic waste container.

Wherever you need to remove wet dirt, it's always worth using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.

Because a normal vacuum cleaner would quickly start to smell unpleasant here.