Wet-Dry Vac Tips

This is a great wet dry vac. You can see MANY different ones here.

Wet Dry Vac Secret Tips

The tips in this guide were supplied by hundreds of subscribers to my FREE AsktheBuilder.com newsletter. I'm grateful to them for their willingness to share what they've discovered.

The inspiration for this guide came from a very good friend and neighbor, Bob Broadhurst. Bob emailed me one day commenting on how he had used his wet-dry vac to unclog a tub drain.

That got me to thinking about all the other useful and crazy things you can do with these machines. You're about to discover these machines can be used for quite a bit, but first read about how one could have saved my bacon.

I know my mother wishes that wet-dry vacs had been invented when that pillow fight of mine moved outdoors that summer night. My neighborhood friends and I created quite a mess on our neighbor's, Ms. Zint, front lawn in the middle of that humid night.

Ms. Zint, whose twin sister was the Wicked Witch of the West, glared at all of us as we tried picking up thousands of feathers by hand and with a rake. It didn't take long to see that wasn't working so my mom sent me to get our standard upright vacuum. Oh was my mother embarrassed and angry.

I BEG you to read through the entire list and tell me if one of the last ones isn't the best tip of all. I hope she wasn't downwind of the hose!

Sincerely,

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

INTERIOR

PLUMBING USES:

Unclog Tub Drains - Remove Hair

Remove Water From Toilets and Toilet Tanks for Repair Purposes or Winterizing

Remove Grit, Dirt Muck From Sump Pit

Drain Water Lines BEFORE Soldering Using Vac Suction

Clean Drain Line from Dishwasher to Sink

Remove Water or Salt Pellets from Water Softener

Clean Sediment from Water Heater

Suck Hot Water Gone Cold While Thawing Frozen Septic Line

Blow Out Overflow Drain in Bath Sinks

Blow Out Water Lines to Winterize a Summer Home

Locating Sewer Gas Smell

ELECTRICAL USES:

Pull String Through Conduit - Attach String to Small Cotton Ball

Aid in Changing Light Bulbs

HVAC USES:

Unclog AC Drip Tray Drain Line

Clean Out Dryer Vent Line

Suck AC Condensation Line - Prevents Clogs

Blow Out Dryer Lint - Be Sure Dryer is Empty - Close Dryer Door

PAINTING USES:

Remove Spilled Paint From Carpet

CARPET CLEANER:

Use any cleaner and then VAC up liquid. Carpet is NEW!

MISCELLANEOUS USES:

Drain an Aquarium

Remove COLD Ashes from Fireplace Ash Dump

Clean Up Water From Washing Machine Drain Hose Mistake

Remove Air from Clothes Packing Bags

Defrost a Freezer - I use it all the time, but I use a hair dryer to heat the ice. The ice melts so fast, a wet/ dry vac can pull the water off the floor of the freezer. I can defrost 3 inches of ice in 15 minutes. Dry the freezer and get it running again in that time.

Pick Up Items in Tight Places - Cover Hose with Panty Hose

Massage Scalp After Haircut - Clean Hair from Floor

Blow Air Into a Water Bed to Straighten Out Baffles and Liner After a Move

Pull Silver Speaker Center Circle Back Into Place

Emergency Dentist Suction Pump - Saved Patients from Drowning!

Suck Up Flood Water from Basement

Clean Refrigerator Coils - Blowing and Sucking

Retrieve Sock From Behind Clothes Dryer

Blow Off Scroll Saw Projects

Vacuum Expensive HEPA Filters

Use Vac Handle Tubes as Long Filler Devices for watering Christmas Tree

Appliance Repair - Use to remove water from washing machine or dishwasher hoses

EXTERIOR

LANDSCAPING USES:

Suck Up Acorns

Suck up Sweet Gum Balls and Pecans

Suck up Beechnuts

Suck Up Olives

Blow Out Garden Hose Before Winter

Suck Leaves From Outdoor Pond

Remove Water From Outdoor Pond

Blow Out Lawn Sprinkler System

Creating Mulch - Use to Grind Dry Leaves

Remove Seeds from Plants including Buckwheat

Remove Stones from Grass Put There by Snow Plowing and Blowing

Substitute / Stand-in Blower for Leaves / Grass Clippings / Dust

Remove Occupy Paul's Drains Critter Encampments in Downspout Drain Lines

Blow Out Water from Pond Recirculation Lines

Suck Up Dirt Around Broken Sprinkler Lines During Repair - Dirt Clogs Head

POOL and HOT TUB USES:

Blow Up Kids Pool Toys and Air Mattresses

Remove Air From Pool and Lake Toys for Winter Storage

Blow Up Pool Freeze-Compression Pillow Under Pool Cover

Blow Out Pool Filter Lines

Drain Hot Tub

Blow Out Pool and Hot Tub Filters

Remove Water from TOP of Pool Cover

Remove Sand From Pool Filter

INSECT and ANIMAL USES:

Remove Hornets, Yellow Jackets, Wasps from Nests

Suck Up Stink Bugs

Suck up Flies in Abandoned House

Suck Up Mice in Complicated Box Equipped with Microswitch, Relay and Peanut Butter

Doggie Blow Dryer After Bath - Be Sure No Dust in Canister - Muffle to Protect Ears

Vacuum Hair Directly From Dog

Remove Box Elder Beetles From Vinyl Siding

Clean a Horse - Blow Dust - Best When Too Cold to Wash

EXCAVATION USES:

Electric Excavator - Suck Dirt and Rocks From Narrow Holes or Trenches

Fence Post Removal - Remove Dirt from Sides of Post

Remove Sleeping Bats from Inside Home

Suck #57 Stone From Damaged Retaining Wall Prior to Repair

GUTTERS and DOWNSPOUTS:

Blow Leaves From Gutters

DRAINAGE USES:

Blow or Suck Leaves in Outdoor Drain Lines

AUTOMOTIVE USES:

Remove Tractor Transmission Oil

Blow / Suck Out Debris in Car Heating Vents - Solves Noisy Fan

BOATING USES:

Suck Water from Seadoo Jetski

Blow Out RV Water Supply Lines

Drying Off a Motorcycle

MISCELLANEOUS USES:

Accelerate the Burning of Charcoal for Cooking in a Rush

Suck Liquid Cow Manure From Huge Dairy Barn Junction Boxes

Connect Hose to Exhaust Port - Shoot Small OJ Cans Harmlessly at Kids

Blow Dead Husband and Dog's Ashes into Lake from Favorite Overlook

MAINTENANCE TIP:

Steve Sherwood wrote: