Ah, spring. Breathe it in!

Major League Baseball returns. The weather warms. Animals come out of hibernation. The leaves reappear on trees. Flowers bloom.

Oh, and yellow pollen blankets cars and sidewalks. Dander is everywhere. Dust materializes in places you didn’t know dust could exist. OK, maybe don’t breathe that stuff in.

But along with baseball, leaves, and flowers, the dawn of spring also signals a time for spring cleaning. And what better way to clean your home, garage, or workshop than with your handy Shop-Vac^®.

As you’re cleaning pollen and dust and similar fine debris, you may see dust coming from the exhaust port. If that happens, there’s a good chance you have a filtration issue with your vacuum. Filtration is a critical component that helps a Shop-Vac^® perform at its finest, but it’s often neglected by consumers who aren’t aware of its importance. A good filtration system keeps debris away from the motor and prevents that debris from blowing through the air.

Shop-Vac^® manufactures a wide variety of styles to fit our vacuums of all sizes—each with their own benefits and strengths—including our standard filter and those that offer a little more. Here’s a quick rundown of the types of cartridge filters you can buy for your Shop-Vac^®:

• Type U - Shop-Vac^® Cartridge Filter — Did Rover track in a path of muddy paw prints from the backdoor to the living room? Little Jimmy knock over that indoor plant? We designed this filter for general household filtration since it can help tackle those everyday messes and fits the majority of our wet/dry vacuums that are 5 gallons and above. Since the filter is made of paper, you can clean it with water, but you should let it completely dry before reuse. You can also stock up and save by purchasing this filter in a two-pack. Want a pro tip? Pick up a five-pack of our pre-filters exclusively for the Type U to extend its life by helping to avoid debris sticking to the filter.

• Shop-Vac^® Ultra-Web® Cartridge Filter — This filter is ideal for finer debris and is tough on messes around the house or shop because it’s five times more efficient than our standard cartridge filter. The Ultra-Web^® Cartridge Filter is constructed of nanofiber filtration paper by Donaldson. You’ll find it in a variety of sizes and specialties, including the Type BB (for vacuums up to 5 gallons), Type X (for vacuums 5 gallons or higher), Type V (filters airborne allergens and inhibits the growth of mold and bacteria), and the Type Z (for industrial settings). Best of all, this filter easily cleans up like new to prolong its life.

• Shop-Vac^® CleanStream^® High Efficiency Cartridge Filter — Made of enhanced material, this filter maintains suction power with the finest of debris, even something as small as drywall dust. Cleaning this filter is a snap and requires only a tap or rinse due to the nonstick material, which also prevents caking and clogging.

• Shop-Vac® CleanStream^® HEPA Cartridge Filter — The ultimate filter for wet and dry pick up, this filter is made of a high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) system that is nonstick and easy to clean. Between the Type NN (fits 4041100 and 4041200 vacuums), Type II (for vacuums up to 5 gallons), and the Type W (for vacuums 5 gallons or higher), this best-of-the-best filter is bound to fit your vacuum.

With proper care, these filters should last you through many cleanings and lengthen the life of your Shop-Vac^®. 

Happy spring!