A shop vac is something that every home should have. Yes, it does a great job at cleaning up any number of messes but it also does a lot more. There are so many uses for shop vacs that you’ve probably never even thought of. You’ve probably found yourself in a situation where you wish you had a shop vac without realizing it. Keep reading and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Here are some projects to complete that’ll make you really wish you had a shop vac.
Shop Vac Projects
Retrieve Valuables from the Dreaded Drain
You’re washing your hands and your beloved wedding band shoots off and into the drain. The wedding band that your husband picked out himself and worked so hard to pay for. The mighty shop vac to the rescue! You don’t have to take your sink apart to get your ring back. Simply use a shop vac to suck your ring up. Put an attachment down the drain and a shop vac has enough suction to get it back up for you. Now every time that happens to you, you’ll definitely wish you had a shop vac. Why not just buy one?
Image Source: Kmart
Inflate an Air Mattress
Your family is coming for a visit and they’re sleeping on the air mattress. The only problem is that you can’t find the inflator! Have no fear, a shop vac can fix that problem. All you need is a shop vac with a blower port and you’re in business. The shop vac will fill your air mattress up with air in no time. Your family will be able to sleep on a well inflated air mattress. Don’t forget about inflatable pools either. Don’t waste your breath trying to blow one up yourself. Hook your handy dandy shop vac up to it, and viola! Your kids will be having fun in their own little inflatable pool within minutes. Plus you won’t be light headed from trying to blow it up yourself.
Get Rid of Air for Storage
I’m sure you’ve seen those commercials for space savers that vacuum out the air in storage bags so you can have more room in your closet. You’ve definitely seen them if you’ve stayed home from school sick. They seem to always be on one channel or another. A shop vac can do the same thing! Put the nozzle of your shop vac into the storage bag and suck out as much air as possible. You’ll be able to save space in your closet because everything will be flat and easily stackable. The great thing about it is the machine you used can be used for a million other things. Instead of the other storage vacuum that can only be used for one thing; storage.
Getting Wires Through a Pipe
A lot of projects require small wires that need to be fished through long pipes. The pipe might be too small for someone to reach their hand down to pull the wire through to the other side. How do you get the wire to the other end? I’m sure you know the answer by now. Use your shop vac! There is plenty of suction power in your shop vac to get this project done quickly and easily. Put the nozzle down the pipe until it sucks up the wire, then just pull it through! Make sure someone is holding the other end of the wire or it’s secure so that the entire wire doesn’t get sucked up into the vacuum.
Easily Defrost Your Freezer
Sometimes box freezers get too much ice on the walls. Defrosting a freezer is a tedious and long job. A shop vac can make it a little easier. Unplug your freezer and put warm water on the ice to melt as much as you can. Everything will start to melt causing a lot of water to now be at the bottom of the freezer. Instead of trying to mop up the mess, just use your wet dry shop vac to suck up all the water. You’ll be done in no time.
Let Your Dog Play
Dogs are man’s best friend. Unfortunately they aren’t always super organized when it comes to their toys, but we love them anyway. Try using your shop vac to find their toys when they’ve buried them under the couch. Perhaps their beloved ball goes under the couch and you can’t quite reach it. Instead of trying to lift up the entire couch, use your shop vac to get it for them. Use your shop vac to play fetch with the ball you get for them. Maybe you had a long day and you aren’t really up to throwing a ball, but your dog is persistent. Use the blower port on your shop vac and put the ball at the end of it. There you have it, fetch with minimal effort.
Fix Your Flooded Basements
Basements flood, that’s just what they do. It won’t seem like the end of the world if you have a shop vac. Since shop vacs can suck up water, it makes the job a lot easier. You won’t have to try to mop up the mess, just suck up all the water and wait for the rest to dry. This makes a difficult job much easier. It’s almost worth it to buy a shop vac for this reason alone if you have a basement that is prone to flooding.
Image Source: Water Damage Out
Clean Your Dryer Vent
Use your shop vac to give your dryer a thorough cleaning. Unplug the dryer then take off the dryer vent and suck up all the lint that has been collecting over time. You’d be surprised at how much lint collects over the years. This is a great idea especially if you know that the vent hasn’t been cleaned in awhile. It should be done every once in awhile to prevent lint and dust build up. Your dryer will have a longer life because of it.
Get Rid of Pesky Puddles
Puddles can ruin the fun sometimes. Especially if they’re on a baseball field or basketball court. Don’t let puddles win! Use your shop vac to suck up the puddles on the court so that everyone can get back to playing without skipping a beat. Everyone will thank you!
Summing Up
There are so many amazing projects you can get done with a shop vac. There is no job too big! Wet or dry, small or large the shop vac can handle it all. Whether you’re using it to suck up spiders so you don’t have to squish them, or using it to defrost your freezer you’ll be pleased with the results.
Image Source: Rent a Tool NY
Related Article: Best Shop Vac: Top 10 Choices for You to Consider
