Are Roomba Bags Reusable?

Robot vacuums have transformed how we feel about daily chores. Honestly, it’s so relaxing to know the house is getting cleaned automatically while you’re sitting on your sofa enjoying your morning tea. From the convenient designs to the smart interface, these vacuums are gadgets from the future.

However, like any other gadget, these vacuums need some maintenance too. This brings us to one of the most asked questions in the case of Roomba vacuums; are Roomba bags reusable?

Are Roomba bags reusable?

Though it is not recommended to reuse Roomba bags, it is possible to do so. As far as Roomba I7 Plus is concerned, you can use another vacuum cleaner to clean it by sticking its nozzle down the bag’s hole so that it catches all the dirt. 

However, please keep in mind that reusing Roomba bags can cause problems with the vacuum and its clean base as these bags are not meant to be reused.

How often should you change Roomba bags?

Though it’s a common perception that Roomba bags are costly, these bags can last around 10 cycles. Thus, you will not need to change or buy them as often as you might have thought.

Factors to consider before reusing Roomba bags

Whether you can do one thing and whether you should, are two different questions. So though it is possible to reuse a Roomba bag, you might want to consider these factors before doing so. 

1. Type of waste that your vacuum collects. Because it’s going to affect the process of vacuuming it out of the bag
2. How often is your vacuum used? This is important because reusing bags with very frequent usage might not be the best thing for your vacuum.
3. How often do you clean the filter? If you want to save those extra bucks, you might have to put in some extra effort.
4. How often would the bags be cleaned? Because you can not expect them to function perfectly with all sorts of dirt collected. 

How long does a Roomba bag last?

A single Roomba bag can hold up to 60 day’s dust and dirt. Sometimes people tend to underestimate the capacity of these bags, but they can hold a lot more than what you might think because of the size.

How will you know when to change the bag?

This headache is also handled by your iRobot. It will send a message to the iRobot Home app that the bag needs to be changed. The bags can hold up to 30 bins or 60 days of debris, so you will not need to worry about it for weeks sometimes.

When the bag really needs changing, all you need to do is pull the current bag out of the Clean Base and put a new one in its place. 

What is the problem with Roomba going around in circles? Here is a quick fix!

How to replace the Roomba bags?

Replacing the Roomba bags is an exceptionally easy and clean process. Here is how to do it in a few simple steps. 

Step 1: Open the lid 

Step 2: Grasp the card that is visible on the right, and remove the bag (the card seals the bag to make the process mess-free)

Step 3: Take out a new bag and slide its card into the guide rails

Step 4: Push the lid down, and your new bag has been replaced

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Are Roomba bags environment-friendly?

The Roomba bags can decompose in 90 days, and even the plastic part is recyclable PP material. This means the bags are very environmentally friendly.

Are there different types of Roomba bags?

You might come across different types of Roomba bags. However, most of them are compatible with almost all models of the Roomba vacuums. If you own more than one Roomba vacuum (of different models), it is recommended to go for the ones that are usable for all models. 

Can you wash Roomba filters?

According to iRobot, you should not wash your Roomba filters. This is because any contact with any liquid can damage not only the filter but also the vacuum. 

However, according to CNET, you can wash your filter, but you will have to be extremely careful that it dries out completely before you put it back in the vacuum. But the safer option, of course, is to follow what the manufacturers say.

Read our comparison analysis on Roomba 614 and Roomba 690!

How to clean a Roomba filter?

Here is a stepwise guide to help you clean your Roomba filters. 

Step 1: Remove the debris collecting bin and empty its contents. You need to do this step after every use.

Step 2: After removing the bin, the filter or filters will be visible; remove all of them.

Step 3: Tap the filter/filters against the insides of a dustbin to dust off any debris collected.

Step 4: Though this is not strictly necessary, you can also use an air compressor to clean any dust still remaining.

Step 5: Refit the filter and waste bin.

Concluding my thoughts on reusing Roomba bags!

Even if you do decide to reuse the Roomba bags, it is recommended that you don’t use a bag more than three times as these bags can get damaged as well. It is also possible that damaged bags push the dust back into your home, which would basically defeat the purpose of having that bag in the first place. Therefore, if you ask for my recommendation, do not reuse the bags as the cons might weigh more than the pros at some point in time.

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