During construction, you are cleaning up your drywall dust before priming is essential to ensure that the drywall generates a uniform finish after the whole painting.
However, eliminating the dust can be challenging, especially if you lack the basic knowledge of how to do it.
People use different methods to pick up the dust. However, vacuuming is the most commonly used.
And this leads to this question; can you use a regular vacuum for drywall dust?
No, you can’t use a regular vacuum for drywall dust. This dust is extremely fine and tiny, and a regular vacuum cleaner lacks the proper filtration system and enough motor and suction power to handle the fine dust. The fine dust will clog the regular vacuum filter and eventually damage the vacuum’s motor.
In this article, I will explain if using a regular vacuum cleaner is acceptable to clean up drywall dust. I will also reveal the best and most effective drywall dust vacuum cleaners.
Moreover, I will walk you through the step-by-step instructions on how to clean up the drywall dust, and by the end, you will be able to eliminate your drywall dust yourself.
Ready for a Drywall Quiz?
Can You Use a Regular Vacuum Cleaner for Drywall Dust?
You can’t use a regular vacuum cleaner to suction drywall dust.
Because regular vacuum cleaners lack the suction and motor power required to handle fine and extremely tiny particles.
Suppose you insist on using a regular vacuum cleaner for drywall dust. In that case, the fine dust will clog the vacuum’s filtration system, eventually destroying the vacuum’s motor.
Instead of using a regular vacuum cleaner, it’s advisable to use a drywall dust vacuum cleaner which is a shop vacuum cleaner.
Meanwhile, you should ensure you get a shop vacuum cleaner designed to handle fine dust particles.
The shop vacuum cleaner must have High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter (HEPA).
This filter helps trap dust particles and prevents the dust from getting in the motor and redistributing back into the air.
The shop vacuum cleaner must also have a high suction power which is enough to pick up dust easily and quickly. In addition, the shop vacuum cleaner must have a large tank capacity.
Therefore, depending on the amount of drywall dust particles you want to pick up, ensure you get a suitable shop vacuum cleaner size that will be perfect for the job.
For more understanding, check the table below to discover the differences between regular and shop vacuum cleaners.
| Regular Vacuum Cleaner | Shop Vacuum Cleaner |
|---|---|
| Its purpose is to filter the air. | This vacuum sucks up nails, wood shavings, etc. |
| Its motor is less powerful. | It has a more powerful motor. |
| A regular vacuum cleaner is more suitable for house usage. | A shop vacuum cleaner is more suitable for woodworking shops and construction sites. |
| It’s smaller in size. | It has a bigger size. |
| Its suction is less powerful. | It has a more powerful suction. |
| Its filter can be clogged easily. | It takes a lot of effort to make it clogged. |
What Are the Best Vacuum Cleaners for Drywall Dust?
Nowadays, there are numerous drywall dust vacuum cleaners.
Nevertheless, a few models stand out among others due to their efficiency and optimum performance.
Hence, below are some of the most efficient vacuum cleaners for drywall dust:
- CRAFTSMAN 6.5 Peak HP Heavy-duty Wet/Dry Vacuum
- Makita 11-Gallon Dry/Wet HEPA filter dust extractor/vacuum
- Dustless HEPA Wet/Dry shop vacuum
- Milwaukee M18 2-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
- DEWALT Wall-Mounted Wet/Dry Vacuum
- Shop-Vac 16-Gallon corded portable wet/dry shop vacuum
- Stanley 6-gallon 4 Max Hp pro vacuum
- RYOBI 18V ONE + 3-gallon project wet/dry vacuum
#1. Craftsman 6.5 Peak Hp Heavy-duty Wet/Dry Vacuum
This vacuum cleaner is of high quality, incredibly efficient, and powerful.
It’s most suitable for large construction jobs. Apart from picking up drywall dust, it’s also effective in water cleanup.
The vacuum is corded, durable, and has 177 CFM suction power, 6.5 HP motor power, and 16 gallons of tank capacity.
#2. Makita 11-Gallon Wet/Dry HEPA Filter Dust Extractor/Vacuum
As its name implies, this vacuum cleaner is among the best and most highly efficient dust extractors. It has dual filtration systems, flat filters, and HEPA filters.
The vacuum automatically cleans its filters and prevents dust from clogging them, meaning you don’t need to worry too much about maintenance.
It’s coed and has 148 CFM suction power, 12 amp motor power, and 11 gallons tank capacity.
#3. Dustless HEPA Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum
This shop vacuum cleaner traps tiny and fine particles effectively with the help of its baffle ball.
The baffle ball makes the faculty airtight and gives no room for the trapped particles to escape into the air.
It’s corded and has 126 CFM suction power and 16 gallons tank capacity.
#4. Milwaukee M18 2-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum
This vacuum is highly durable and has 2 gallons tank capacity, which makes it lightweight.
This particular vacuum is cordless, which ensures unlimited mobility. In addition, it’s incredibly portable; therefore, carrying it around is stress-free and comfortable.
#5. Dewalt Wall-Mounted Wet/Dry Vacuum
This vacuum cleaner has a wall mount that you can secure effortlessly for daily cleanup.
It also comes with a wireless remote, which you can use to control where the vacuum cleaner faces depending on where you work.
It’s corded and has a 5 HP power motor, 85 CFM suction power, and 6 gallons tank capacity.
#6. Shop-Vac 16-Gallon Corded Portable Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum
This vacuum cleaner is heavy-duty and is suitable for large construction sites. It’s heavy and comes with a fine dust bag and filter.
It’s corded and has 150 CFM suction power, a 6.5-peak HP motor, power, and 16 gallons tank capacity.
#7. Stanley 6-gallon 4 Max Hp Pro Vacuum
This vacuum cleaner is also efficient, lightweight, and comes with a dust bag and filter.
It’s durable and has 85 CFM suction power, 4-peak HP motor power, and 6 gallons tank capacity.
#8. Ryobi 18V One + 3-Gallon Project Wet/Dry Vacuum
This vacuum cleaner is powerful, efficient, and mobile; it weighs 15 pounds, making it lightweight.
It’s corded and has 45 CFM suction power and 3 gallons tank capacity.
What’s the Best Way to Pickup Drywall Dust?
People use different methods when it comes to cleaning up drywall dust. Some methods result in successful cleaning, while some make the cleaning process messy.
Regardless, picking up drywall dust is quite simple, and there’s a standard cleaning method.
Therefore, below are the step-by-step guide on how to pick up drywall dust:
- The first thing you need to do is to protect your eyes because the fine dust is dangerous to your health. Hence, wear a dust mask and eye protection equipment.
- Next, remove the things that are easily movable from the room.
- Cover everything in the room, including vents, floor, closet doors, etc., with thick plastic drop cloths.
- Turn off the central heat and air conditioning systems.
- Open the windows for ventilation and place box fans in the window to ensure that air blows out of the room and not into the room.
- Fill a spray bottle with water and spray it on the drywall. Just ensure that it’s a bit wet and not highly damp.
- Use a brush to brush off the wall, a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the dust down, and then use your shop vacuum cleaner to pick up the dust.
- Repeat the process until the drywall is clean enough.
- In addition, check everywhere in the house for any dust lurking around. Then, you can easily spray the surfaces to pick up the dust with your shop vacuum cleaner.
- Then, ensure you clean the material used during the maintenance cleaning.
