How to Clean up Bean Bag Beans

The great news is: It isn’t as bad as you think with these tried and tested tips below.

You may be thinking; how do you clean up bean bag filling as easily as possible? And the simplest way is to close all windows and doors first, to prevent even the slightest breeze. Use anti-static spray on the beans then a vacuum cleaner with a stocking over the end.

Just be sure to follow the steps outlined below when using a vacuum cleaner. As ‘Blocking’ a vacuum with the small bean filling might actually break it.

I will explain these steps in a little more detail, but first I share some alternative ways that won’t cost the earth:

Using a Dustpan and Broom

 

Let’s start with the easiest method.

Before grabbing a dustpan and broom the issue of static needs to be addressed

1. Spray ‘anti-static’ spray over the beans. This can be purchased from any shopping centre.
2. If you don’t have this, then a sprinkling of Bi-Carb Soda over the beans is the next best option.
3. If you don’t have either of these, spraying (as fine as possible) water over the beans will do.

The Static is a problem as it prevents you from directing the beans onto the dustpan.

Now, you will need to sweep the beans onto the dust pan with the largest surface area broom you have.

Or a large piece of cardboard will do the trick.

The bigger the better, as smaller brooms tends to move the air to much in different directions.

Be sure to use very slow sweeping movements as the slightest breeze will cause the beans to fly everywhere.

Using a Balloon

 

Static can actually help you attract the beans onto a dustpan if used in the right way.

And here is the easiest way to have the pain of static work for you and not against you.

1. Grab a balloon
2. Rub your hands as fast as you can over the balloon.
3. Hold the balloon over the dustpan and the static created will draw the beans to the pan.

 

You may need to top up the static formed on the balloon over time by just giving it another rub.

Using a Lint Roller

 

Lint rollers are used to take small flecks of material off your clothing, however they work well for bean bag beans as well.

Again, be sure to use slow sweeping movements over the beans on the floor and just roll over them.

The kind of link roller which is made of “sticky” material works much better than the ones made of a soft fabric material.

Create Your Own Giant Lint Roller

 

A big old ball made of tape is the next best option after a lint roller.

I would advise to try and source “Painters Tape”.

 

This is the tape painters use over windows and skirting boards when they paint a house.

The ‘sticky’ factor isn’t as strong as duct tape, so you won’t be pulling off any floor polish from wooden floors or paint off walls.

Yet it is strong enough to have the beans stick to them.

This step is very easy, simply take a huge line of the tape and roll it up into the biggest ball you can.

The bigger the ball you make from the tape, the more surface area.

This means you can fit more of the bean filling onto your latest creation.

How to Use a Vacuum Cleaner to Pick Up Bean Filling

 

Using this route, means a little bit of prep work.

Firstly, gather the beans into a pile if you can you using two pieces of cardboard.

The trick is to pretend they are like huge salad tongs.

The problem with just using a vacuum cleaner without any prep means the static will still cause a big problem as well.

The tiny white beans stick to the outside of the vacuum cleaner, the nozzle and the extending pipe of the cleaner.

NOTE: You can also use “Dryer Sheets” which are used in clothes dryers to rub over the vacuum. This does a wonderful job keeping the static at bay.

After address the static with dryer sheets or with the three points mentioned above.

The bigger problem is that most vacuum cleaners only have a small bag to collect the dirt and dust.

And when sucking up beans it will fill the vacuum cleaner in a matter of seconds.

This is really annoying as you don’t want to keep turning the vacuum off and emptying the internal bag.

The way around this is to pop a stocking over the nozzle of the cleaner and that will prevent the beans from going into the vacuum cleaner.

 

Then simply brush the beans collected with the stocking into a bucket. Rinsing and repeating this process until they are all cleared up.

You can also use some anti-static spray or a little Bi-Barb Soda over the vacuum end piece and pipe.

This will prevent the beans from being attracted to parts of the vacuum that won’t help you.

Conclusion:

 

Being systematic and organised will mean cleaning up bean bag filling won’t be the nightmare you imagine it to be.
Be sure to tackle these three main points before addressing the issue of having the beans moved:

• Static: Reducing it or making it work for you.
• Reduce any movement of air as much as possible.
• Use slow sweeping movements when around the bean bag filling.

If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner handy, the points above will work just fine to collect the beans.

Having a vacuum cleaner will be the faster option, however remember to prevent the beans from entering the vacuum in the first place.

Whether or not you have a vacuum cleaner with a disposable bag or a bag-less one. It will fill up mighty fast.

The problem is this causes vacuums to overheat and it could break the engine in there.

Also, the great news is that bean bag filling, the polystyrene balls (also called EPS) can be recycled.

To find out more about disposing of the bean bag filling be sure to check out the detailed article I wrote highlighting all the ways to go about this.