Vax legacy cylinder dust bags
If your machine is one of the models below, the bag you need is the Vax 6131 / 6131SX series paper bag (legacy).
Older Vax 6000 and 6100 series cylinder vacuums that predate the brand's move to bagless cyclonic technology.
Specification
| Reference | Vax 6131 / 6131SX series paper bag (legacy) |
|---|---|
| Fits | Older Vax 6000 and 6100 series cylinder vacuums that predate the brand's move to bagless cyclonic technology |
| Capacity | Approximately 3 litres |
| Material | Paper |
| Bags per box | 5 bags (typical pack size from third-party stockists) |
What to check before you order
The large majority of Vax vacuums sold since the 2000s are bagless, so if your machine has a clear dust canister rather than a fabric bag compartment, it does not take a paper bag at all and this page does not apply to it. We have not found a single official current Vax bag catalogue covering the full legacy range, so treat any reference beyond the 6100 series with caution and confirm against the model number on your machine before ordering.
How to replace it
- Unplug the vacuum and open the dust compartment door.
- Lift out the full dust bag by its card or plastic collar, keeping it level so it does not spill.
- Check the collar shape against the Vax 6131 / 6131SX series paper bag (legacy) before fitting the new one; a bag that does not sit flush will not seal.
- Slide the new dust bag collar into the machine's bag holder until it clicks or seats fully home.
- Close the compartment door. Most machines will not run, or will run with reduced suction, if the door is not fully latched.
- Run the vacuum briefly on an empty patch of floor to confirm suction feels normal before doing a full clean.
Common mistakes
- Buying by vacuum model number alone instead of checking the bag shape, which leads to a bag that does not seal.
- Reusing a bag past the fill line printed on it, which chokes airflow and can strain the motor.
- Forcing a bag from a different reference into the holder; if it does not seat without pressure, it is the wrong one.
How this reference sits in the Vax range
Vax 6131 / 6131SX series paper bag (legacy) is the only reference published for Vax on this site, because it is the only one confirmed by a manufacturer or distributor source. Other Vax machines sold in the UK are bagless, so there is no bag to match. Our Vax page lists what is covered.
How long a pack lasts
A retail pack holds 5 dust bags. At the usual rhythm of one change every four to eight weeks in an average household, that pack covers roughly 5 to 10 months, so most people buy bags once or twice a year rather than monthly.
The 3 litre capacity is the volume the bag holds, not a fitting measurement: two bags of the same capacity can have completely different collars. Use it to judge how often you will be changing the bag, and the collar shape to judge whether it fits. Our guide on how often to change a vacuum bag explains what shortens that interval.
Where this information comes from
The specification above is taken from Third-party UK vacuum parts stockists; no unified official Vax legacy bag catalogue was found, so this entry is intentionally narrow. References are re-checked when a manufacturer renumbers a pack; if you find a discrepancy with your own machine, tell us and the page is corrected.