On Thu, 24 May 2012 15:58:31 -0400, gfretwell wrote:

I use a pressure cleaner.
The thing going up the middle is the vent

I did use a pressure washer. Even very carefully, it shreds the cloth a
bit, especially the bands around the smaller filter.

The gas-powered pressure washer seems to have the same problem as the
garden hose though - which is that it needs access to the inside of the
pleat which is jam packed with the next pleat.

So, I think, unless there's a 'magic soak', my main problem is how to
open up the pleats mechanically, given there must be thousands of them (I
don't know how many there are but they're on both sides of both filters).

I wonder why it needs a second vent, especially since there is not
'supposed' to be air in the container according to the manual which says
to open the top vent (which is in the cap and is separate) until water
shoots out.