Is it a bad idea to vacuum the ashes out of the fireplace with a
ShopVac, using the "soot" bag? I feel like it might clog the bag,
but otoh, isn't that the point of a soot-style bag?

What about vacuuming with a regular filter? That will clog the filter
quickly, right?


The alternative is to spray enough water on the ashes to keep them
from getting all over the place, and shovel them into a bag. I've done
that but vaccuming seems like it would be easier.