We don't operate the Makita battery fan on the back door. When I need to blow away dust and pet hair I just grab a blower, go out on the lawn and blow it away. They are well sewn, can be turned inside out and put back on the vacuum cleaner. If you just want to empty the vacuum and shake off the filter, you can do that. In fact, you can easily throw them in the trash if you're not careful when emptying your vacuum cleaner. So be careful.