I have the exact same vac as yours. I dislike it because of the way the filter has to be 'snapped' off which causes a lot of dust/dirt to be deposited on the top of the vac. I always have the nylon sock over the filter so cleaning the filter does not happen often, I just change socks. When I do need to clean the filter I take it outside and bang it against a tree - staying upwind - it's worked great for several years and I am still using the same filter that came with the machine.
Another plus for the sock is that I save the sanding dust from kayaks to use as thickening for epoxy. All I have to do is gently remove the sock and shake it in a coffee container. Works so well I can save the 'dark' dust in one can and 'light' dust in another.