Removing the filling from a bean bag sounds like a messy ordeal — and it can be, if you go in without a plan. Done right, it's a straightforward job that takes 20–30 minutes and leaves the filling in good enough condition to reuse, store, or recycle.
There are a few different reasons you might need to do this: washing the cover, replacing worn-out filling, adjusting the firmness, transporting the bean bag, or disposing of the whole thing. The process is essentially the same in each case, but the destination for the filling varies — so it's worth knowing what you're working toward before you start.
Why You Might Need to Empty a Bean Bag
- Washing the cover: Most bean bag covers can't go in the wash with the filling inside. Removing the beans is the only way to clean the fabric properly.
- Replacing flat or compressed filling: EPS beads compress over time and don't fully recover. If your bean bag has gone flat, you'll need to either top up or fully replace the filling. Our post on why bean bags go flat explains the process in detail.
- Moving or transporting: A full bean bag is unwieldy and heavy. Emptying it makes transport far easier.
- Disposing of the bean bag: Responsible disposal often means separating the cover from the filling so each can go to the right place.
- Mould or moisture damage: If moisture has got into the filling, it needs to come out so the bag can dry fully.
Before You Start: Check for an Inner Liner
Before opening anything, check whether your bean bag has an inner liner — a secondary fabric bag inside the outer cover that contains the filling separately. Not all bean bags have one, but if yours does, it makes the job significantly easier: you can remove the outer cover for washing, and the inner liner keeps all the filling contained without any loose beans at all.
If you're buying a new bean bag and anticipate ever needing to do this, an inner liner is worth prioritising. Our post on bean bag inner liners covers the pros and cons in full. If your bag has no liner, follow the steps below.
Opening the Zipper
Most Australian bean bags sold since 2010 have childproof safety zippers that require a deliberate action to open — they can't be unzipped by a child pulling on the tab. This is an ACCC safety requirement, not a design flaw. If you're struggling to open your zipper, our guide to opening childproof bean bag zippers walks through the techniques for the most common zipper types without damaging the mechanism.
Once open, keep the zipper pull accessible — you'll want to close it quickly if the beans start to move unexpectedly.
Set Up Your Workspace
Where and how you do this matters almost as much as the technique itself.
- Best surface: A hard floor — tiles, vinyl, or timber — is ideal. Beans that escape are easy to see, sweep, and collect. Avoid carpet if you can; beans nestle into the pile and are extremely tedious to retrieve.
- Close everything: Shut all windows, doors, and vents before you start. Even a gentle draught sends EPS beans in every direction.
- Clear the floor: The more unobstructed floor space around your workspace, the easier cleanup will be.
- Clean the floor first: If you're planning to reuse the filling, sweep or vacuum the floor before you start so any beans that escape are still clean.
- Have your receptacle ready: You need something to transfer the beans into before you open the bag. A large plastic bag, a storage bin, or a second bean bag cover all work. Whatever you use should be at least twice the volume of the bean bag itself.
Tools You'll Need
Having the right setup before you begin makes the job go smoothly. Improvising mid-task — when beans are already loose — is when things go wrong.
- A large bag or container to receive the filling. A heavy-duty bin liner or a large storage tub works well. Two bags (one inside the other) prevents accidental punctures.
- A tube or pipe approximately 25cm long and 8–10cm in diameter — a section of PVC pipe, the body of a large plastic bottle with both ends cut off, or a rolled cardboard tube. This acts as a controlled pour spout and keeps the bean stream directed.
- A funnel (bought or made from a cut plastic bottle) for directing filling into a narrow opening if needed.
- A jug or scoop for transferring filling in controlled batches when the bag is mostly empty and the tube isn't reaching the remaining beans.
- Anti-static spray or a water mister — static builds up quickly when beans move against each other and the bag fabric. A light mist or spray before and during the process significantly reduces flyaway beans. See our full guide to removing static from bean bag filling for the complete toolkit.
The Removal Process
Step 1: Treat for static
Lightly mist the outside of the bean bag and the opening of your receiving container with water or anti-static spray. This pre-emptively reduces the charge that builds up as soon as beans start moving.
Step 2: Position the bag and container
Place your receiving container on the floor. Position the bean bag so the zipper opening is facing down into or directly above the container. If the bag is large, you may want a second person to hold the container steady or support the bean bag while you guide the flow.
Step 3: Insert the tube and open
Insert your tube into the zipper opening before the beans start moving — it controls the flow and stops a sudden rush of filling flooding out at once. Slowly open the zipper further and let the beans flow through the tube into your container in a controlled stream. Keep movements slow and steady.
Step 4: Shake and scoop the remainder
As the bag empties, gently shake it to move remaining beans toward the opening. Use your jug or scoop to remove the last portion — trying to shake every last bean out through the tube is time-consuming and unnecessary.
Step 5: Close the empty bag
As soon as the filling is out, close the zipper on the empty cover immediately. This prevents dust, pet hair, and debris from getting inside before you're ready to refill or wash it.
Cleaning Up Any Escaped Beans
Even with good technique, some beans will escape. For small numbers of stragglers, a lint roller or tape-ball method works well. For larger quantities, treat with anti-static spray first, then sweep with a wide broom using slow strokes. Our dedicated guide on how to pick up bean bag beans covers every method in detail, including the vacuum cleaner stocking trick for hard floors.
What to Do with the Filling
Reusing it
If the filling is in good condition — not compressed into flat discs, not damp, not contaminated — it can go straight back in after you've done whatever you needed to do (clean the cover, transport the bag, etc.). Store it in a sealed container or tied bag in a dry place while the cover is off.
Topping up or replacing
If the filling is worn out or you lost some during the process, our complete refilling guide covers how much filling you'll need by bag size, and our post on how to fill a bean bag without mess walks through getting it back in cleanly.
Disposing of EPS filling
EPS beads can't go in a standard kerbside recycling bin but are recyclable through dedicated polystyrene drop-off points. Our guide to recycling polystyrene in Australia explains where to find drop-off locations and what to expect. Don't put loose EPS in general waste without bagging it first — it disperses easily and becomes a litter problem.
Washing the cover
With the filling out, the cover is ready to clean. Different fabrics require different approaches — velvet, microsuede, outdoor fabrics, and cotton all have specific care requirements. Our fabric-by-fabric cleaning guide covers each one.
