A central vacuum cleaner having a housing with a vacuum fan and motor and a dirt container mounted to a lower end of the housing. The dirt container includes a receptacle, a ring mount extending from the receptacle sidewall near an open top of the receptacle and a release ring. The ring mount extends around the sidewall perimeter and a bottom of the ring mount is shaped to be held by an operator to support the dirt container. The release ring is movably mounted above the ring mount and extends around the sidewall perimeter. One or more locks are mounted between the ring mount and the release ring. The locks are movable by the release ring from an engaged position to hold the dirt container to the housing to a disengaged position to permit removal of the dirt container from the housing.
