Apparatus and method for receiving and holding debris in a collection chamber of a vacuum cleaner. The collection chamber has an inlet opening through which debris-entrained air enters the collection chamber. When the vacuum cleaner is off, an internal valve prevents debris from leaving the collection chamber through the inlet opening. The internal valve is movable from a first sealed position, in which the internal valve covers the chamber inlet opening, to a second unsealed position in which the internal valve does not cover the chamber inlet opening.