A vacuum trap, a plasma etch system using the vacuum trap and a method of cleaning the vacuum trap. The vacuum trap includes a baffle housing; and a removable baffle assembly disposed in the baffle housing, the baffle assembly comprising a set of baffle plates, the baffle plates spaced along a support rod from a first baffle plate to a last baffle plate, the baffle plates alternately disposed above and below the support rod and alternately disposed in an upper region and a lower region of the baffle housing.