Abstract: A system and associated methods are disclosed for facilitating efficient collection of entrained material from an air/gas sample. In one arrangement, a method for collecting entrained material from a sample involves a dry collection cyclonic cycle combined with a period of fluid wash use. In particular, a sample is drawn into a chamber of a cyclone separator having a perimeter wall, and then a dry collection cyclonic separation cycle is performed on the sample for a period of time to separate a substantial amount of the entrained material from the sample. Subsequent to or temporally near an ending point of the dry collection cyclonic separation cycle, a fluid wash is injected into cyclone separator chamber so as to direct the fluid wash along the perimeter wall to capture material deposited on the walls and in the vortex break at the bottom of the cyclone separator.