Vacuuming Stairs

[bicker]

Okay, how do I vacuum these stairs better? I've tried using our regular upright vacuum (too heavy!), a canister vacuum (not effective enough), and a Shark (REALLY not effective enough). Not even the way-too-heavy upright vacuum cleans the corners anywhere near as well as I want it to. Is there a vacuum or method that is especially good for carpeted stairs?

 

[mudnuri]

what about the hose attachment for the corner of the stairs? My stairs aren't carpeted, so i just sweep them...

Brandy

 

[golfgal]

I have a small attachment to my vacuum that looks like a computer mouse, a bit bigger, that has a beater bar. It hooks up to the hose on the vacuum and does a great job on the stairs.

 

[bicker]

Yeah, that attachment does absolutely no good in the corners.

 

[golfgal]

Yeah, that attachment does absolutely no good in the corners.

Take the attachment off and just use the hose in the corner. Ours works well that way. If you don't have enough suction in your hose something might be blocking it.

I had a small, hand-held Dirt Devil that I used before we got the new vacuum that did a great job on stairs, too. It came with attachments even. You could try that, too.

 

[bicker]

I've tried that with several brand-new vacuums, with incredibly high ratings with regard to suction/power, and none of them actually suck cat hair and little particles of dust out of the corner. The carpeting on the tread and the carpeting on the riser come together at a 90 degree angle, of course, and that traps anything that gets down in there.

Is there really nothing made for this?

 

[Chicago526]

The old fashioned original Dirt Devil. It's light but powerful, and has a really long cord. I only use it for the stairs, in fact that's the only reason I bought it. It's retailed at $39.99 and you should be able to get it at Target or Kohls.

 

[golfgal]

I've tried that with several brand-new vacuums, with incredibly high ratings with regard to suction/power, and none of them actually suck cat hair and little particles of dust out of the corner. The carpeting on the tread and the carpeting on the riser come together at a 90 degree angle, of course, and that traps anything that gets down in there.

Is there really nothing made for this?

I guess I don't know what to tell you then. My Kenmore $150 vacuum does just fine getting all that stuff off the stairs (well we don't have a cat but it gets everything else).

One other idea I guess is to use that rake attachment thing if you have one, the one without a soft brush on it and rake the stuff out of the corner first and then vacuum.

 

[bicker]

Yup, I got one of those too. Unfortunately, this is how it works:

|---
|--- ______
|--- |
|--- \_O___
|_|_|_|_|_|_

It simply doesn't have a chance of getting anything out of that corner.

 

[Chicago526]

Yup, I got one of those too. Unfortunately, this is how it works:

|---
|--- ______
|--- |
|--- \_O___
|_|_|_|_|_|_

It simply doesn't have a chance of getting anything out of that corner.

Well, you'd need to use the crevace tool attatchment to get stuff out of the corner. Use the regular rotating brush part for the steps and the risers, and use the crevase tool for those tight corners.

 

[cardaway]

Remember that Seinfeld episode where they said the sign for gay should be doing the vaccuuming motion...

What would the motion for getting the tool into the stair corners stand for?

 

[damo]

I use this thing in the corners.

 

[bicker]

Yeah, that's what I used. It's funny -- its on the end of a telescoping wand, and the suction is so powerful that sometimes it overcomes the lock on the telescoping wand and the wand collapses, yet it cannot get the cat hair out of there. Dirt and even cat litter is no problem -- cat hair just won't budge.

I just went ahead and used a screwdriver. What a pain.

Well, I guess I don't have to do that for another year. Thanks for the assistance.

 

[Tinkim]

I have the same problem with my carpeted stairs. I have an English Setter and no matter what kind of vacuum I use it just does not suck up the dog hair on the stairs. I started using a stiff brush and brushed out all the junk out of the corners and down the stairs and then I vacuum it once it is loosened. More work but this is the cleanest the stairs have ever been.

 

[Chattyaholic]

A shop vac

I got a small one (we have a big one in the shed to use out there, for the vehicles, etc.) for the house a couple years ago and I love it for cleaning the "corner stuff" a few times a year. Lots of suction power, and tools for different types of cleaning.

 

[bicker]

The Shop Vac was my first thought. It was even weaker than the 12 amp upright vacuum.

 

[Spinning]

This is what I do for hair on the steps...extra work but it does get them much cleaner than any vacuum!
I put on rubber gloves and have a very wet paper towel. I think with a wet glove run it over each step. To get up all the hair! You should see how much dog hair I have by the time I get to the top! Then I use a vacuum to get the dirt! No I am not a fanatical cleaner...but this is the only way to get that hair actually off the steps. If you do this twice a month you will be surprised!

 

[clarabelle]

Okay, how do I vacuum these stairs better? I've tried using our regular upright vacuum (too heavy!), a canister vacuum (not effective enough), and a Shark (REALLY not effective enough). Not even the way-too-heavy upright vacuum cleans the corners anywhere near as well as I want it to. Is there a vacuum or method that is especially good for carpeted stairs?

So you don't recommend the shark?

 

[cardaway]

This is what I do for hair on the steps...extra work but it does get them much cleaner than any vacuum!
I put on rubber gloves and have a very wet paper towel. I think with a wet glove run it over each step. To get up all the hair! You should see how much dog hair I have by the time I get to the top! Then I use a vacuum to get the dirt! No I am not a fanatical cleaner...but this is the only way to get that hair actually off the steps. If you do this twice a month you will be surprised!

We have a thing called a Sweepa that we purchased at the state fair a few years back. Does the same thing wihtout all the wetness.

 

[bicker]

So you don't recommend the shark?

The Shark is great for quick clean-ups. It isn't a replacement for normal vacuuming of carpeted stairs.