How the hell do I clean/vacuum carpeted stairs?
How the hell do I clean/vacuum carpeted stairs?
I know this is a cleaning request than a home improvement one, but I would appreciate some advice.
Some months back I moved into a place where the only carpet is located on a staircase. The carpet is thick and maybe considered to be medium to high pile??
The entire time I've lived here, I've struggled to figure out how to clean the damn stairs. The carpeting seems to be a magnet for every particle of dirt and strand of hair.
I have a full size vacuum with a hose. The hose doesn't actually seem to vacuum up anything from the stairs and the main part of the vacuum is too large to use. So the vacuum does fuck all for it.
I'm thinking I maybe need to use something like a wire bristle brush and a lint roller to actually remove dirt and hair??? Is there a best methodology for something like this?
Also of note...I was gifted a Bissell Crosswave recently. It doesn't seem like it would work well on thick carpeting, but I'm wondering if there's a technique where I could maybe use it for that???
I appreciate any advice! Thanks!
Sounds like you need a stick vac rather than a bulky corded vac and a thing called a "carpet rake".
Carpet rakes are underrated. I've got a rubber one and it's great. Also good for removing pet hair from furniture with a vacuum.
Yeah, I got a cordless stick vac a few months ago and it has been a game changer, particularly for the stairs. It is powerful but also lightweight enough that my kids can use it (and thus help around the house) effectively.
Your vacuum might have an attachment you can buy that is like a little handheld vacuum with bristles.
Yep this is exactly what I use to clean my stairs.
These (don't) suck. Anything fabric causes too much drag on the brush and they don't spin. I have an older Dyson that I tried to use it with maybe a shop vac would work better?
We have an original Shark handheld vacuum that worked great on the stairs but it started overheating.
Now I just use the plain brush attachment on the dyson's hose and rub it around in different patterns. It does seem to work.
It just depends. I had an Electrolux and the one for it was excellent! I'm blanking on the brand of vacuum I have now, the one for it is nearly as effective as my old Electrolux.
Sebo one works great, it's honestly so overbuilt I'm more concerned about it wearing holes in upholstery than stalling. Sounds like a jet spooling up.
For a deep clean I use a curry brush (like this one: Four Paws Magic Coat Professional Series Grooming Brushes for Dogs & Cats l Trimmers, Nail Clippers, & Brushes Dog & Cat https://a.co/d/8j7CsHi) I had bought it for my cat, but discovered it works really well at pulling crap out from carpeting.
You don't need a wire bristle brush to do this. If you have a smaller brush head for your vacuum which fits the space, that will work fine. The last place I lived I had the same vacuum problem, but I had an old half-broken hairbrush I used to give the steps or wherever a quick once-over before vacuuming. It worked great. Silicone / Thermoplastic Elastomer / Rubber pet brushes work even better. The Kong Zoom Groom is great at this, but I'm sure you can find a cheaper version from similar materials.
You say the hose doesn't do anything, do you mean it doesn't have much suction, or something else? Generally, with a full size vacuum, you do stairs with the hose with an attachment on the end. I ended up using the upholstery brush with mine, and that works pretty well, but usually you can get ones like the bottom right of this image that are designed for it.
I have a canister vacuum and it's been great for this, as well as for things like clearing up cobwebs in tall corners and cleaning small spaces like between my fridge and counter. I got a Miele, since the guys at the VacuumCleaners subreddit had it listed as a good balance between price and reliability, but I'm sure there are cheaper options out there if you're not looking for BIFL-level quality.
Our Oreck XL is a bit awkward on carpeted stairs, but doable and its beater brush is not fucking around. As an aside, it's not the best vacuum in the world, but it's reasonably priced, a proven design, and easily repaired.
