To want to know how to hoover stairs

[VivienScott]

I had a mother who was a staunch feminist, house work was a male tool to repress women so she didn't really do a lot of it, she had a lot of other things to do.

As a result, I'm missing some basic life skills.

One of them is how the bloody hell do you get pet hair out of the carpet on the stairs. Seriously there must be a knack that I was never taught because no matter how I hoover it, it just sits there taunting me.

I know there are bigger issues in the world right now, like what they'll call the new royal baby, but AIBU to want to know and to ask you how do you get your stairs carpet properly clean?

I use the flat nozzle for the step and riser, really press and pull (and scrub it if necessary), then the crevice tool for the sides, join of step and riser.

Don't have pets though.

My mum was also a staunch feminist. She was also a clean freak. I'm still rebelling against her clean thing, i'm a slut when it comes to housework.

With two dogs and two cats I feel for you. The Dyson animal nozzle is good but quite honestly by the time I have set it all up I can do the stairs with a good stiff brush. I use a scrubbing brush. Good for the muscles as well...

With the addition of my new black greyhound boy the paintwork on my stairs looks like it is growing pubic hair. I take the brush end off and use the nozzle sort of scrapping it up and down and wigging it into the corners. Every now and again blue moon damp rubber gloves gets lots of hair out of the carpet.

• wiggling. Oh and I have a Dyson animal too. Nearly 15 years old and still does the bizz.

Ahhh...for pet hair a rubber soled trainer is your ally.

Pop it on your hand then rub in circular motions on each step. All the fur/hair comes up beautifully, in a ball, then you just bin in. Works really well for human hair too, my husband is constantly amazed how much I shed... Saves you hours of hoovering (you need a serious Hoover to get pet hair up.)

I now live in Sweden, where they think carpets are barbaric* and I spend a lot less time hoovering - wooden floors all the way! Does wonders for allergies too. I'm athsma and allergy free since I moved.

• shortly after I moved here I was in the pub and someone was telling a story about their time as a student in the UK. "The flat had carpet....in the bathroom " ( cue disbelieving noises....)

You use the attachment on the Hoover and put it on the end of the house and kind of scrub the carpets with it as it sucks ..

Hose not house !

Seconding the rubber sold trainer suggestion. Or get a rubber brush.

I totally agree with the Swedes in carpet in bathroom. That is horrid.

On pet hair/ stairs, yes it's a hand and knees job with the short nozzle and/or flat attachment.

I have lived in a student house with a carpeted bathroom. I swear the carpet was an ecosystem unto itself. We had resident slugs.... :(

Rubber brush is a good idea - one of those curry comb blocks you can get for brushing pets with would probably work a treat.

I have an old shoe polish brush (actual brush) that I use before hoovering, it lifts quite well.

*soled

skiptonlass do you remember the house doctor on the telly (an American woman doing home makeovers). She was shocked at the amount of bathroom carpets in the UK and deemed them unsanitary. Not seen many since then. They used to be popular in the grim north (especially before everyone had central heating)!

I have a rubber brush from Lakeland that I use on the stairs before hoovering. I also slide my feet around the bedroom carpet wearing slippers as the soles on those collect up more of my hair than the Dyson Animal does!