vacuuming the stair carpet

[lurkingfromhome]

Apologies for dullest question ever. Have recently moved into a house and find myself with a stair carpet for the first time ever (have either lived in flats or house with wooden staircase so this is all new to me).

How the jeff is one meant to vacuum a stair carpet? Using the brush attachment thingy on the hoover barely works as it just about lifts surface crumbs but nothing else (I must point out that we have a cat so the hoover has to be able to deal with cat hair, which it seems to do on every other carpet in the house).

Tried using the hoover just as a hoover but that was silly as I had to wield it clumsily over each stair and it still didn't work. Also tried using a dustpan and stiff-bristled brush but it took literally an hour, I felt like a Victorian housemaid and I still wasn't convinced the carpet was very clean.

Or is my hoover just rubbish and not picking up well enough to deal with stair carpets? This is making me really cross and turning into a bit of a housework ordeal...

I think it's "meant" to be an ordeal (isn't life grand?). I hate stair-hoovering.

Presumably you have a powerful hoover, given your cats, so maybe the problem is in the hose: have you checked that there's no obstruction?

Until I bought a little hand held Hoover, I used to use a lint roller. That works well, although doesn't work out cheaply. A cheaper option that I used when a student is to rub an empty hot water bottle over each step (the ridgy plastic picks up a lot of crap through combination of friction and static). I like the mini-Dyson better but the end result is about the same.

I have a lakeland chilli hoover but to be honest, the best think is a hard wooden brush and dustpan. It takes all the hairs etc out (also use a lint brush sometimes)

I love the pink can of carpet mousse too

You can get a brush with rubbery bristles that works like notnow 's hot water bottle, I need it to pick up my own hair

Think it was from betterware or lakeland.

Lakeland apparently

A rubber soled shoe is your best friend! Rub it vigorously on each step (in a sweeping up type of way) and the hair comes right off in balls - perfect for defuzzing the sofa!! Unfortunately you do still have to Hoover the other bits but it gets the hair up a treat!

Just buy a new basic non upright Hoover? I have a tesco on brand one, with bags, and it does the job really well. It was £30.

I use the little upholstery attachment for the steps and treads (nearly every day), and the tube attachment for the edges when I can be bothered.

So many ideas! Very glad to hear it isn't just me and that this is supposed to be an ordeal. Off now to go and buy a non-upright hoover, a rubbery bristle brush and whatever else I can get my hands on. Isn't life just a rollercoaster of fun sometimes? Thanks all!

Buy a Dyson handheld! Great for stairs.

I HATE hoovering the stairs and it doesnt get done very often seems there's no easy answer [weep]

i use a normal brush and dustpan, works a treat

actually it is a hard brush, not soft

My miele's great on the stairs. I still hate doing it but it actually cleans them rather than the old Dyson which was impossible and left them still dirty.

If it's hair that's the problem a shower squeedgie will scrape hair all together really well

Do upright hoovers not have nozzles?

I couldn't do without a nozzle!

Get a trainer (the shoe not the person) and vigorously rub it across the carpet towards the front of the step. It pulls all the fluff and hair into a ball which you can then use the nozzle on the hoover tube to suck up.

Dyson hand held, really quick and easy. Great for the car as well.

Does your hoover not have a little foot attachment? All the ones I have had and use do - it really isn't difficult.

Just suffer through it with gritted teeth and my old heavy Dyson. I love the paaaaaaaaain. Fucking hell, hoovering generally annoys me. It's so loud. Must get a cleaner.

My lovely Dyson that I am trialling for MN has sorted this right out.
But before that, my version of the hot water bottle / squeegee (sp?) was a slightly damp rubber glove - also great for upholstery, curtains etc.

My Dyson does it fine. It fits sideways on the step below the one I'm doing, resting against my shins. I use the tube attachment. Takes me about 5 mins to do the whole staircase.

one obvious thing but I took a chance on this and it hurts if you get it wrong - make sure the cleaner is BELOW you.

dangerous things, stairs...

A damp cloth and a floor scrubbing brush will remove everything.