One of the most frequented spaces in your home is your stairs. So, naturally, it could get way dirtier than other spaces in the house. More so, cleaning the stairs can be a tedious task with stubborn stains trodden into the fibers of your stair carpets or rugs, the cumbersome steepness of the treads and risers, and specks of dust settled in between the banisters. One way to make cleaning your stairs a less stressful, less time-consuming, and worthwhile investment is to invest in a specified vacuum designed for the job. In this article, we make a list of the best vacuums you can get for your stairs. In another article, we have written about some of the best practices when vacuuming your stairs.
Another reason why it’s essential to have clean stairs is to avoid injuries from tripping. Dirt and grime can make your stair slippery depending on your stair covering or materials. Your stairs vacuuming and cleaning exercise not only make your stairs look sparkly and beautiful; it restores the pristine, aesthetic, and glowing nature of your stairs and home. Remember how it felt when you first moved in? Vacuuming your stairs is the first step to getting back that feel.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Vacuum for Stairs
Unlike other spaces in your home, the stairs can be a pretty tricky and cumbersome place to clean. Because of this, comfort and durability are qualities to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner for your stairs. Lighter, easily maneuverable vacuum cleaners are recommended. Most handheld and stick vacuums possess this lightweight quality; therefore, they are usually highly recommended for stair cleaning duties.
Your stairs cleaning vacuum equipment should also have a powerful suction. This ensures that your stair surface is free of most dirt after a first clean while a second vacuuming makes it as sparkly as possible. Cannister and Upright Vacuum cleaners usually have heavy suctions, which is excellent for removing the dirt quickly. However, some handheld or stick vacuum cleaners also have great suction power.
Other qualities to consider include price, dirtbag capacity or HEPA filtration and dirt disposal mechanism if it is a bagless model, and the list of accessories included. You should feel comfortable with the vacuum you want to purchase for your stair cleaning tasks.
Best Handheld Vacuum for Stairs
Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Corded Handheld Vacuum, 47R51
The vacuum is perfect for cleaning all types of stairs. It has a unique TurboBrush Tool and a crevice tool that allows you to clean the hard to reach areas. This Bissell Cleanview corded vacuum is one you can’t afford to not have in your house.
Fitted with a 4-Amp motor, it has powerful suction for a thorough cleaning. The cleaner leaves your stairs sparkling clean. The HEPA Media Filters absorb all the dirt and allergens generated while vacuuming; hence your house is dust-free. It is also easy to empty its dirt container once it’s full. The dirt container is large and clear such that you can see when it’s time to empty it. Its large size allows you to clean without emptying now and then.
Bissell Cleanview Deluxe Cleaner has an 18-ft power cord that allows you to vacuum hard to reach areas without moving the plug. The vacuum cleaner comes with crevice tools and a hose adapter tool with a wide mouth for quick cleaning.
The cleaner takes a short time to remove any pet hair on your stairs without scrubbing it. It has a rubber-based scrubber that extracts debris and loose dirt on the stairs.
Pros
- Lightweight
- HEPA filtration system
- Easy to use and store
- Has a Comfortable Handle
Cons
- The vents on the sides may be defective, blowing out debris and hair as you use.
- A little noisy
- Needs extra strokes to pick pet hairs
Best Stairs Vacuum Cleaner for Pet Messes
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum 33A1
If you have a dog or a cat, you understand a lot about companionship and cuteness. Dogs and cats are, after all, such cute loving creatures. But you also understand how stressful it can be to clean their fur, pet hairs, and messes off your stairs, couch, or other furniture in the house. But vacuuming these pet hairs are made way easier with the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser handheld vacuum 33A1.
The best part of this vacuum cleaner and especially recommended if you have pets is the specialized flexible rubber nozzle. This nozzle performs better than canister or upright vacuums at cleaning surfaces with contours. While the rubber nozzle is specified for pet hairs, an additional hard nozzle is an excellent attachment for cleaning debris or dry dirt off hard or smooth surfaces such as wooden floors.
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is powered by a 4-Amp motor, which gives it a powerful suction that allows even you to take in the most stubborn dirt and dusts in one sweep. This device works great with this suction, not only for pet hair but even major cleaning tasks. It also uses HEPA filtration technology, which allows easy absorption of dirt, specks of dust or allergens, and dirt collection is easily done with the bagless cyclonic system. Dirt is easy to empty with the release lever that separates the motor part from the dirt container. The 0.78L capacity, clear dirt container, also allows you to know when it’s full so you can empty it.
The Bissell unit weighs less than 5 pounds with 10 x 8 x 5 inches in dimension, so it’s lightweight, easy to maneuver and move around. It has an easy-grip handle, making it even easier and comfortable to use, and the cord wrap system makes for easy movement while vacuuming and storage after. The 16ft power cord also allows for mobility within a decent range.
Pros
- Affordable and easy to use
- Lightweight
- Rubber nozzle specified for pet hairs
- Great suction
- Ergonomic, easy-grip handle
- Great range of use (stairs, tiles, upholstery, hardwood floor)
Cons
- Small dust container
- Exhaust air interfere with the cleaning
- Short power cord
- Not great with hard surfaces
Best Upright Vacuum for Stairs
Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away and AntiAllergy Seal NV501 Upright Vacuum
The Shark Rotator NV501 professional vacuum cleaner’s Lift-Away feature is perhaps the most talked-about feature that allows it offers versatility. The device can easily be converted into a canister vacuum from an upright vacuum with a simple mechanism. To convert the shark rotator, a lever allows you to lift it away from the floor nozzle. You can then attach it to the canister caddy to complete the process and start using your upright vacuum as a canister vacuum.
The pivoting head, easy convertibility, several brush attachments, and 30ft long cord allows easy mobility and maneuver. You can go anywhere with this vacuum cleaner and clean not just stairs but also a range of floors, whether hardwood floors or carpets, above-floor areas such as cabinets and other surfaces. It is a quiet vacuum cleaner, and it comes with two filters; a primary foam filter and a HEPA filter that keeps allergens and specks of dust in the bin. It is noteworthy that you can easily remove and clean both the filters and the dirt bin. It is recommended that you clean the HEPA filter once a year and the primary foam filter every three months.
This Shark Professional Unit has a suction of 10-Amp power and wattage of 1,200, making it a pretty powerful vacuum cleaner that offers thorough cleaning. Lastly, it’s just 15.5 lbs, which is relatively light for an upright vacuum, with a 1.3 quartz dust cup capacity and an 8.4ft flexible hose length.
Pros
- Versatile and affordable
- Multipurpose and easy to use
- Easily converts to Canister Vacuum
- Light and easy to maneuver (mobility)
- Long power cord and flexible hose
- Noiseless
- HEPA filtration
Cons
- No handle switches
- Caddy may topple over sometimes
Best Stick Vacuum Cleaner for Stairs
VonHaus 2 in 1 600W Corded Stick and Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
Stick vacuum cleaners are usually comfortable as they are easy to move about your space. But maybe even a stick is just a teeny bit of hassle. Van Haus decided to make a versatile vacuum cleaner that’s great at cleaning carpets and small mess, and more so, you can choose to offset the stick and convert it to a handheld cleaner for more accessibility. An advantage of the convertibility is that you can clean more than just floors; you can also vacuum above-floor surfaces such as cabinets or car interiors easily. It is also really easy to mistake for a cordless vacuum because it looks like one.
There are also additional accessories that allow for easy vacuuming of above-floor surfaces. The upholstery tool and flexible hose make it easier to accomplish a range of cleaning tasks, while the crevice or dusting tool allows you to reach tough corners while vacuuming.
The vacuum is a bagless vacuum that offers HEPA and sponge filtration system, although while the sponge filter is washable, the HEPA system isn’t washable and not entirely sealed. Still, it does quality work in keeping allergen and dust right in the dirt container. You should note that it has a 2Liter dirt bin capacity, which is excellent, and you can keep cleaning for a bit more time without worrying about emptying the bin. It has a 600W motor, which is ideal for cleaning the stairs as it is a high traffic area.
The VonHaus 2-in-1 600W corded vacuum cleaner also has an adjustable telescopic want that you can calibrate to the desired height to suit your cleaning task. This is a feature you won’t find in most other stick cleaners, so it’s an absolute advantage. It is excellent on stairs with hardwood floors and only does a decent job on low pile carpet stairs.
It has a great suction power of 5.5Amps. However, it doesn’t have a motorized brush, so it isn’t recommended for deep cleaning tasks or pet hair removal. It is light, weighing less than 3 lbs. with a 1.2L dirt bi capacity, and it comes with a 16ft power cord.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Versatile
- Great suction
- Adjustable telescopic wand
- HEPA filtration
Cons
- Noisy
- Short power cord
- No motorized brush
- Attachments rely on friction (no built-in lock)
Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaners for Stairs
Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Powered by the Dyson V10 digital motor, the Dyson Cyclone V10 vacuum cleaner is considered one of the best vacuums Dyson has ever manufactured and the best cordless stair vacuum cleaner out there. With three power settings, namely 1,2 and boost, all operated with a soft touch trigger, and you can use this vacuum on any floor to remove bacteria, debris, pollen, and dust. Other additional tools include crevice tools, mini-motorized, and combination tools.
The non-motorized tool allows you to clean continuously for 60 minutes without a recharge. When you recharge, it’ll be against your next stairs cleaning exercise, in perhaps the following week. However, the soft roller cleaner head allows you to clean continuously for 40 minutes before needing a recharge, which is equally remarkable. The mighty torque cleaner head will enable you to be deep clean continuously for up to 20 minutes before needing a recharge.
With up to 14 concentric cyclones, the cyclone technology allows you to suction in every dirt, dust, grime, or mold on your stairs with ease. Every item of dirt is pulled into the container, and this vacuum cleaner works great on hardwood floor stairs or carpeted stairs. This Dyson unit allows you to clean 25% more dust off your carpeted stairs than other units in its class. The Dyson purifiers also ensure that the unit suctions in the tiniest, finest dust particles and allergens, so it is healthy even if you’re asthmatic.
The Dyson Cyclone V10 Cordless Stick Vacuum cleaner is lightweight, weighing just about 5.9lbs. with dimensions of 9.8 x 10.1 x 49.2 inches, you can easily convert it into a handheld device that allows more accessibility. The battery takes 3 hours to charge fully, and it comes with a wall-mounted storage docking station for easy storage, and it has a dirt container capacity of 77 liters. You won’t have to worry about emptying the bin during your cleaning task.
Pros
- Noiseless
- Easy to assemble and use
- Three powerful suction settings
- Lightweight
- Long-lasting battery
- Great dirt bin capacity
Cons
- Pricey
Dirt Devil Plus 16V Quick Flip Pro Bagless Hand Vacuum BD30025B
Dirt Devil Hand Vacuum has powered turbo tool attaches that enable it to clean the staircase corners. The cleaner comes with a crevice tool that flips out for hard to reach areas.
The cleaner has a 16-Volt lithium battery that gives you the ultimate time to vacuum your stairs without charging it. Dirt Devil Hand Vacuum has a 16-Volt lithium battery that gives you enough time to clean your stairs. The battery charges fast since it has a 2x speedier charging system. Also, it has a power button that alerts you when it’s time to charge.
The cordless cleaner is lightweight and portable. It has a small dust container; thus, it is not huge. The vacuum cleaner has a powered turbo tool that allows it to clean stairs and upholstery.
Pros
- Great for stair cleaning tasks
- Great on hardwood and carpets
- Lightweight
- Fast Charge
- Cordless Mobility
Cons
- Short Battery Life
- Small tank
6 Steps to Clean Your Stairs
Even if you have the best vacuum for stairs, you need to know the best way to clean your stairs. Follow these steps to clean your stairs.
- Step 1 – Vacuum the Stairs. Use a stiff broom to remove all the large pieces of debris on the stairs and other loose dirt.
- Step 2 – Use your vacuum cleaner to suck the pet hair and loose dirt on the stairs.
- Step 3 – Apply cleaning detergent like carpet shampoo on the stairs and give attention to heavily soiled areas.
- Step 4 – Remove excess water. As you shampoo each step on the stairs, remove the excess water. Use an absorbent towel to dry the stairs.
- Step 5 – Dry the stairs. Use an absorbent towel to dry the stairs and allow them to dry for at least 12 minutes.
- Step 6 – Once the stairs are dry, vacuum again to remove any debris left behind.
In Search of The Best Vacuum for Stairs
Stairs cleaning has never been a walk in the park. It is tiresome, tedious, laborious, and God knows what else. The exercise leaves your back aching for apparent reasons. The main one being that the dirtiest areas of the stairs are the hardest to clean using regular brooms.
Knowing the best vacuum for stairs is the only way for you to breathe easy and save your back from stretching. Some stairs are carpeted while others are made to add tiles. It is advisable to choose one above to clean your stairs.
FAQ
What is the best way to vacuum stairs?
To vacuum your stairs and achieve the perfect clean, you need to have the right equipment in your possession. If you’ve read this article, the right instruments for different situations have been well covered. However, there are other useful tips we have written about in another article about the best way to vacuum stairs.
How do you vacuum the carpet on stairs?
If you have a carpeted stairs, the additional accessories on your vacuum cleaner can be very handy. A simple crevice tool or nozzle attachment should make cleaning your carpet pretty convenient, especially with the corners, edges, and between banisters.
What is the best way to clean the carpet on stairs?
A stiff brush may be useful to loosen stubborn dirt before vacuuming to clean the carpet on your stairs. If you have a steam cleaning unit, a laundry detergent may also be of great help. A squeegee may also help clean pet hairs on your carpeted stair.
How often should you vacuum your stairs?
You should vacuum your stairs as many times as you clean and vacuum your home. If you have several people living or visiting your house every day as well as pets, then you may have to vacuum at least once every two days. However, twice a week may be fine if you don’t have too many people living or visiting and one or no pets.
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