How To Vacuum a Carpeted Floor and Stairs
with
Jennifer DeCristofano
A clean and plush carpet can really improve the appearance of your home. Learn how to vacuum your carpeted floor and stairs with these handy tips.
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Transcript: How To Vacuum a Carpeted Floor and Stairs
Hi! I'm Jennifer DeCristofano for About.com Home. Clean, fresh looking floors can really improve the appearance of your home. For most homes, vacuuming regularly is one of the best ways to accomplish this. So today I'm going to show you some of the best ways to vacuum your carpet with ease.Supplies Needed to Vacuum
To do this, you will need an upright vacuum and preferably one that also comes with a hose attachment.Remove Vacuum Cloggers From the Carpet
Before vacuuming, inspect the area and pick up any larger objects, pieces of paper, coins, debris or anything lying around on the carpet that could cause a clog up or wind around the brushes in your vacuum cleaner, such as string.Inspect the Vacuum
Next, check the vacuum bag or dirt storage container in your vacuum cleaner to make sure that it isn't already full. If it is, change out the vacuum bag or empty the dirt storage container in your vacuum before vacuuming.You might also want to check the underside of the vacuum to make sure you don't have old string or twine wrapped around the brush bristles. If you do, a quick way to clean the brushes is to use a comb, knife, or screwdriver to pull the hair, twine, and string out of the brush. Continue this process while rotating the brushes until the bristles of the brushes look clean.
Moving the Vacuum
Once the vacuum is clean and ready for use, plug in the power cord to a nearby electrical outlet and turn on the vacuum. While vacuuming, it's important to vacuum in a mostly forward direction instead of backward so you can get the job done faster. Also be sure to overlap your strokes pattern across the floor to ensure that you get all dirt and residue.It's important to note here, that if you change up your vacuuming direction occasionally this will also reduce matting in your carpet.
Vacuum Tight Spaces
Now sometimes, you may have small tight spaces or stairs that need vacuuming. For these areas, use the hose on your vacuum with a tool attachment to get into those sharp corners and tight edges around these small spaces, and then simply stroke the largest area of the carpeted area with the underside of the vacuum cleaner to suck up the rest of the dirt.And there you have it! The carpet looks fresh and plush again! Thank you for watching! For more information, visit us on the Web at homegarden.about.com.