doylebloss
Supportive Member
How many of you use a stair tool or wand designed for stairs? What do you like about them? What changes would you suggest?
Stair Tool Or Stair Wand - Who uses them?
- Thread starter doylebloss
- Start date
Desk Jockey
Member
Yes we do but I don't mind doing the tread with a carper wand. Its a bit much to do the riser but I've done it.
2 inch barrel, multiple jets, Green Glide. Long enough so you don't have to bend over too much.
Light in weight but not so much that it can be easily damaged.
2 inch barrel, multiple jets, Green Glide. Long enough so you don't have to bend over too much.
Light in weight but not so much that it can be easily damaged.
Larry Cobb
Member
This guy does on upholstery instead of stairs . . .
Cleanworks
Moderator
Here is a pic of my collection of stair tools. The short ones and the swivel are for residential and the long handled ones are for commercial stairs. All 1 1/2 inch and no glides. Don't need glides on a stair tool. A comfortable stair tool will save your back and shoulder. I know cause I had to learn the hard way.
Desk Jockey
Member
Atlanta! Crazy fooker! 
No manufacturer has taken the initiative to created a great stair tool as far as I know. Closest is the PMF Saigerized 2 jet swivel but it's far from perfect.
Bull noses are the tricky part. Most manufacturers just prefer to pretend they don't exist, as far as I can tell.
Bull noses are the tricky part. Most manufacturers just prefer to pretend they don't exist, as far as I can tell.
Mikey P
Administrator
Doyle
You and I have a mutual respect and like for one another so I'm not going to blow smoke up your * or tell you how to design the best stair wand ever, cause I wouldn't get it just right.
But I will give you the best advice you'll get in your search.
Hire Tom Conway to design it for you. He has mentioned to me that he already has it in his head but he can't focus on it until he has his new wand perfected and in production.
In case you've been hiding under a rock, Tom has recently released the very best wand this industry has ever seen. He has also created the very best inline lint filter for the industry, bar none.
I'll tag a few owners to so they can tell you all about his wand
@Jim Martin
@hogjowl
@Mark Saiger
As for his filter, if you were to include one with every CDS sold, you'll never see a leaky tank from rot ever again. (Assuming they use it)
Tom could be your Studebaker if you catch my drift...
You and I have a mutual respect and like for one another so I'm not going to blow smoke up your * or tell you how to design the best stair wand ever, cause I wouldn't get it just right.
But I will give you the best advice you'll get in your search.
Hire Tom Conway to design it for you. He has mentioned to me that he already has it in his head but he can't focus on it until he has his new wand perfected and in production.
In case you've been hiding under a rock, Tom has recently released the very best wand this industry has ever seen. He has also created the very best inline lint filter for the industry, bar none.
I'll tag a few owners to so they can tell you all about his wand
@Jim Martin
@hogjowl
@Mark Saiger
As for his filter, if you were to include one with every CDS sold, you'll never see a leaky tank from rot ever again. (Assuming they use it)
Tom could be your Studebaker if you catch my drift...
Last edited:
Desk Jockey
Member
I like smoke blown up my azz. Well, "like" might be a strong word.
Mikey P
Administrator
Eliminate, you idiot.
hogjowl
Idiot™
Thant yew
WHAD AM EYE, CHOPPED LIVER?!
For real, though, it is the best wand ever produced. Head and shoulders above the rest.
Major manufacturers get it slightly wrong over, and over, and over, and over, and over............
Mikey P
Administrator
Sorry Derek, I knew I was overlooking someone..
Onfire_02_01
Member
To get this thread back on track. I would want a stair took that can be used with a 2 inch hose. Having to change tools to do the steps is annoying but having to carry a 1.5 lead hose just for my stair wand is not good to me. Swivel that can completely swivel 180 degrees is super handy.
Watch those angles on tube bends, I feel with the right angle the bullnose becomes less of an issue. Ie. If I use my right hand to hold the wand and my left hand to guide the wand; when I come to the bullnose dropping my right hand down gets enough of the nose that when I flip the tool over for the vertical I can get the rest. But the angle has to be right for that to happen.
Cleanworks
Moderator
There are lots of hose cuffs and adapters to convert 1 1/2 inch to 2 or vice versa. My straight handled tools let me stand upright while cleaning stairs until I get to the last 2 and the landing. It would be nice to have a slight upward angle, maybe 10-15 degrees offset. It will be the same on the stairs but will make it easier on the landings. Especially when you are doing 3 sets of 48 stairs each. Often, we don't clean the risers with a tool. They get sprayed and cuffed. If they really need cleaning, we use a pmf upholstery detail tool.
Mark Saiger
Mr Happy!
Hopefully soon... PMF will make this tool with the changes I have suggested to make it better yet.
Change to dual jet... Put the jets on the head similar to Tom's wand
And yes... There is no wand that performs like Tom's wand at this time... Just ridiculous great performance!
And for now those of you with a swivel head PMF this mod can help.. And leave the spacers in that I took out in the video
Change to dual jet... Put the jets on the head similar to Tom's wand
And yes... There is no wand that performs like Tom's wand at this time... Just ridiculous great performance!
And for now those of you with a swivel head PMF this mod can help.. And leave the spacers in that I took out in the video
Mikey P
Administrator
Mark does your pmf swivel keep your body"centered" in the stairwell like the Dev does?
Mark Saiger
Mr Happy!
I would say yes...
I do not move side to side for sure....
the angle works for me and even tall boy wonder...
The 1.5 inch also works fine and I do prefer a whip hose with it over adaptor...have tried both.... (age setting in....)
Wow you guys rock, THANK YOU for the comments,
I have the PMF swivel on the van right now, I did get a little upset first time using it....but I have used it several times and I do like it much better now.
I think the first time I used it I was expecting it to handle a little differently than it did.....The problem isn't so much the PMF wand, the problem is, I had become very comfortable with my shortened "S" bend swivel of my own that I cut down....The reason is it keeps you "AWAY" from the walls on your decent down the stairs or as Mikey says "centered". If you look at Marks video as you can see the operators back is up against the wall and you are forced to bend your body to get the tool into that corner NOT KNOCKING THE TOOL it is just a fact . My "S" bend is by far the most comfortable as for doing the TOPS of the stairs....BUT the "S" bend just kills all that when you do the risers. I won't go into to much more on that, I do have a idea and I will start on it as soon as the wand levels out.
As far as the bullnose we might be able to help with some of this "IF" the wand is designed better and more comfortable to use but I just don't think we will honestly ever get a stair tool that will ever really do away with taking the hose off the tool and going back and making sure all the rinse is sucked up with the vac hose cuff pass for your final dry pass on the bullnose....Maybe but I just don't really see it no matter how good the tool is, maybe I'm wrong will have to wait in see.
I think out of all the stair tools, they all share the same problem...I don't think it is so much the tool....time/prototyping/testing will tell.
As far as "Studebaker" Wow!! thank you, but no, I'm just Tom, I look up to him that is for sure! I'm just a cleaner out sucking some rugs, and is very fortunate to be able to do something that I love to do.
I have the PMF swivel on the van right now, I did get a little upset first time using it....but I have used it several times and I do like it much better now.
I think the first time I used it I was expecting it to handle a little differently than it did.....The problem isn't so much the PMF wand, the problem is, I had become very comfortable with my shortened "S" bend swivel of my own that I cut down....The reason is it keeps you "AWAY" from the walls on your decent down the stairs or as Mikey says "centered". If you look at Marks video as you can see the operators back is up against the wall and you are forced to bend your body to get the tool into that corner NOT KNOCKING THE TOOL it is just a fact . My "S" bend is by far the most comfortable as for doing the TOPS of the stairs....BUT the "S" bend just kills all that when you do the risers. I won't go into to much more on that, I do have a idea and I will start on it as soon as the wand levels out.
As far as the bullnose we might be able to help with some of this "IF" the wand is designed better and more comfortable to use but I just don't think we will honestly ever get a stair tool that will ever really do away with taking the hose off the tool and going back and making sure all the rinse is sucked up with the vac hose cuff pass for your final dry pass on the bullnose....Maybe but I just don't really see it no matter how good the tool is, maybe I'm wrong will have to wait in see.
I think out of all the stair tools, they all share the same problem...I don't think it is so much the tool....time/prototyping/testing will tell.
As far as "Studebaker" Wow!! thank you, but no, I'm just Tom, I look up to him that is for sure! I'm just a cleaner out sucking some rugs, and is very fortunate to be able to do something that I love to do.
SamIam
Member
Mikey P
Administrator
Studebaker was "just a guy out cleaning" for a long time..
Quit being a Doubting Thomas...
A stair wand should be 1.5 IMO.
Using Doubting Tom internal head porting you can have all the airflow of a normal wand with the benefit of lightweight and maneuverability. A swivle head is a must but not nessacaraly a head that flips over...my jury is still out on that. .
The standard wand assist handle is about worthless imo. a heat shield on the tube to provide a gripping area is my preference
Reduced flow is silly. Let er rip!
The most important element to proper staircase cleaning is a proper prevacuuming. 99% of us don't.
The Hoover PowerPort makes its easy to get the edges and elbows.
Anxiously awaiting the Conway Stair Wand...
Good night.
Quit being a Doubting Thomas...
A stair wand should be 1.5 IMO.
Using Doubting Tom internal head porting you can have all the airflow of a normal wand with the benefit of lightweight and maneuverability. A swivle head is a must but not nessacaraly a head that flips over...my jury is still out on that. .
The standard wand assist handle is about worthless imo. a heat shield on the tube to provide a gripping area is my preference
Reduced flow is silly. Let er rip!
The most important element to proper staircase cleaning is a proper prevacuuming. 99% of us don't.
The Hoover PowerPort makes its easy to get the edges and elbows.
Anxiously awaiting the Conway Stair Wand...
Good night.
Desk Jockey
Member
I agree with Tom about the "S" bend.
In Nashville there many stair tools to handle and use on Fred's stairs. Some really looked impressive but sucked when you used them. Awkward and didn't function as good as they looked. Designed by someone that never cleaned, or it would have been designed better.
I think 2 inch, most TM'S come with 2 inch and jacking around with a whip or an adapter should be for the few, not the majority.
Sorry boss!
In Nashville there many stair tools to handle and use on Fred's stairs. Some really looked impressive but sucked when you used them. Awkward and didn't function as good as they looked. Designed by someone that never cleaned, or it would have been designed better.
I think 2 inch, most TM'S come with 2 inch and jacking around with a whip or an adapter should be for the few, not the majority.
Sorry boss!
I STILL don't feel a need for a swivel to be on a stair wand.
As for the stair tools, they need to be used for...Nothing! They're too freaking little.
Stair wands are the only way to go in my book. If it's a straight wand (No S-bends) you don't need to waste your money or engineering time (Sorry Tom) on a swivel.
BUT!... Here's a few things I feel will make it a great wand.
-I love the 1.75tube with a 2"flare to hook up the 2"hose
-Straight, not S
-Single or two jet whatever gets the best feel
-A little wider than Prochem's stair tool
-8-10ft 1.5" Hide-a-Hose attached to it. Use the best 2" hose you can get your hands on. This will do two things, reduce the need to have a swivel, and prevent any burns for the Aerotech owners that brag about using 260F water, lol
-And get just an average length of the wand on someone who's about 6' tall and most comfortable with the length.
As for the stair tools, they need to be used for...Nothing! They're too freaking little.
Stair wands are the only way to go in my book. If it's a straight wand (No S-bends) you don't need to waste your money or engineering time (Sorry Tom) on a swivel.
BUT!... Here's a few things I feel will make it a great wand.
-I love the 1.75tube with a 2"flare to hook up the 2"hose
-Straight, not S
-Single or two jet whatever gets the best feel
-A little wider than Prochem's stair tool
-8-10ft 1.5" Hide-a-Hose attached to it. Use the best 2" hose you can get your hands on. This will do two things, reduce the need to have a swivel, and prevent any burns for the Aerotech owners that brag about using 260F water, lol
-And get just an average length of the wand on someone who's about 6' tall and most comfortable with the length.
I see your reasoning on a different type of swivel. You almost wand the head to be on a Hinge of some sort, to make it go side to side, like on a spiral stair case. ButI think that would be too complicated. On those few types of stair cases that I do, I'd just break out my upholstery tool
encapman
Member
You guys all need to move to Florida. Land of the single story dwellings. Very few stairs here.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
you are not going to find a better wand out there then Toms ...I have had it since September and every day I am still amazed at what I see it do...
the performance...the recovery..the quality....is amazing..
The bar has been raised and as far as I am concerned...no one will ever come close to what Tom has accomplished...you just not going to get a wand any closer to perfect then he has...
I have mentioned before that he need to get us a stair tool going..if he can dial in a stair tool as perfect as the has this wand...cleaning stairs can finally move to a whole different level......
I am not going to waste my time looking at other stair wands...I will patiently wait for Toms..
the performance...the recovery..the quality....is amazing..
The bar has been raised and as far as I am concerned...no one will ever come close to what Tom has accomplished...you just not going to get a wand any closer to perfect then he has...
I have mentioned before that he need to get us a stair tool going..if he can dial in a stair tool as perfect as the has this wand...cleaning stairs can finally move to a whole different level......
I am not going to waste my time looking at other stair wands...I will patiently wait for Toms..
Desk Jockey
Member
I don't believe a swivel is needed for steps. I tried it and it was ok, no major time saver. It was the best tool of the dozen or so tools there in Nashville but could stand some improvement.
hogjowl
Idiot™
One try and he's an expert.
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