I'm using the little buffer machine that comes with Mark's package. The machine seems to work very nice - spins quick, etc. Maybe it's just in my head, but I feel like I can never get the stairs as clean as floor carpets. Am I supposed to hold the machine directly on the stairs carpet (so that it spins very slow), or hold it high enough so that it spins very quick. I have tried both ways, and still can't get them as nice as I want. Are there some tricks to this?? Please share.

i can't share because i don't know what his machine looks like.

what i use is similar to the Challenger stair tool and it ROCKS compared to other "drill" type of tools that i tried to "jimmy" into working on stairs.

thanx --- Derek.

Derek - what do you use, where do you get it, how much is it? Thanks

It doesn't really matter if the head spins in a rotary manner. The scrubbing work is done in the orbital movement. I would suggest not pushing down so hard full-time that no rotary movement is able to occur. Could burn out the motor, although the one I use daily has been running now over 2 years. I would "heel" it only when you've got unusually heavy soiling. It also helps with dirty stairs (more dirty than average) if you spray the stairs, then go & do another job,(on the same premises, of course) allowing the cleaner to break down the soil. When you spray, use a small scrub brush to agitate the most heavily soiled areas on each step in order to further assist in working in the cleaner.

Thanks Mark - one more question - what is "healing" it?

It's heeling, not healing. With a full-size floor machine, if you're trying to work on a stain or area with heavier than normal soil, you might tip the machine a bit to let the outer edge of the pad dig a little deeper into the carpet. Picture the same idea, at smaller scale, with the stair machine.

I did not know that - that sounds like a good trick I will use. Thanks Mark. i guess that's what experience gets!

Steven, what i use is similar to the Challenger Stair Tool. i bought mine but had to alter it to make it work properly. you are better off buying it from Challenger, as their's is ready to be put to work when it arrives at your door.

go here : http://challengerop.com/

click on : System
then click on the 2nd last mini-image to see what it looks like.
then click Price List and look for the Stair Tool. things works great. i use the same pads for the Challenger with it. i pre-vac, pre-spray, pre-scrub with a 15" FiberPlus pad, then extract with the cotton pad.

thanx --- Derek