Vacuuming trapped debris from the corners of my stairs is the bane of my existence – the surprising solution is this stylish $7 antique addition

They add character and practicality, and are fast making a comeback

A cozy seating area with a small sofa and an arm chair nestled under a curling stair case. A large sculptural lamp beside them and a low hanging pendant.
(Image credit: OKA)

With narrow steps, awkward angles, and an endless buildup of hair and dust, vacuuming the stairway is my living nightmare. No matter the attachments I try, it's never quite as easy or thorough as I'd like.

That's why I was so intrigued to learn about the return of an antique cleaning staple, Victorian stair corners, available at Amazon. They smooth out awkward corners to make picking up all the dirt a dream.

It's a simple cleaning tip that adds a ton of character to your home while being practical. What's not to like?

Why stylish dust corners are making a comeback

My partner and I have very fine hair that falls out with even a simple draft. As a result, it builds up in the corners of my stairwell for fun – I'd hate to imagine the mess if we had pets!

While vacuum crevice tools on the best cordless vacuums help some of the time, stands and dust still gets suck in the corners of the carpet and shows up in my floor-level staircase lighting, making my home look dirtier than it is.

Stair corners are an old Victorian tool that taps into the corners to round them out. Back when cleaning floors was a job for a broom, the rounded corners made it easier to sweep all the debris away, with no awkward angles for dust to hide.

Amazon shoppers love how easy they are to install, too.

Giving the dust guards five stars, verified shopper Marc shared, 'I wanted to use these as dust guards on my stairs for an antique look. They worked out really well! They are thin like the other reviews mention, but I actually thought that was a good thing because that made it a little easier to form them to the inner corners of each stair.'

What to shop


Want to cut your cleaning time? Brush up on the bad habits making your floors dirty in the first place.

Chiana Dickson
Content Editor

Chiana has been at Homes & Gardens for two years and is our resident 'queen' of non-toxic living. She spends most of her time producing content for the Solved section of the website, helping readers get the most out of their homes through clever decluttering, cleaning, and tidying tips. She was named one of Fixr's top home improvement journalists in 2024.

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