I have stairs at home that conventional vacuum cleaners cannot clean. down two flights of stairs - and a good solution for a quick pick up. I was disappointed when on first use the most important part of using the ladder - the shoulder strap threaded through the attachment slots - eliminated the over-the-shoulder feature which I was hoping would make it easier to use. The vacuum cleaner collects dust and dirt and works. However, in this capacity I am in the process of looking for a heavy duty shoulder strap and modifying the strap's attachment points so that it can be used entirely on stair carpets. The strap and its attachment points are inadequate at best, and without modification, replacing the strap and changing the attachment points - strengthening these, most of the intended use of the ORECK BB900 is unachievable.