Carpet on the stairs sees a lot of dirt and with every step of foot traffic, it embeds deeper. This can make it look dull and worn-out over time, needing a cleanup. However, to clean your carpeted staircase, it isn’t going to be as straightforward as cleaning your wall-to-wall floor carpeting.
Not only are the stairs messier and grimier but also the dirt trapped in their tiny corners and along the edges makes the cleaning all the more tricky. But the good part is, with the right steps and procedure, you can effectively clean your carpeted staircase.
Read on to learn how to clean them thoroughly and have them look spotless again! We’ve discussed a thorough method including everything from surface cleaning to a deeper cleanup for the best results.
5 Effective Steps to Clean Your Carpeted Staircase
1. Gather Your Cleaning Tools
Before you head towards beginning to clean your carpeted staircase, gather all the cleaning items you’ll need during the process. Here is the list of things you must keep in handy to make your cleaning easier!
- Clean microfiber cloths and towels
- White distilled vinegar
- Dish soap
- Baking Soda
- Soft-bristled brush
- Spray bottle
- Vacuum cleaner
- A carpet cleaning machine, shampooer, or a steam cleaner
Note on Choosing a Vacuum Cleaner for Stairs:
It’s crucial to choose your vacuum wisely to clean your carpeted staircase easily. Avoid making the common carpet cleaning mistake of opting for the wrong vacuum that’s not suitable for stair cleaning. A heavy, corded vacuum cleaner can make it difficult for you to move up and down the steps to clean your stairs well.
Therefore, try to use a lightweight, handheld vacuum, a stick vacuum, or any portable one with a crevice tool or stair attachment. This will make it easy to clean hard-to-reach corners and stair edges while also not being too heavy.
2. Remove Surface Dirt With a Brush & Vacuum
Once you’ve gathered all you need, you can start with surface cleanup to clean your carpeted staircase. Your carpet on the stairs must have trapped loose dirt and grit in its fibers. And it’s important to clean that dry debris first before you begin deep cleaning. There are two steps you must follow for surface cleaning.
Step 1: Baking Soda Sprinkling & Gentle Scrubbing
To ensure clean results, we recommend sprinkling a layer of baking soda on your carpeted stairs. Let that sit for a while before you gently work that in with a soft brush. This step is optional but can help loosen the surface debris for better vacuuming.
Step 2: A Thorough Vacuuming
Start from the topmost stair step and work your way towards the bottom by vacuuming each one thoroughly. A thorough vacuuming can make further cleaning a lot easier.
- Go over your carpet at a slow, steady pace, ensuring proper suction of dirt particles.
- Pay attention to cleaning the edges and corners and also the vertical risers of the steps.
- If needed, prefer two passes of vacuuming when the staircase is too dirty.
3. Treat & Break Down Any Stains on the Stairs
Once you have vacuumed your carpeted staircase, it’s time to clean any stubborn stains and spots before deep cleaning. There can be multiple types of stains that may need separate attention each. Here is a brief of how you can treat some common stains to clean your carpeted staircase using appropriate solutions.
Note: Spot-test the solutions on a hidden area before you use them to clean your carpeted staircase.
- Make sure you clean the stains without overwetting the carpet.
- Ensure to avoid rubbing and only prefer gentle, dabbing and blotting approach with microfiber cloths to prevent stains from seeping deeper.
- Clean the stain from the outer edges towards the center so you don’t spread it more.
- Give it a clean-water rinse at the end and blot well to remove any residue and let it dry well.
4. Deep Clean Your Carpeted Staircase
Once you’ve treated individual stains, it’s time to deep clean your stairs thoroughly. Although you can choose to deep clean each step manually with hands, it can be a bit exhausting & time-consuming. A better and more effective way would be to use a carpet cleaning machine or a steam cleaner.
Option 1: Use of a shampooer or a carpet cleaning machine:
- Fill the machine’s tank with water and cleaning solution as per the directions for its use.
- Start from the top, and clean your way toward the bottom step.
- Go over the carpet thoroughly, agitating it well, and extracting all the solution back.
- Once all the steps are cleaned, give it another clean-up with just plain water.
- This will remove all the soapy residue and ensure fresh & spotless cleanup.
Option 2: Steam cleaning:
- Prepare your steam cleaning machine and pour vinegar and water in a 1:2 ratio into the water tank.
- Vinegar helps loosen dirt while the steam is cleaning with the heat.
- Clean the stair steps properly, extracting the dirt and moisture back with each pass.
- Make sure you don’t overwet the fibers and clean the corners and edges with added attention.
5. Dry the Stairs Properly
Lastly, you need to dry your stairs after a deep cleaning. Provide proper ventilation in your space and turn on fans and dehumidifiers to speed up the drying. Avoid climbing up the stairs when they are not fully dried.
Once dried, you can prefer to vacuum or rake the carpet to lift up the matted fibers. With this you’ll have your carpeted stairs clean and spotless. Ensure to regularly clean your carpeted staircase to maintain their fresh look for long.
You Can Also Read: When Should Carpet Be Replaced or Cleaned?
Clean Your Carpeted Staircase More Effectively With Professional Help!
With the above steps, you can clean your carpeted staircase at home. But considering the detailed attention they demand, cleaning stairs can be tiring sometimes. Some stains and dirt buildups can be stubborn & tricky to handle. If you mistakenly choose the wrong cleaning solutions, you can also end up worsening it all.
Moreover, most rental equipment for deep cleaning isn’t efficient enough and tends to leave a lot of moisture hidden in your carpet. This can later attract dirt or even invite mold.
Therefore, we recommend going DIY only when you aim for a light cleanup. For harder and more demanding cleanups, it’s best to rely on certified carpet cleaning experts for safe and effective results.
If you are looking for a reliable professional carpet cleaning company, Best Steamer can be a trustworthy option. They’ve got more than a decade of experience with a highly skilled team of experts. Using safe solutions and industrial equipment, they can provide an effective and thorough cleaning for your carpeted staircase!
