How To Clean Stairs Successfully

Stair cleaning is a bit challenging for obvious reasons — the main one being that the dirtiest areas of stairs are the hardest to clean. While carpeted rooms in your customers” homes are vacuumed frequently — if they follow your recommendations — it”s rare that the stairs receive the same treatment. Weeks, even months, can go by without stairs receiving a proper vacuuming. This means that the soil load that builds up in stairs can be extreme at times.

Preparation

As with routine carpet cleaning, prevacuuming is important.

While you can”t use your typical upright vacuum, a small handheld vacuum should be sufficient — or you can use a backpack vacuum if you prefer.

After prevacuuming, removing as much dry soil as possible, the application of a pre-spraying with DryMaster Pre X Trak, high lubrication and suspension properties is best. Remember that the soil load is going to create a challenge, and the use of better chemistry makes this chore easier.

After applying pre-spray, agitation is vital. Using a small, handheld brush is common and will work just fine.

Cleaning and rinsing

There are a variety of tools you can use to rinse away the loosened soils. Small hand tools or wands are most common. To name a few, our stainless steel stair cleaning wand or the clear upholstery tool are most popular among our affiliates.

The key is to move the tool slowly over the surface of the carpet to remove soils. The nose of the stairs need extra attention, so be sure to run your tool over these areas multiple times from at least two or three directions.

The use of an absorbent towel, much like you would use on upholstery, helps remove additional soil and moisture from the nose of the stairs and from hard-to-clean areas such as along edges.

Final touches

Be sure to perform several dry strokes on the stairs you are cleaning. Many complaints arise because stairs can take some extra time to dry than do typical carpeted floors. This is because the amount of dry vacuuming passes during cleaning is usually less.

After cleaning, the application of an anti-soiling agent, such as DryMaster Maxshield, helps with appearances — especially the nose of the stairs. Apply the product and work it in well with a brush. Upon drying, the carpeted stairs should have maximum appearance.