A carpeted staircase adds color, texture, and extra tread for safety on stairs. While you can cover the carpet with plastic runners to protect it from gathering dirt, that is an unsightly solution that should only be temporary. Follow this advice to give the carpet on a high-traffic staircase some special attention to keep it looking new and clean. Just like the carpet in the rest of your home, the carpet on your staircase needs regular vacuuming. It removes dirt, tiny bits of gravel, and debris from the rug that can grind away at it and do damage over time. A standard vacuum cleaner really isn't designed for stairs. It can be heavy to carry and too big for the small steps, making it almost impossible to use properly. To vacuum the stairs, invest in a lightweight, handheld model that's about the size of a small suitcase. It should include different attachments. You can hold the main unit in one hand and guide the attachment with your other. When vacuuming stairs, always remember to start at the top and work your way down.

A hose is good for sucking up surface dirt and may even get some deeper dirt that's loose in the pile. For the best results, use the brush roller attachment, which is similar to the beater brush on your standard vacuum. Doing so loosens impacted dirt and can help your carpet last longer. A stiff broom is also helpful for cleaning your carpeted staircase. It is much more lightweight than any vacuum. Doing so will improve the appearance of the carpet, but vacuuming is still recommended for a deep-down clean. To sweep the carpeted staircase, start at the top and move down. Sweep each step until any debris is on the bottom floor and can be vacuumed or swept away. You can steam clean the carpet on your staircase just as you can any carpet. You'll need a steam cleaner with a handheld hose attachment to do this. If you don't want to purchase a steam cleaner, you can probably rent a machine from a local grocery store. Keep in mind that investing in a home steam cleaner will save you money over time.

You can also opt to shampoo the carpet by hand. It is also the best method of spot-cleaning. Some stains, like those with oil bases, may require a pre-treatment solution that loosens the dirt so it can be lifted from the carpet fibers. Mix specially formulated carpet shampoo with water until you get a light foam. Work it into your carpet with a scrub brush. If you have a Shop-Vac or other wet/dry vacuum, vacuum as much water as you can out of the carpet. carpet cleaning utah county dealsOtherwise, use a soft, absorbent towel or cloth to blot the carpet and remove as much water as possible. best steam mop in canadaOnce the staircase is completely dry, go over it with a vacuum.pool vacuum cleaner amazon

Edit ArticleHow to Steam Clean Carpet Two Methods:Preparing to Steam Clean CarpetUsing the Steam CleanerCommunity Q&A Carpet is expensive, so you don't want to risk steam cleaning it yourself unless you know what you are doing. Improper equipment and technique can cause the carpet to re-soil faster or cause permanent damage to the carpet. Follow this advice on how to steam clean carpet. for a list of top-rated portable steam cleaners. pool cleaner hose 4 ft each grayThis organization tests steam cleaners and rates them on soil removal, water removal and fiber surface retention. carpet cleaning equipment phoenixYou want to use a steam cleaner that removes a lot of soil from the carpet but also removes the maximum amount of water and doesn't damage the carpet's appearance.las vegas pool financing

Ideally, the steam cleaner should be able to remove enough water that it can dry within 12 hours. Over-wetting can damage the backing to separate from the carpet, and prolonged wetness can cause mold to grow. If the steam cleaner isn't powerful enough to extract the cleaning solution, the carpet will re-soil faster. Pick a time to steam clean when the carpet can dry quickly. Use a small amount of cleaning solution. Remove furniture and other objects off of the carpet. Fill the steam cleaner's water container with hot water. Add the cleaning solution, as recommended by the manufacturer. Begin cleaning the area of the room furthest from the doorway and move backwards, so you don't walk on the cleaned carpet. Extract as much of the cleaning solution as possible by going over the carpet several times. Rinse out the cleaning solution completely with plain water. Turn on the air conditioner and fans to dry the carpet faster after steam cleaning.

If you have to walk on the wet carpet, wear clean socks or plastic bags over the shoes. If you move furniture back into the room before the carpet is completely dry, elevate it on pieces of foam. Stained wood furniture, in particular, can discolor the wet carpet. If you have to walk on the wet carpet barefooted, then make sure your feet are clean so you don't have to keep cleaning the same area you step on over and over. Never use more cleaning solution than recommended by the manufacturer. More cleaning solution doesn't lead to cleaner carpet, but it can make the carpet re-soil faster. Review your carpet warranty before steam cleaning it yourself. Carpet with a stain resistant treatment requires special treatment or the warranty is voided. Cleaning solutions that contain bleach or optical brighteners can discolor the carpet.Experts advise homeowners to clean their carpets annually or even biannually, depending on traffic and degree of soiling, yet most people clean their carpets much less frequently.

To make sure the job is done thoroughly, find a reputable carpet cleaning professional who can dry clean or deep clean your carpet with hot water on a regular basis. That way, you avoid potentially dangerous problems like mold, high levels of dirt or other issues that build up and might necessitate pulling up your carpet and replacing it. Here are some of the factors involved in carpet cleaning. Learn how they might affect the total price you pay and whether you hire a carpet cleaning professional or complete some of the work yourself as a DIY project:Professional carpet cleaning costs vary depending on the size of the area, the cleaning method, the carpet type, and whether stain removal is required. For example, you can expect to pay more for a wool carpet than for berber. On average, homeowners report paying $174 and most spend between $120 and $235.When you hire a professional carpet cleaning service or solicit quotes from them, you'll notice they charge based on one of two ways:One pricing structure uses a per room rate, which means they'll clean a carpet -- regardless of the square footage -- and charge you a flat rate for every room in your home with carpet.

They might impose a cap on size depending on the carpet cleaning company, which means if the room exceeds a certain square footage, they treat it as two rooms. Make sure they don't inflate the price they charge you, such as by overestimating your square footage. If they charge you too low a price, on the other hand, they could be a poor quality cleaning service.Some carpet cleaning services charge you on a square footage basis instead. They visit your home to make the estimate because it requires measurements. If your home is smaller -- a condo, apartment or one- to two- bedroom home -- you'll pay more for this service because of the additional fees for travel and cleaning material expenses. Owners of larger homes will pay less because these will likely be fixed.Need to get an exact price for your carpet cleaning? Get a quote from a pro today.There are various factors that could increase or lessen the total price of your carpet cleaning service. It's imperative you ask about some of these factors when requesting quotes from carpet cleaning professionals so you don't see unexpected charges on your bill.

Extra charges can boost the price by anywhere from $100 to $200. Depending on the size of your home, most carpet cleaning services charge based on the square footage of your home. Some estimates based on square footage might include:Carpet cleaning either involves chemicals, steam, dry cleaning or some combination of chemicals and steam. Steam CleaningSteam cleaning, often referred to scientifically as ?hot water extraction,? represents the most popular way to clean carpets professionally. It uses pressure to insert hot water and chemicals into your carpet, which loosens dirt and debris. The machine uses suction to remove all the dirty water from your carpet. After that, your carpet needs about 24 hours to dry completely. Professionals recommend steam cleaning over most other carpet cleaning methods because it keeps your carpet warranty intact. Carpet cleaning professionals use either vehicle-mounted or electric cleaners for the suction. Some average quotes for steam cleaning include:Dry CleaningReferred to as "low moisture" or "encapsulation" cleaning, dry cleaning utilizes chemicals and a small amount of water to quickly clean the carpet, but it doesn't eradicate as much debris and dirt as steam cleaning.

It uses a rotary machine, brush or sprayer to loosen dirt and then immediately vacuums out the dirt and debris. Encapsulation helps improve the carpet's appearance, but the carpet doesn't require 24 hours of dry time, so you can start walking on it again immediately. It also keeps the carpet cleaner for a longer period of time. Some estimates for dry carpet cleaning include:For more information & exact costs, get in touch with a cleaning pro today.Find a Local Carpet Cleaner NowDifferent types of carpet vary in their difficulty to clean, which can impact the amount you'll pay a carpet cleaning professional. Some common carpet types and their difficulty and average prices to clean include:It's important to note that your carpet type and its optimum method of cleaning is determined by the loops in the carpet. There are different types of fibers. The way in which they're twisted in the carpet -- loose, medium, tight -- determines how much dirt or debris they conceal. You should consult with the carpet cleaning professional about what you can do to cut down on the build-up based on the type of carpet fibers you have, especially if they're tightly wound.

If your carpet has stains, getting them professionally removed during carpet cleaning adds to the overall cost you pay. The amount of money you pay to remove them will depend on the type and size of the stain. For example, pet stains cost more to remove because they sink deep into the carpet's pile and take more time to extract from the carpet. In comparison, light stains, such as those that come from food spills, generally take less time to remove and cost you less. Stains can cost anywhere from $40 to $300 to remove, depending on the size and depth, so keep that in mind.DIY Stain RemovalIf you want to cut down on the cost for professionals to remove stains from your carpet, here are some of the most common types of stains and tips on how to remove them on your own.Pet StainsWhen pets get excited or nervous, they can have accidents on your carpets. While it seems like they won't come out, there are methods for removing those stubborn stains from your carpet:CoffeeSometimes you slosh a few drops of coffee while you're walking through the house and it happens to hit the carpet.

If you can clean it immediately, you'll prevent a yellow-brown stain from forming on your carpet. Follow these instructions:Blood StainsWhen you get blood on a carpet, you need to remove it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, there's a good chance it won't come out easily later. Here are some fast-acting methods for removing blood from carpet:If you decide to clean your carpet rather than hire professionals, you can rent a steam cleaner from home improvement stores, grocery stores and other local retailers. Steam cleaners use detergent and hot water to extract the dirt and debris from your carpet. Steam cleaner rentals cost anywhere from $35 to $50 per day, plus the cost of the cleaning solution. Most steam cleaner rental venues and manufacturers recommend using their own cleaning solution rather than a third party's brand. If you ignore this advice, you risk damaging your carpet or the machine.Some risks that you run with using a rental steam cleaner rather than hiring a professional carpet cleaning service including:While DIY steam cleaning is the less expensive option for homeowners, these risk factors could prove problematic if you run into them or have conflicting issues.

Make sure you're ready to tackle these if you want to pursue DIY carpet cleaning. Also, make sure that it's worth the investment and potential additional costs.If you don't have time, contact a cleaning professional to do it for you.Hire a Carpet Cleaner TodayWhen you hire a professional carpet cleaning service, several options might help you lower your total costs, either immediately or down the road, if you pursue long-term carpet cleaning. Here are some factors to consider with carpet cleaning professionals when requesting a quote.Some professional carpet cleaning services offer discounts for:Ask company representatives if they offer any of these discounts when you're soliciting quotes. It could save you hundreds of dollars on your carpet cleaning services. There are also various sites online that feature coupons, deals and other potential savings for homeowners to use with carpet cleaning companies. There's no reason for you to pay full price with a carpet cleaning company unless they offer the best service in your area and impose a no-discount policy for good reason.

Professional carpet cleaning professionals sometimes charge additional fees for some services because of added materials, time and labor involved in their process. Some of these add-ons include:Carpet discoloration results over time from sunlight, bleach, stains and so forth. The average lifetime of a carpet is around 12 years, but the fibers get damaged along the way, including discoloration. Color repair involves fixing and dyeing areas that were injured by:Using a carpet dye kit, wet vac, rags and other materials, professional carpet cleaners mix the original carpet colors and dye them into the carpet. This allows the carpet to retain its original color and mask the damages sustained over time. Thus, the repairs extend the life of the carpet without homeowners having to pull up their carpet and start over again or having to continue to look at damage. For stain resistance, homeowners can invest in products like Stainmaster, Teflon and Scotchgard. These all prevent future staining and increase the total cost of carpet cleaning.