How to Keep Your Staircase Clean for the Holiday Season
The holiday season is upon us, and we find ourselves asking where has this year gone? Whether you're ready for the holidays or not, we are less than two weeks away from Thanksgiving and a little less than six weeks away from Christmas. One of the inevitable things that happens during the holiday season is an influx of foot traffic in your home. This increased traffic affects every part of your home, especially your staircase.
Keeping a clean staircase can be challenging during the holidays. Stair railings are touched by new (sometimes dirty) hands, iron balusters are grabbed and knocked, and new stair parts added this year will begin seeing some wear and tear. Remember, every part of your staircase will begin seeing some wear and tear after the holiday season, but that doesn't mean that keeping your staircase clean will be an impossible task.
Here are our top tips for keeping your staircase clean for the holiday season.
Keep your staircase clear of random objects. Occasionally you'll decorate your staircase with garland, presents, or even ornaments for the holidays, so keeping an uncluttered staircase becomes an even bigger task. Make it a family effort to keep laundry, toys and various other things off of the staircase during the holiday season. This is not only going to make for a safer environment for your visitors, but it's also going to create a clutter-free look on one of the highest traffic areas in your home.
Sweep and/or vacuum stairs. If you have a carpeted staircase, you will want to use a vacuum to pick up unwanted dirt. You may need to use your vacuum attachments to get tight corners or cracks. If you have wood stairs, you will want to use a broom to sweep dirt and debris starting on the top step. Sweep dirt from the top step down to the next step, and so on. This way, you can pick up the dirt from all of your stairs on the floor at the bottom of your staircase. If you have a combination of carpet and wood on your staircase, you will have to use both a vacuum and a broom to clean it.
Dust your treads and balusters. Keeping your stair parts dust-free adds a clean feeling to your staircase that your guests will admire. Dust accumulates on wood stairs, wood balusters, newel posts and in a variety of other places depending on your stair design. Don't forget to check the nooks and crannies that you may forget about in a routine dusting. Also, you may need to use a rag to pick up the tough dirt that's accumulated on the treads. You'll see a huge difference in the look of your staircase after you give it a good dusting.
Keeping your staircase clean during the holiday season doesn't have to be an impossible task. If you stay on top of these three things, your staircase will be safe and inviting for all of your holiday guests.
- Aly Curtis
- Tags: iron balusters newel posts stair design stair parts stair railings wood balusters wood stairs
Best Practices for Storing Your Stair Parts
So you've decided to begin a stair remodel or new staircase project, and the first step is figuring out exactly what you need to get started for your new stair design. After you've figured this part out, it's time to place your stair parts order. Once your order arrives, it probably contains stair railings, iron balusters, and maybe even some newel posts. But what's your next step after they arrive?
It's time to store them until you're able to begin your stair remodel or project.
- You always want to store your wooden stair parts, like your wood stairs or wood balusters, in a place that's free of moisture. Moisture isn't good for wooden parts, and it should be avoided at all costs. The wood itself can be damaged by coming in contact with moisture whether it's on the concrete floors in your basement or near the ventilation on your AC Unit.
- Never store your stair parts in a dusty or dirty place. Not only can the dirt damage the finishes on your new stair parts, but it can create an unnecessary cleaning task for you before you begin you stair remodel or project. We recommend that you keep your stair parts in their shipping boxes in a moisture-free closet.
- Whether you purchased cheap stair parts or stair parts that are top of the line, it's important that you keep them out of direct sunlight. Additionally, if the storage area for your stair parts is too warm, it can also damage the wood by causing it to dry out and crack. Our recommended storage temperature is around 70 degrees.
