Easy Ideas On How To Protect Carpet Stairs

Carpeting interior stairs are in vogue and have been for a while. This interior decor game-changer has made it safer and more comfortable to go up and down interior stairs. It is modern, stylish, and can change the overall appeal of a house.

However, to maintain this overall appeal, you have to protect the carpet stairs. Staircases are a high-traffic area in the home. Therefore, dents and stains are almost unavoidable.

So, if you must thoroughly enjoy the beauty of carpet stairs, you must do everything possible to protect it from damage. Doing so ensures it looks good and saves you the cost of changing your carpet stairs now and then.

So, how can you protect your carpet stairs? Read to find out.

How To Protect Carpet Stairs

Protecting carpet stairs would save you time and money. There are several ways to make your carpet look good for extended periods. Here are some of them:

Clean spills immediately:

Accidents happen, especially in a high-traffic area like the stairs. Your best chance at dealing with spills is cleaning them immediately.

Liquid spills are common in this part of the house. You should have carpet stairs products for cleaning spills. Immediately a liquid spill happens, place a clean white cloth on it to absorb the moisture before it dries up. Then use carpet stairs cleaning products to make sure all stains are gone.

With solid stains, please don’t make the mistake of rubbing them into the carpet. Instead, use the blunt edge of a pointed object to push the solid particles up—for example, a dull knife or a complimentary card.

Vacuum regularly:

Cleaning your stairs often is an easy way to maintain your carpet. Clean your stairs carpet frequently and thoroughly, though the frequency should be dependent on the amount of traffic on the stairs.

Leaving soil particles in your carpet for a long time may cause it to weaken gradually. Vacuuming the carpet often prevents this. It removes grit and soil particles that may stick to the carpet fibers.

Vacuuming your stairs shouldn’t be tedious, provided you have a vacuum hose attachment or use a cordless vacuum. With the hose attachment, you can place the vacuum at the bottom or top of the stairs and clean each step easily. The hose attachments are affordable. They even come with some vacuum models.

Vacuum at least once every week. If you have kids or pets, you should consider cleaning more than once a week. It would do your carpet a whole lot of good. Ensure you swipe the hose over each step multiple times while cleaning.

Use a carpet protector:

Carpet protectors cover the entire carpet and are probably one of the most effective ways to protect your stairs carpet. They prevent anything from coming into direct contact with your carpet.

Carpet protectors aren’t made to last for long periods. You might need to change them every few weeks.

Don’t expose your carpet to direct sunlight:

It is necessary to protect your stairs carpet from sunlight, especially if your stairway is facing a window. Direct sunlight can cause your carpet to fade quickly.

Avoid fading by placing blinds or made to measure curtains over your window. Blinds are the best bet for blocking your stairs carpet from direct sunlight. Curtains are good but not as effective as blinds.

You could opt for aesthetically pleasing blinds in case regular blinds don’t fit into the overall aesthetics of your home.

Use stairs tread:

Stair treads reduce wear and tear from prolonged use of your stairs carpet. Also, they keep the carpet leveled, reducing the chance of people tripping over a carpet bump.

Many stair treads come in twos and in a size that fits the standard stairs. They are advantageous, easy to install and get the job done without hiding the carpet’s design. A carpet tack or tape keeps the stairs carpet in place.

The downside of using stair treads is you might have to keep using them because they leave marks on your carpet when taken off.

Get professional cleaners to deep clean your carpet:

To extend the lifespan of your stairs carpet, you need to deep clean at least once a year. Seeking professional cleaning services for this purpose is beneficial to you and your stairs carpet.

Regular cleaning is necessary, and so is deep cleaning. Getting the two different cleanings done at the right time is an excellent way to protect your stairs carpet.

You can get your deep cleaning done yourself. But professional cleaners are usually more skilled and thorough, which is suitable for your carpet.

The Pros Of Carpet Stairs

Here are some of the reasons why using stairs carpet is a good decision for your home:

Reduced noise:

Except your stairs are squeaky; your stairs carpet can mask the sound of people walking on them. Carpeting is the most effective way to reduce the sound from your hardwood stairs.

There are different causes of noisy stairs. One of the most common reasons is that the material used to make the stairs is too flimsy to absorb sound. Also, stairs noise may be a common occurrence if you have kids because kids seem to love it.

Reduced accidents from spills:

Carpeted stairs are safer than hardwood stairs for older adults and children. Wooden stairs are slippery and more prone to causing accidents. A small liquid spill on a wooden floor can lead to a severe accident. The chances of this happening on carpeted stairs are slim.

A cheaper option:

Carpeting your stairs is more affordable than many other hardwood flooring options. Stairs carpet may not be the cheapest option, but you would save more than many of the hardwood flooring options available.

Scratchproof:

This advantage is one that parents and pet owners appreciate. Scratching, thumping, or dragging objects through hard floors may cause visible dents. But this doesn’t apply to carpet stairs because scratch marks are always barely visible.

Provide warmth:

People who live in cold areas install carpets to keep their houses warm. Installing carpets on your staircase has the same impact.

The Cons Of Carpet Stairs

Below are some of the drawbacks of using carpet on your stairs:

Cleaning:

To thoroughly clean stairs carpet, you would need to vacuum. The challenges that come with vacuuming steps are numerous. Cleaning the edges and corners of your stairs carpet may be a tasking affair.

Cleaning wooden floors requires less effort. A broom and a dustpan are enough to clean a wooden floor. Cleaning carpeted floors is tedious and expensive (professional help).

Installation:

You would think installing carpets on stairs would be less challenging, but it isn’t. It is not straightforward, and more often than not, you would require professional assistance. Add the cost of buying the carpet to the cost of installation, and your bill increases drastically.

Mold growth:

Carpets retain moisture. This moisture retention is more visible on staircases close to basements.

Moisture on carpets leads to the growth of molds. You can avoid molds growing on your carpet by not carpeting your basement steps and by using a dehumidifier on your carpet frequently.

How Much Does Carpet Stairs Cost

Many factors affect the cost of staircase carpets. The bill doesn’t just stop at the purchasing of the carpet. It extends to the installation.

The material of the stairs carpet is a significant determinant of the price. There are several material options to choose from, some more expensive than others.

The several options are either synthetic or natural materials. Examples include Olefin, nylon, polyester, coir, triexta, jute, seagrass, wool, sisal etc. Usually, natural materials cost more than synthetic ones.

The most affordable carpet material is Olefin (synthetic) which costs about $9 per yard. Jute (natural) is the most expensive carpet stairs material, costing about $132 per yard. So, carpet stairs material per yard costs within $9 to $132.

You may consider other factors outside picking a material and installing them; Factors like carpet texture and construction.

Carpet installation costs depend on the type of stairs and the presence or absence of spindles. There may be other factors to consider.

The most common types of home stairs are straight stairs, stairs with landing and stairs with pie turn. Straight stairs are easy to carpet in comparison to other types. This ease is thanks to all steps having similar dimensions. Cutting the carpet is less challenging because there are fewer angles to consider. On average, carpeting, straight stairs would cost $430-$780 for 12 stairs.

Stairs with pie turns are a tad more complicated. So, on average, installing a carpet on a staircase with 3 pie turns, and 12 stairs would cost between $522- $915. At the same time, 12 stairs with a landing would cost within $528 to $876.

Conclusion

Carpeting your stairs may be a more affordable flooring option for most people, but it doesn’t mean it comes cheap. So, you must protect your carpet when you have it installed.

Protecting your carpet stairs would save you the cost of replacing them too soon. This post shows you how to protect your stairs carpet and the pros and cons of having them in your house.