How to Clean Stairs and Stair Carpet

Every step lands on the front edge of the tread – the nosing – and grinds grit into the pile there. That's why stair carpet usually looks worn and grey at the front edge of each step long before the rest of it. Dust also collects in the corner where the tread meets the riser, and along the edges by the wall and spindles.

Regular vacuuming removes that grit before it cuts the fibres. On stairs, it makes a bigger difference to how long the carpet lasts than anything else.

A cordless or handheld vacuum is the easiest option. If you use an upright, never balance it on the stairs above you; keep it at the bottom and use the hose and tools, or carry a lightweight cylinder vacuum and keep it on the step below you.

Start at the top and work down, so dust falls onto steps you haven't done yet. On each step, use the crevice tool in the back corner and along both edges, then a brush or upholstery tool across the tread, and finish by running it down the riser and over the nosing.

Treat spills straight away, working from the outside in and blotting rather than rubbing. Because stair carpet is wrapped tightly over the nosing, it's thin there and liquid can reach the backing quickly – use as little water as possible and press dry with a towel.

Muddy footprints are best left to dry completely, then broken up with a stiff brush and vacuumed before treating any mark that remains. Our carpet stain removal guide covers specific stains such as coffee, wine and grease.

Hard stairs are easier to keep clean but can be slippery when wet. Vacuum or sweep, then wipe each tread with a well wrung-out microfibre cloth or flat mop with a suitable floor cleaner. Avoid polishes and silicone sprays on treads – they make stairs slippery.

Stair rods, carpet runners and metal nosings collect grit in their fixings. A crevice tool and an old toothbrush get into the edges. Check runners are still securely fixed while you're cleaning; a loose runner is a trip hazard.

Handrails are one of the most touched surfaces in the house. Wipe them weekly with a damp cloth and a little washing-up liquid, then dry them; wax or oil wooden handrails occasionally if they're unsealed.

Spindles collect dust in every groove. A microfibre duster glove or a pair of old cotton socks on your hands makes this quick – wrap your hand around each spindle and slide down. Scuffs on the walls beside the stairs usually come off with a damp melamine sponge, used lightly. Our guide to cleaning walls and skirting boards has more.

Stairs are fiddly for professional carpet cleaners too, so they're often priced like a room or per flight, sometimes with landings counted separately. Hot water extraction removes the ground-in grit at the nosings far better than a home carpet washer, and most cleaners use smaller hand tools on stairs.

Stairs and landings are usually included when you book a carpet clean for the whole house, and they're a common add-on in an end of tenancy clean where the hallway carpet shows the most wear. See carpet cleaning prices for how stairs are usually priced.

Vacuum carpeted stairs at least once a week, and more often in a house with pets or young children. Wipe handrails weekly. A professional carpet clean every 12–18 months keeps stair carpet looking better for longer – our guide on how often carpets should be cleaned explains how to judge it.