Stairs are an important part of the house. Due to heavy use, they can suffer from wear and tear. In this article, we’ll talk about the best ways you can maintain your staircase’s aesthetic looks, strength, and functionality. Check them out!
Clean Them Regularly
Stairs can easily collect dust, debris, and dirt, so sweeping and vacuuming them regularly is a must. When clearing the staircase, find hard-to-reach areas, corners, and railings.
Don’t forget the banisters. Wipe them down with a sponge and soap from top to bottom to prevent them from feeling sticky, which can be caused by humidity, dirt, and dust.
Also, wipe up any spills on the stairs. Any liquid can cause discoloration on stairs, especially wooden ones. If left unattended, such stains and spills can be difficult to remove.
Refinish The Stairs
Refinish your staircase on a regular basis. This involves sanding down the uppermost layer of the wood and applying fresh stain and lacquer over it. This helps you keep your staircase shiny and looking new. Refinishing also helps remove scuff marks and discoloration.
You can do this by yourself if you have experience, but professional treatments are more likely to satisfy your stair maintenance needs.
Consider Resurfacing
Unlike refinishing wood, resurfacing involves removing old floorboards, grinding down uneven wood, and reinforcing planks with nails. You may want to consider resurfacing if:
- The boards are warped, water-damaged, rotten, or bent
- The wood still has uneven color even after sanding
- Many planks contain holes, cracks, or pieces
- The nails are missing
Resurfacing can be expensive and time-consuming. As such, it’s best to hire professional help to do it.
Use Rugs or Carpets
Rugs and carpets provide better protection for wooden staircases. The materials can protect the wood from scratches and other marks. On top of that, rugs and carpets allow you to be more stylish and creative.
Since your rugs and carpet are the first receivers of dirt and damage, spending time cleaning them is also a must. Give them a good scrub until you’re satisfied. When vacuuming, use one with a brush roller. Use a crevice tool to clean hard-to-reach edges.
Keep an Eye on Powders
When you notice powdery portions on your stairs, that’s a red flag. Wood-eating insects and pests might be eating away at your stairs, beginning to destroy them. In this case, don’t hesitate to hire pest control companies to eliminate the pests — do it fast before they do irreparable damages.
Watch Your Steps…for Dirt
Your shoes can carry a large amount of dirt, mud, water, and residues. These things can damage your stairs and cause discoloration, which is difficult to remove. They can be permanent if you ignore them.
Simply removing your shoes when you enter your house helps a lot in preventing this problem. You can also ask your family members or friends to do the same.
Don’t Drag Things on Your Stairs
Avoid dragging stuff like tables, chairs, and toys on your stairs. Instead, carry them over. Dragging things on wooden stairs can cause abrasions and cuts that decrease the shine of your stairs. They also serve as an easy opening for further damage.
If you can carry stuff over your stairs, ask for help. You can also put foams and paddings under your furniture. That way, you can prevent abrasions on the wood even if you drag furniture on the stairs.
Keep Crayons and Pencils Away
Artworks are fantastic, but they don’t belong on the surface of your staircase. Especially when the artists are kids, who can be playful and color your stairs with pencils, markers, and crayons. While there are ways to remove crayon colors from wood, some of them might cause further damage.
Keep those writing materials away from the stairs. Give kids papers and coloring books, and tell them where they can and cannot write.
Check the Stairs’ Structural Strength
Finally, always check your staircase’s structural integrity. Over time, and with a high level of usage, staircases can start to crack. Screws or wedges can start to loosen, resulting in cracks or creaking sounds — always listen for such sounds.
The earlier you can fix such structural damages, the more likely you’ll save yourself from heavy and expensive repairs. Pay attention to loose railings, posts, and balusters, too!
