3 Ways to Keep Your Hallway and Stair Carpets Clean

Hallways and stairs serve one purpose: getting people from one room to another. This makes them one of the most high-traffic areas in any home, enduring more footfalls than your other rooms. So, if your hallways and staircases are carpeted, you'll find those carpets getting dirty very quickly compared to the rest of your house.

The quicker your carpets get dirtier, the more you have to clean them and that can take up a lot of precious time. Thankfully, there are many ways to prevent the dirt from building up so quickly. Here are three tips to make your maintenance more manageable.

Enforce a Strict No-Shoes Policy

If you've been struggling with dirty hallway and staircase carpets for a while, you've probably already worked out that keeping shoes off in the house could make a big difference. Of course, enforcing a 'no shoes in the house' policy is often easier said than done. No matter how many times you tell your family to take their shoes off, they'll frequently forget if they're not used to it. As for guests, many people feel awkward asking guests to take their shoes off.

But with some careful planning, a 'no shoes' policy is easy to enforce. With guests, if you feel awkward asking at the door, just send them a message beforehand. That way, they know what to expect, and neither of you have to worry that they'll turn up without socks (since many people don't like showing their bare feet). On top of that, you'll want to make the shoe removal process is as easy as possible for both guests and family. Set up a shoe rack right by your door and leave a shelf empty for your family's socks or slippers—that way, no one can come into the house without the rack triggering their memory. If you have space, you can even set up a seat to make it easier for people to take their shoes off.

Use Rugs and Protectors

Many people don't see the appeal of using rugs in hallways and on stairs because you'll still have to clean them just like you have to clean your carpet. However, it's important to note that cleaning a rug is far quicker than cleaning a carpet as long as you make sure your rugs are machine washable. All you have to do is toss them in the washing machine, then hang them out to dry, as opposed to scrubbing a carpet on your hands and knees. For both your stairs and your halls, look for affordable, machine-washable runners. Runners are long carpets designed specially to fit stairs and hallways, and they come in a variety of styles. For stairs, you can also try specially-made plastic protectors; once stuck onto your stairs, they create a protective barrier that can be wiped down in seconds as needed. Whatever your decision, the key is to cover your hard-to-clean carpet with an easier-to-clean material to save on maintenance time.

Get Regular Professional Carpet Cleaning

While you can—and should—regularly clean your own hall and stairway carpets, you should also use a professional carpet cleaning service from time to time. The beauty of professional cleaning is that it doesn't just lift all the dirt from your carpets—it also keeps them cleaner for longer. Professional cleaning gets deep into the fibres of your carpet, removing all the build-up so it takes longer for your carpets to look dirty again. Most cleaners also use a protective agent which 'repels' dirt, slowing down the buildup even more.


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