If you own a home with carpeted stair steps, you may have experienced the frustration of dingy, dirty carpeting, even not too long after cleaning. However, once you understand how to properly clean your carpet-covered stairs, then you will find your steps to be brighter and stay cleaner for a longer period of time. Below is what you will need and how to perform the cleaning:

What you will need

• Household ammonia

• White vinegar

• Liquid dish soap

• Measuring cup

• Tap water

• Small bucket

• Funnel

• Foaming dispenser

• Carpet brush with drill attachment

• Cordless electric drill

• Wet/dry shop vacuum

• Clean bath towel

• Floor fans

• Rubber gloves

Step-by-step cleaning procedure

1. Thoroughly vacuum your stair steps - One critical task often missed by homeowners when cleaning carpets, particularly on the stairs, is to thoroughly vacuum the carpet before beginning. A failure to remove loose dirt and debris from the carpet can make your job harder; when you wet the carpet, you actually create mud and cause substances that can stain to dissolve and spread through your carpet fibers.

When vacuuming your carpeted stairs, use multiple passes of the wand to ensure you have dislodged stubborn particles and pulled them into the machine. Pay extra attention to the corners and edges along the risers and treads, which are the vertical and horizontal parts of the steps, respectively. Dirt tends to accumulate in these areas, and you will want to push the wand down into the crevices to reach as much as possible.

2. Mix your carpet cleaning solution - You can make an effective carpet cleaning solution using a few simple ingredients: white vinegar, ammonia, and dish washing soap. When combined, these low-cost ingredients will remove almost any ordinary stain. Just be sure to provide plenty of ventilation in the room when mixing the ammonia, as it can be irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. To make the solution, add one-half cup of white vinegar, one-half cup of ammonia and one-quarter cup of liquid dish soap to an empty bucket. Next, add three cups of warm tap water, and slowly stir the solution to blend the ingredients; stirring slowly will prevent the solution from getting too sudsy.

Use a funnel to pour the solution into a foaming dispenser, which can be recycled from an empty, foaming hand-washing soap dispenser if you have one available. Alternatively, check your local department store's bath or kitchen department for a new foaming dispenser. This recipe should make enough to clean an entire flight of stairs, but feel free to make more solution as needed. 

3. Apply the carpet cleaning solution and scrub - After preparing the carpet cleaning solution, put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands from the ammonia inside the solution. Next, pump out a two-inch "ball" of suds into the palm of your hand, then rub it lightly into the carpet. Remember to apply only the foam, not the liquid, as the foam is what captures the dirt particles.

Next, turn on the electric drill with the carpet brush attached, and apply the brush to the damp carpet. Don't push the brush too deeply into the fibers, but pass it over the carpet several times using moderate pressure. Be sure to pay extra attention to the edges of the risers and steps, since these areas will likely have stains from the excess dirt they have held. Repeat the process with additional foam and brushing, if a stubborn stain requires additional work.

Another part of the steps that will need special cleaning are the nose boards. The nose boards are the portion of the treads that extend over the top of the risers, and they take a lot of abuse from foot traffic due to their prominent location. Work the nap of the carpet out well, and use plenty of foam, as well, to clean and separate the fibers.

4. Dry the carpet - Once you have cleaned the carpet well, wipe it down with a clean bath towel to remove moisture and lift out residue that might remain on the surface. Next, apply the wand of the wet/dry vacuum to suction as much water as possible. If you wish to dry the carpet quickly, set-up a floor fan or two at the top and bottom of the stairs.

If you're having trouble with some particularly stubborn stains or don't want to do the carpet cleaning yourself, don't hesitate to reach out to a local carpet cleaning company, like Ontario Cleaning Systems Hamilton.