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How to Clean and Care for Your Stair Runners in Winter

Many homeowners install stair runners in winter, to help prevent spreading the snow, salt, slush and mud throughout the house and to give the home a warmer feel and atmosphere. This is a great idea, but the challenge it brings is the runners become the “catch-all” for any grime and loose dirt looking for a home. Here’s how to clean and maintain your runners in the best possible condition throughout the season.

Vacuum and Dust Often


Vacuuming is an important, proactive measure that removes particles of dirt and dust before they can become embedded in carpeting. While most homes are dusted and vacuumed once a week in the summer, you need to step up your frequency of vacuuming to twice per week if possible. Although it’s only really necessary to dust weekly, especially in winter when the home is tightly closed against the elements, you’ll get the best results if your dusting happens on the same day as one of the vacuumings.

Pro Tip: Make a special point of dusting the blades of ceiling fans and door moldings in lobbies, entrances and stairways. These are places where dust can accumulate and transfer easily to the carpets.

Be Shoeless, Joe

In countries like Canada and Japan, it’s common practice for guests and residents to remove their shoes at the door. Adopt this philosophy in your home this winter, and make it easy by placing a small bench or chair and a boot tray where you want shoes left. This will help tremendously to reduce the quantity of dirt tracked in by everyone, and help to preserve your carpets and stair runners in winter.

Pro Tip: Get cheap spa slip-ons at the nearest dollar store and keep them in a box beside the boot tray for everyone to use. That way, you eliminate the risk of anyone falling on slippery floors or getting socks wet on droplets surrounding the tray.

Get Steamed Up

Steam clean your carpets and rugs at least one time during the winter, which will help lift the pile, refresh the appearance and inject new life into the fibers. Doing this after the holidays are over will enable you to get rid of those unsightly blobs of food that landed where they shouldn’t, and rejuvenate them after the heavier foot traffic caused by lots of visitors. Also, you’ll have the added advantage of going into the new year with a clean home.

Pro Tip: Choose a particularly cold evening and turn your heat up full blast. Clean the carpets before going to bed and leave the heat on all night to dry them out.

Contact Brentwood Flooring America for advice and support on supply, cleaning and management of stair runners in winter.

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