Caring for carpets and stair runners in Vancouver character homes
Vancouver’s character houses, from Grandview and Mount Pleasant to Kitsilano and Kerrisdale, tend to have a few things in common: a steep, narrow staircase with a runner down the middle, wool carpet that’s been there for decades, and hardwood that the owners would very much like to keep dry. They’re some of our favourite homes to clean, and they need a slightly different approach from a new condo.
What we check before we start
The fibre. A lot of older runners and broadloom are wool. Wool cleans beautifully, but it doesn’t like high heat or harsh, high-pH cleaners, which can make it fuzz, shrink or lose colour. We test a hidden spot and use a wool-safe solution at the right temperature. Synthetic carpet can take a hotter, more aggressive clean.
The dyes. Older and patterned runners can bleed colour. We check for it on a hidden corner before we wet anything.
What’s under the edges. On a runner, the wood on either side of each stair is exposed. We keep the wand on the runner and wipe any overspray off the wood straight away.
How it’s attached. Old runners held down with rods or tacks are cleaned in place. We don’t lift them.
How we clean a staircase
Stairs take longer than rooms because every tread and riser is done by hand, with a smaller upholstery-style tool instead of the full-width wand. We pre-treat the front edge of each tread first, since that’s where feet land and where the grey line shows. Then we rinse and extract, groom the pile so it dries evenly, and check every step with you before we leave.
In our pricing, a set of stairs counts as one area, $90 before the current promo, the same as a room.
Why the van stays outside
Our truck-mounted unit heats the water and creates the suction from the van, so the noise and exhaust stay on the street and only the hose comes in. That matters in older houses with small entries and tight turns: there’s no heavy machine to carry up the stairs or park on the landing. We can usually run the hose from the street or the lane. If your street is permit parking, tell us when you book.
Keeping it nice between cleans
- Vacuum the stairs with a hand tool at least once a week. A full-size upright misses the back of each tread, where grit collects and wears the pile.
- Blot spills with a white towel and cool water. Don’t rub, and don’t use coloured or bleach cleaners on wool.
- Shoes off at the door, especially in the rainy season. Wet grit is what wears a runner fastest.
- Professional clean once a year, or twice if you have kids, pets or a busy household. Our Vancouver carpet cleaning is priced per area and a full staircase counts as one, so the runner and the rooms around it go in one visit.
Common questions
Can old wool carpet look good again? Usually, yes. Wool releases dirt well. Worn or sun-faded areas won’t come back, because that’s the fibre itself, but the grey traffic lanes usually do.
How long until we can use the stairs? Right away in clean socks. Carpet is fully dry in about 3 to 6 hours.
Will it hurt the hardwood next to the runner? No. We keep the tool on the runner and wipe the wood as we go.
Do you clean heritage homes outside Vancouver? Yes. Queen’s Park and Sapperton have plenty of the same wool runners and old stairs. See prices and open times for carpet cleaning in New Westminster.
Ready to book? See carpet steam cleaning in Vancouver, or call (604) 802-8500.