Stair runner cleaning in East Vancouver: what it costs and how to plan it
East Vancouver has more carpeted stairs than most of the city. The character houses in Grandview-Woodland and Strathcona often have a steep staircase with a wool runner down the middle. Vancouver Specials in Hastings-Sunrise, Renfrew and Kensington-Cedar Cottage have that long flight from the front door up to the main floor. And plenty of up-and-down houses have a second staircase to the suite or the basement. Stairs are where the grey line shows first, on the front edge of every tread. Here’s what a staircase clean costs, how it fits with the rest of the house, and how to plan the day.
How stairs and runners are priced
Stairs are priced like rooms. List prices, before the current promo, plus GST:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| A flight of stairs, runner or wall-to-wall | $90 (one area) |
| A room up to about 150 sq ft, or a hallway | $90 (one area) |
| A loose hall runner or rug smaller than about 10×8 | $65 |
| A rug about 10×8 or bigger | $90 |
| Minimum per visit (covers up to 3 areas) | $210 |
| One area on its own | $150 |
A runner fixed to the stairs counts with its flight, so you don’t pay for the runner and the stairs separately. A loose runner in the upstairs hall is priced as a rug, and most hall runners are well under 10×8. The promo comes off jobs above the $210 minimum.
What East Van staircases usually cost
Worked examples from the price list, before the promo and GST:
| Home | What’s cleaned | List price |
|---|---|---|
| Just the stairs | 1 flight | $150 |
| Grandview character house | 2 flights (main and basement) and the upstairs hallway | $210 (minimum) |
| Strathcona character house | 1 flight with a wool runner, upstairs hallway, 2 bedrooms, and a loose hall runner | $425 |
| Vancouver Special in Renfrew | Front stairs, 3 bedrooms and the living room | $450 |
| Mount Pleasant townhouse | 2 flights and 2 bedrooms | $360 |
The Grandview row is the one people miss. One flight on its own is $150, but two flights and a hallway together are the $210 minimum, because the minimum covers up to 3 areas. If you’re booking the stairs, it’s worth looking at what else fits in those 3 areas.
Wool runners in character houses
Many older runners are wool, and wool needs a wool-safe clean at the right temperature, a hidden-spot test, and a check for dyes that might bleed. Runners held down with rods or tacks are cleaned in place, and we keep the tool on the runner so the wood on either side stays dry. Our guide to carpets and stair runners in Vancouver character homes goes through the method step by step.
Synthetic stair carpet, which is what most Vancouver Specials and townhouses have, can take a hotter clean with truck-mounted hot water extraction.
Why stairs take longer than rooms
Every tread and riser is cleaned by hand with a smaller tool instead of the full-width wand. We pre-treat the front edge of each tread first, because that’s where feet land, then rinse, extract and groom the pile so it dries evenly. It’s the same $90 as a room, so a staircase isn’t a reason to pay more, but it’s worth knowing why the stairs take a while.
Planning the day
- Clear the stairs. Shoes, baskets, the pile of things waiting to go up.
- Parking and the lane. Our truck-mounted unit stays in the van and only the hose comes inside. In East Van we can usually run it from the street or the lane. If your block is permit parking, tell us when you book.
- Suites. If the second staircase leads to a tenant’s suite, let them know the time, and book their stairs and rooms on the same visit if they’re due.
- Pets and kids. Stairs are fine in clean socks right away, but keep pets off until the carpet is dry. Most carpet is dry in 3 to 6 hours. A fan at the top of the stairs and a window open a crack help.
We use plant-based, pet-safe solutions, and pet spots on the stairs get an enzyme pre-treatment.
How to see your price
Count your flights of stairs, hallways and rooms, add any loose runners or rugs, and book stair runner and carpet cleaning in East Vancouver online. The total updates as you add each one, and you see the full price before you pick a time. We book weekdays, Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4. At the end, we walk the stairs with you. If something isn’t right, we fix it, or you get your money back.
Common questions
Do you clean in Hastings-Sunrise and Renfrew? Yes, all of East Vancouver, from Commercial Drive and Mount Pleasant to Hastings-Sunrise and Renfrew-Collingwood.
Do you take the runner off to clean it? No. Fixed runners are cleaned in place, held down just as they are.
Will the grey line on the tread edges come out? Usually most of it does, because it’s mostly grit and oils. Wear in the fibre itself won’t come back, and we’ll tell you honestly before we start.
Can you do the stairs and a couch the same day? Yes. Put both on one booking and it’s one visit.
Ready to book? See stair runner and carpet cleaning in East Vancouver, or call (604) 802-8500.