If you need staircases in your home, office, or business premises, installing steel ones is a great way to add a contemporary look to your space. Other than the aesthetics that come with steel staircases, they’re also durable. This means you won’t need to replace them for years to come.
For people who choose to install steel staircases on the external part of a building to connect different floors, the best option to use is galvanized steel. This type of steel has a zinc coating that protects it from rust and other elements, which can corrode it over time. For interior staircases, most people use powder-coated steel, which is available in different colors.
Whether you have steel staircases inside or outside a building, here’s how you can maintain them and ensure that they’re in good shape throughout:
1.Wash Exterior Staircases With Powder Wash
If your steel staircases are outside the building, maintaining them is pretty easy. To clean them up, get a powder wash and use it to remove debris or any other dirt that may have accumulated on the stairs. As you clean the staircases, focus more on welded and joint areas as those can hide dirt. You can use an industrial machine or a household machine to clean the staircases.
However, this mode of cleaning is best suited for staircases that are made from galvanized steel. If your steel staircases are coated with a powder coating, avoid using industrial machines to clean them. Doing so will remove the powder coating off the steel.
To avoid this kind of damage, consider using a bucket with warm soapy water and a sponge or a microfiber cloth to scrub grim or dirt off the steel staircases. Once you’re done scrubbing, rinse the staircases off using an ordinary hosepipe.
2.Clean Your Staircases Regularly
You can keep your interior steel stairs in good shape by simply cleaning them regularly. Whenever you’re cleaning staircases, always begin from the top moving down. Using a broom, sweep the staircases to remove any debris or dust as you move downwards. When you get the dirt to the last step, you can use a vacuum cleaner to pick it up.
After sweeping the staircases, use a mop to clean them thoroughly. To do this, you’ll need to fill your mopping bucket with a mix of warm water and a cleaning liquid that’s designed for metals.
Using the solution, mop the staircases. As you do the mopping, pay attention to any rust stains that may have formed on the staircases and remove them using the mop.
3.Avoid Harsh Cleaning Products
When cleaning steel staircases, it’s important that you avoid the use of rough or harsh cleaning products. Using abrasive powders, metallic scourers, and silver or brass cleaners will spoil the finishing that you have on steel.
Also, don’t use steel wool, sandpaper, chlorine, or hydrochloric acid to clean steel staircases. These cleaning agents will interfere with the finishing on the steel surfaces, either staircases or windows. To maintain your steel staircases properly, use mild but quality cleaning products, keeping your staircase surfaces in good condition.
4.Protect Steel Staircases From Rust
If there are air-borne pollutants where you live, there’s a high possibility that your steel staircases will begin to corrode and rust. This happens because the dust that lands on the steel surface is gradually absorbed by moisture. The moisture then causes the steel to rust. If left unattended, the rust begins to corrode the surface with time.
To keep your steel staircases from rusting, you’ll need to add a protective coating to keep the moisture away. Car wax is a great coating to use because it’s readily available and easy to apply. Consider using this product to maintain your steel staircases and considerably extending their lifespan.
5.Apply Fresh Coatings
After using steel staircases for a long time, there’s a high likelihood that the coating will start to come off. This will make the steel surface to become rough. The staircases will also begin to look old due to corrosion that occurs over time. Look out for all the corroded areas and sand them away to remove dust.
Using a microfiber cloth, clean the grit off before applying a primer. Allow the primer time to dry up before applying metal vanish that works well in restoring the patch. To give the staircases a new visually appealing look, apply a new coat of varnish on the staircases as well as staircase railings. Doing this will restore the quality and appearance of the staircases.
6.Fix Any Loose Nuts
With time, the welded and joined parts of steel staircases are bound to become loose. The nuts may come off, causing the staircases to loosen up. To maintain steel staircases and ensure that they serve you for a long time, you’ll need to check the staircases for any loose nuts and fasten them accordingly.
As you look for loose nuts, pay attention to the welded sections and have them welded back if they’re loose. Fixing any loose nuts and welded portions will ensure that your steel staircases serve you for a long time, without requiring extensive restoration or replacement works.
Final Thoughts
Steel staircases are among the most functional stairs that you can install in your home, business premises, or office. These types of staircases offer several benefits to home and business owners. Also, they’re highly affordable, durable, and easy to maintain compared to other staircases in the market.
However, you’ll need to maintain steel staircases well in order to enjoy these benefits. If they’re not maintained properly, steel staircases can get stained, rusty, and corroded with time. This makes them lose their appeal and functionality.
To keep this from happening, ensure that you clean your steel staircases regularly. Avoid using harsh cleaning products. Instead, use mild detergents to clean your stairs. Also, keep your steel stairs looking sleek and fresh by applying a fresh coating occasionally. Lastly, get any loose nuts and welded joints fixed.
