We all know it’s hard to keep carpets clean. Carpet stairs can be tricky to clean because of all the nooks and crannies, but with these tips, you’ll have clean stairs in no time!

Step 1: Dry Cleaning

Because of the shape of stairs, dust tends to accumulate in the crevices and corners. This can make cleaning them harder, and in order to get out dust and dirt, use a hard brush broom. Do this before wet cleaning your stairs. Using some force, brush each step a few times to get out stubborn dirt. Don’t forget to use a vacuum along with your hard brush. The vacuum cleaner will pick up the loose dirt that was picked up by the brush.

Step 2: Wet Cleaning

After you’ve gotten the dry cleaning out of the way, it’s now time for the wet cleaning process. You can easily make your own carpet cleaning shampoo by using the following recipe:

– baking soda

– hot water

– peppermint oil

– liquid soap

– white vinegar

When you begin shampooing, start from the highest stair and work your way down. When the shampooing process is finished, dry the stairs as quickly as possible so the moisture doesn’t produce mold. Lay down towels on the stairs and stomp on them to draw moisture out of the carpet. You can use a wet/dry vacuum if you have one instead. You should shampoo your carpets every 4-5 months to keep them looking clean.

Photos: Carpet Plus Floor, Afranko, Zubujk. Tired of stairs? Check out these luxury condo rentals in Toronto. 

Wallpaper can have many uses, not just to adorn your walls. Decorating furniture, adding it to your stairs, lining your drawers, and many more! Freshen up your home on the cheap with these creative ideas!

1. Line Drawers

For a pop of color, line your kitchen or office drawers with a fun wallpaper. This is great for people on a budget, and you can find cheap rolls of wallpaper on Ebay, or samples at your hardware store.

2. Wall Art

Choose an artistic printed wallpaper for instant wall art. Add wood panels to frame the wallpaper, and choose a contrasting color for the rest of the wall to really make them pop.

3. Transform TV Trays

Turn boring TV trays from drab to fab with wallpaper! Cut the wallpaper to size and adhere it with spray mount. Seal it with clear contact paper.

4. Decorate Furniture

Add wallpaper to your dressers or cabinets to dress them up. We love the pink-on-pink on this TV cabinet!

5. Light switch Covers

Dress up light switch covers with wallpaper and Mod Podge. Easy and inexpensive, you can complete it in an afternoon! Tutorial here.

6. Wallpapered Stairs

Add some spunk to your stairs with wallpaper! Pick a fun pattern and paint the rest of your stairs a complimenting color.

Photos: Decor Pad, Lus Home, House Wives of Riverton, Modern Home Interior Design, How About Orange.