Basement Steps

[miksar]

Ok, I'm doing my first basement home in the near future, we don't have many basements here. I'm trying not to look more goofy than normal when I clean the stairs, and hope to have this figured out before I get there. I'm having a hard time deciding to work from top to bottom or from bottom to top. Either way the hoses are going to be a PIA, I think. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Able 1]

Top down...

 

[Ron Werner]

depends on your stair tool.
When I used a small hand tool with my porty I worked top down.
With my TM stair tool, I always work bottom up, risers working up, steps working down.
Either way you do it, just do it like you know how, as long as the stairs come clean the custy will love you.

 

[Walt]

We do these daily. They are a little more difficult but no big deal.

Here's my tip: keep your hoses really clean. If they are dirty they will leave a mark on the stairs when you pull them up -especially a hot solution line.

 

[hogjowl]

If you have the same dumb-assed PMF stair tool that I have (straight 1.5 tube with a head that is wider than the steps), then clean the risers on the way up, and the tread on the way down.

But, it's a pita any way you do it.

 

[Ken Snow]

top down, but like said above make sure hoses are clean or touch up anything on your way back up. Should take but an extra couple minutes or so due to hoses being a little in the way.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

Micheal I work top down. Use several little bungee's with the ball and tie up the hoses to the hand rail. Disconnect tool when finished at the bottom and wrap hose's on arm and shoulder to climb up.

My main goal is to keep as much hose off of the clean area's. Walmart has the bungee's in hardware.

 

[hogjowl]

Don't listen to Ken ... he's not even seen a stair wand in ages.

And Fensterfocker does it that way cuz his wife tells him to.

 

[Ken Snow]

Touch'e porkmeister, but not true. Just a few weeks ago I cleaned my ex's, mine, and my girlfriend's parent's carpet~ all 3 of which had stairs.

 

[hogjowl]

You really need to decide about your ex-wife.

Either you're over her, or you're not.

You girlfriend needs to know.

 

[Ken Snow]

We're business partners and connected for life through our business. She is also a great person who I will always love, though in a different way than when we were young.
My girlfriend is a class act who understands and is actually supportive of this.

 

[KevinD]

Clean the basement first. Then pull all the hose up the steps leaving about six extra feet past the bottom step allowing you enough hose to comfortably clean the last stair. Then take 3 bungee cords and fasten the hoses to the handrail out of the way so you can clean the stairs with no hoses in the way. Work from the top down, and when you finish the last step throw the hose over your shoulder, walk up the stairs unhooking each bungee as you go putting the hose over your shoulder. Done right the hose will never touch the clean steps.

 

[hogjowl]

If you had posted this over on ***, I would give you a "thank you this useful post" tab at the end of your post.

As it is, all I can say is ... you are lucky.

 

[Ken Snow]

LOL- not sure if that was sarcastic or not but I agree I am lucky.

 

[Nate The Great]

We're business partners and connected for life through our business. She is also a great person who I will always love, though in a different way than when we were young.
My girlfriend is a class act who understands and is actually supportive of this.

You are lucky. Sounds abit kinky to me, but I have a dirty mind. That's why I clean stuff, cuz I feel so dirty. lol...

Back on topic. I haven't cleaned any basements because we don't have any. But I did clean below grade (below street level) stairs and always started from the top down. My hoses stay clean, so I have no worry about leaving dirty spots.

 

[hogjowl]

I just realized that we are talking about BASEMENT steps. DUH!

I clean them from the bottom up.

 

[Warren Wallace]

Whatever you do don't forget to use the hose on the edge because that is were the dirt will end up

 

[Doug Cox]

Top down...

Same here.

 

[Newman]

top down, but like said above make sure hoses are clean

Top down as well.

My helper was rolling up the hoses today. It was raining, leaves covering the front walk, and a big wet pile of dog doo was hiding under the leaves by the front door on the porch. When my protoge discovered the contamination, 30' of hose needed to be sterilized. The offending material was patly removed by his pants and hands. Good thing I carry the pressure wash wand in the truck!

 

[Jim Nelson]

Now that you know how it is done stairs r $75.

 

[Chris A]

Who gives a Fook if the hose touches the stairs, your lead hose should never be dirty anyway! Bungees? If anything if it bothers you use a hose hook at the top of the step and that will keep 85% of the hose off the steps.

 

[Ken Snow]

I agree Chris, for the 100's of flights of lower level steps I've cleaned over the years, I doubt more than 2-3 times I ever had to touch up any due to hoses.

 

[hogjowl]

Can somebody call Lisa Wagner and ask her to post on this thread?

 

[KevinD]

My reason for attaching the hoses to the handrail is to have them out of the way while cleaning the stairs more so than touching them.

 

[harryhides]

I just realized that we are talking about BASEMENT steps. DUH!

I clean them from the bottom up.

Only took half a day for Marty to notice, lol.

I'd NEVER use a bungee cord as the ends, hooks can scratch a wood handrail. Besides, a hose hook looks far more professional and naturally we also clean from top down.

 

[hogjowl]

Can somebody call Lisa Wagner and ask her to post on this thread?

Nevermind.

Tony is just as useful.

 

[miksar]

Thanks for the advice guys, was a piece of cake. Started at the halfway point(landing)cleaned down, then went up to top and cleaned to the landing. I hung the hoses from the handrail and what little did touch the stairs was no big deal.

 

[Ron Lippold]

holy shit dude you made it. just wait till you get to clean a sofa or a circular stair case

 

[Ron Werner]

just did some stairs today myself, bottom up, then top down. Lower floor in a condo.

 

[steve frasier]

pull enough hose to go to the bottom of the stair and back up to the top. Hook hoses to hand rail if possible and clean from top to bottom

if you can't tie them to the hand rail then it is a pain no matter what you do