How to Remove Carpets from Stairs

When carpets get worn out and dated, you have to find a way of removing them from the house. Often the hardest place to remove a carpet is on the stairs. If you’re looking to organize a staircase carpet removal, there are certain things you need to have in mind.

We will give you all of the tips you need to handle a carpet removal project on the staircase. Nevertheless, there’s no harm in hiring a professional carpet removal company to do the job for you, as you’re certain they’ll do a thorough job. Here’s how to remove the carpet from the stairs:

Table of Contents

Don’t Start the Carpet Removal without the Right Tools

Avoid rushing into carpet removal without getting the tools for the job. And when getting the tools, also remember your protection. Make sure you have the right protective equipment. This includes masks to guard against dust/allergens, and gloves to protect the hands against staples.

Sometimes, you may even need to wear safety goggles, depending on how complicated the carpet removal job is. There may be flying debris that could injure your eyes without the right care – such include sharp tacks. In a nutshell, these are the tools you’ll need for carpet removal:

3-inch putty knife – this knife goes under the pry bar when you’re getting rid of the tack strip so that you can protect the staircase. If they used glue during the installation instead, you can still use the putty knife to scrape it off.
Knee kick – helps in carpet removal from the treads.
Pry bar and hammer – assists to pry tack strips away from the treads.
Utility knife – a utility knife cuts the carpet into small manageable pieces.
Duct tape – this helps to tie the small pieces you’ve cut, so that they don’t roll off.
Locking pliers – locking pliers remove carpeting from the risers.
Garbage bags or a dumpster – used for disposing the pieces of carpet responsibly, in a way that doesn’t hurt the environment. Normally, a 10-yard dumpster is enough for carpet removal.

Know what’s Under the Carpet First

This is important even though many ignore it. So, don’t sweep it under the carpet, if you know what we mean. Checking what’s under the carpet helps you understand the type of flooring. Ultimately, this will help you gauge the level of care and attention to detail during carpet removal.

For instance, when you have a hardwood floor, you have to be extra careful not to destroy it when handling the removal. This should especially be the case when you’re maintaining the floor.

If you’re a little confused about how you can check the type of flooring beneath, simply use a pair of pliers and grip the riser. This is the vertical part of the staircase, and not where you step on it. Pull a corner of the carpet and you’ll see this.

Be Keen and Cautious

When you’re handling a carpet removal project on your staircase, the last thing you need to do is hurry. You’ll need some significant amount of time to complete the project. If you’re not certain about your level of patience, then you’d rather hire a professional carpet removal company. Consider the following:

Removing the carpet is not the entire job. Once you’re done with carpet removal, you’ll have the carpet padding to pry up and the tack strips as well.
Since carpets are thick and heavy, give yourself time. Don’t rush the process by giving yourself ultimatums. Comparing yourself to carpet removal companies is only going to put a strain on your body. They’re pros and possibly do the job as a team. Hence, they can complete an entire project even in one day. As for you, check your body’s stamina and physical stability.
If the carpet padding was done using tacks, it would be easier to pull it off compared to when it was installed using glue. For the latter, you’ll need to do a lot of scraping, which may eat up most of your time. Ensure that there’s minimal damage to the underlying floor. Otherwise, you’ll have to dig deeper into your pockets for the repairs.
Check any possible damage after carpet removal. Sometimes the carpet leads to water damage, cracks, breaks, or molds. Fix these problems and treat the infestations once you have removed the carpet.

Use the Right Disposal Method after Carpet Removal

Once you’re through with the carpet removal project, you need to take care of the environment. And the only way to do this is to ensure you dispose of the remains in the right way. Check with your city’s waste management team, or better still, rent a dumpster. The good thing about hiring a professional carpet removal company is that you don’t have to worry about this.