How to Clean a Metal Stair Railing

Durable, attractive, rust-resistant, and easy to clean: aluminum is the perfect choice for your interior or exterior stair railing. But like any material, your metal stair railing may occasionally need a light cleaning to keep it looking sleek and standing strong. Just be sure to avoid corrosive materials and certain deep-cleaning techniques that could wear away at your railing’s finish. Read on for some tips on how to clean a metal stair railing.

How to Clean a Metal Stair Railing

Materials to Avoid When Cleaning a Metal Stair Railing

Assuming you’re working with an aluminum stair railing, you’ll need to be somewhat careful about the cleaning products you use. While aluminum is highly durable, you won’t want to use steel wool or other abrasive cleaning tools. These can scratch the surface of your railing, damaging any powder coating and potentially leading to rust or oxidization. Those little scratches can also serve as dirt traps, making your railing harder to clean in the future. Finally, avoid highly abrasive chemical cleaning solutions. Your best bet is to use a gentle distilled vinegar solution, which we’ll explain below.

Weekly: Dusting Your Railing

The best part about an aluminum handrail is its unparalleled durability. Whether they’re placed in your home or outside of your home, these handrails will last for years. But any long-lasting household installation is going to gather some dust, right? That’s why, to prevent dirt and grime buildup, you should try to dust your railing about once a week. You don’t need to use harsh furniture sprays or polishes, which can leave behind damaging residues. Instead, just take a feather duster or a microfiber cloth and dust the surface of your balusters and railing. Just be sure to vacuum up the dust that falls; otherwise, it’ll blow right back onto your railing with time. If your railing is located outside, you can also give it a quick hosing-off on a weekly basis with more intensive care as needed.

As Needed: Scrubbing Your Railing

With regular dusting, your aluminum railing should stay completely free of dirt and grime. However, if you’ve gone a while between dusting sessions, you might have some buildup to tackle. In that case, there are a few ways to deep-clean your railing without damaging its finish. Diluted white vinegar is one of the safest, easiest, and most affordable cleaning solutions for your metal railing. Just fill a bucket with two parts water and one part white distilled vinegar. Then, dip a towel in the mixture, wring it out, and use it to wipe down your railing and balusters. After that, just go back over the railing and balusters with a clean, dry towel to remove any lingering vinegar. That’s it – no steel wool scrubbing required (in fact, using steel wool could damage your railing’s powder coating!).

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Learning how to clean a metal stair railing is easy. Fortunately, aluminum railings are durable and easy to clean, so you can keep them looking great with minimal elbow grease. Just be sure to dust your railing regularly and keep your railing free of unexpected debris for best results.

Now that you’ve learned how to clean a metal stair railing, are you looking for an expert who can walk you through purchasing and caring for a new aluminum railing? At Aluminum Handrail Direct, we are committed to providing high-quality aluminum handrails that are durable, maintenance-free, affordable, and attractive. If you have questions about aluminum handrails or if you are searching for a handrail system that fits your needs, call us at 417-409-3179 or 888-518-9890 (toll-free) or visit Aluminum Handrail Direct’s online store today. We offer handrails, wall mounts, mounting screws and anchors, touch-up spray paint, and much more. We look forward to hearing from you!