I like the look of stair runners but I hate to vacuum. I prefer no stair runner for maintenance purposes plus I have slipped on stair runners before.

When we first put in hardwood stairs, my husband fell down the slick stairs several times. Once the dog slipped and fell down the stairs, we put in the runner for safety.

we have a runner on our front stairs, no runner on our back stairs. i have fallen down both, but on the front stairs i just shook off the spill, on the back stairs i cracked 2 ribs and ended up in bed for a week. still hurts, 5 years later, if i stretch the wrong way.

if you are going to have bare stairs, have everyone wear grippy-soled house shoes.

No runner..We have two stairs and none of them have a runner..we've lived here for 8 years, two kids and no falls..It's not slippery at all. We had carpet on them when we moved in (builder grade) and we did slip on it a few times, but the good thing was that we only had to live with wall to wall carpet and carpet on the stairs for a few months.

Bare wood for 20 years, until my older dog began hesitating at the bottom of the stairs. I got the stair treads with the non-slip backing, and she is much more confident now. Sure beats having to walk her around the house outside (we have a walkout basement, so that was the only way for her to get up to the kitchen for breakfast!).

The nice surprise with the treads...they make sneaking up or down the stairs in the middle of the night much quieter. And, they're washable, and can be removed for looks/cleaning.

what kind of stair treads are removable and washable? I was afraid I would destroy my stairs with the glue. Is this not the case?

Would love to know more about the stair treads as well, rredpenn

I just happened to see the notification for this old thread. LOL

I got a set of these from Improvements Catalog a few years ago. They have that same kind of rubberized backing you find on bath mats, but are sized to fit stair steps. I think they came in two different sizes, so you can match what you need for your own set of stairs.

I think they came in sets of 4, so I got four sets, plus the area rug for the bottom landing. I have 14 steps. That left me with a couple extras, which is ok. Better to have an extra, imo.

They do slide a bit sideways after a week or two of heavy traffic. By that, I mean they don't stay perfectly centered. I don't know if it's my otherhalf or the dogs that seem to "ride them to the side," so to speak. LOL It's no big deal, as they are easily re-positioned, and they really do stay snug to the step without glue or tape when I use them. LOL (Normal walking conditions, right?) They haven't damaged my oak stair treads; in fact, they keep the finish on the wood protected from dog nail damage, mud, spills, etc.

I like these and would recommend them to anyone wanting quiet, sure footing for their pets or themselves. They stay flat when I vacuum, and I've washed them in the machine several times, too. They come out fresh, clean, and so far, haven't lost their backing. I line dry them to keep that backing intact.

They have prettier ones in the catalog. Make sure you look at all their area rugs, bc a lot of them come in stair tread sets, as well as single rugs. Prices are reasonable to pretty spendy depending on what look you want.

I went for the inexpensive, basic light blue, but I am totally happy with them. LOL

They can look great & provide extra traction. They're also easier on the legs & joints while walking downstairs, especially if you're older. On the other hand, you'll have to vacuum here & there.

Actually, they trap the dust bunnies, esp. on their edges, so I think I sweep the stairs less often with these on them than when my steps were bare. The bare steps showed every little particle and hair. LOL

I like the bare look, cleaner and more sleek and modern and to my eye, far more sophisticated than carpets (which look like 1800s to me no matter what the pattern).

When I put the stair treads in I left the ash wood somewhat rough and after primer, paint and sealer, the raised grain still is quite evident. I did this so they'd not be slippery and it proved itself. It's great to be able to simply sweep the stairs and not have to VACUUM them while holding a vacuum cleaner or some other device. And since tastes change so often, I don't have to worry about some outdated carpet runner looking drab or worn out on my stairs.