dirty metal bannisters

My house has steel bannisters, almost like outside railings along the stairs inside. Painted glossy black.

They seem fine most of the year, but during the hot humid periods, they feel dirty and even lumpy in spots and I realize they havent' been cleaned in 15 years, and I guess normal sweat and dirt from people's hands have been deposited on them.

How would you suggest cleaning them, to get rid of the dirt but not harm the paint and not drip dirty water on the carpet?

Once after I'd been here about 5 years, I thought the paint was peeling off, so I painted part of them, but now I'm pretty sure dirt was coming off and I just pained over the dirt. Still the paint job looked pretty good for years.

Reply to
observer5-NOSPAM
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formula 409. tape thin plastic to wall and let plenty on floor or carpet.

Reply to
bob haller

Dollar Tree carries a cleaner called, Amazing Cleaner. It is yellow in a plastic bottle. It is just like 409 but concentrated. Spray or wip on, then use paper towels to clean the stuff off. If very stubborn, use one of those green 3M scrubbies to get tot he bottom of it.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Oren posted for all of us...

+1 This is better than my idea of using Clorox wipes.
Reply to
Tekkie®

Oren posted for all of us...

I don't read his posts.

I like to make funny comments. Such as kids sliding down the banisters came to mind. Most posters don't even follow a thread such as yours, for example . If it upsets you then I won't do it any more, but then you can mark your posts OT.

It seems wasteful to me when someone asks a legitimate question then 5 or 6 of the top posters run off the tracks with personal experiences nowhere nea r addressing the original question.

Reply to
Tekkie®

Unscrew the ugly thimgs from the wall and stairs and take them outside where you can clean them without worrying about the carpet. I did that almost 20 years ago and never put them back. I installed a beautiful oak railing this year.

Reply to
clare

Something about being a well educated member of the genus Equus Asinus

Reply to
clare

Oren posted for all of us...

You did when you posted about my adding to the subject line. You could have sent an email or changed the subject line so that others wouldn't have to waste their time. Unfortunately you don't post your email or I would have replied that way.

Reply to
Tekkie®

Oren posted for all of us...

You too.

Reply to
Tekkie®

I will get some of that stuff.

Since no one had a miracle way to do this, I pondered it some more and thought of this: I got a plastic putty knife, with a blade sharper than a metal one, but softer too so it probably won't damage the paint, and I use it to scrape off the dirt. It comes off like a plane taking off wood, and I can catch most of it in my hand and throw it in the waste basket. If I do miss some I can pick it off the floor or vacuum it later. All the liquids woudl have made a mess. Probably works best in the summer when it's hot.

It's a little higher at both edges than in the middle, but the putty knife bends a bit, or maybe then I'll use Amazing Cleaner.

It will take a long time to do 26 feet, but not all is 8 feet didn't get that much use. It would have taken a long time with cleaners too.

Reply to
observer5-NOSPAM

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