Should You Clean Your Outside Stairwells?

Many commercial properties focus their cleaning efforts on interior offices, lobbies, and restrooms, while exterior areas receive far less attention. It’s often the last question property managers ask: Should you clean your outside stairwells, too? Moreso, should you give it the same level of care as indoor spaces? 

Outside stairwells frequently get excluded in standard janitorial checklists. Employee use, visible messes, and client-facing areas usually drive interior cleaning schedules. Meanwhile, exterior stairwells are often viewed as structural features rather than high-risk walking surfaces.

At Prestige Property Services, we know that in busy areas like Los Angeles and Orange County, exterior stairwells are often exposed to heavy foot traffic, air pollution, and weather conditions. All these can accelerate the buildup and increase safety risks. We offer our professional pressure washing services for commercial establishments, including offices and buildings.

Common Contaminants Found in Outdoor Stairwells

For commercial establishments in Los Angeles and Orange County, the environment presents specific challenges. The combination of urban smog, coastal humidity, and heavy foot traffic creates a stubborn cocktail of contaminants. Some usual culprits that populate your exterior stairs include:

• Airborne Pollutants: Dense traffic in Southern California leads to “soot” or carbon-film buildup on porous concrete.
• Organic Growth: In shaded stairwells or those facing the coast, algae, mold, and mildew can flourish, especially in the damp early morning hours.
• Human-Induced Grime: Chewing gum, coffee spills, and oil residue from nearby parking structures are common.
• Biological Waste: Bird droppings and nesting materials not only look unprofessional but can also carry pathogens or lead to structural degradation over time. 

Unlike interior halls, exterior stairs are exposed to the elements 24/7. This constant exposure means they accumulate dirt, moisture, and pollutants at a significantly faster rate than climate-controlled areas. Without a maintenance schedule to clean your exterior stairwells, these transition zones quickly become unsightly, neglected corners of the property.

Safety Risks of Dirty Exterior Stairwells

The primary reason to clean your outside stairwells is not just aesthetics; it is to mitigate the risks. Dirty stairs are inherently dangerous, and slip-and-fall incidents are a major concern for commercial properties. Walking-working surface hazards are a leading cause of workplace injuries. Exterior stairwells with accumulated grime significantly increase these risks.

Wet leaves, moss, algae, and grease create slick surfaces, particularly during rainy periods common in Southern California’s winter months. Uneven debris can also obscure stair edges, increasing the likelihood of missed steps. For properties open to employees, tenants, or the public, these conditions may raise liability concerns in addition to safety risks.

The Role of Deep Washing vs. Basic Cleaning

Many property managers believe that a quick sweep or a spray-down with a garden hose is sufficient. However, basic cleaning does not address the root of the problem.

Here’s a quick comparison between deep washing and basic cleaning services:

• Basic Cleaning: Sweeping only removes loose “top-layer” debris. Hosing down the stairs without high-pressure or detergent often just moves the dirt around and can even provide the moisture necessary for algae to grow back faster.
• Deep Washing: This involves professional pressure washing or power washing. It utilizes controlled, high-pressure water streams and specialized surface cleaners to penetrate the pores of the concrete or the crevices of metal treading. This process breaks the bond between the surface and the contaminants, removing years of soot and grease.

For property managers evaluating whether to clean theiroutside stairwells, understanding this distinction is important. Deep washing addresses both visible dirt and less obvious residues that affect traction and durability.

How Deep Washing Improves Traction and Visibility

Embedded grime fills the natural texture of concrete and other stair materials. When this texture is clogged, stair treads become smoother and more slippery. Deep washing restores surface texture by removing compacted debris. This restores the original abrasive texture or improves grip for footwear.

Improving visibility is another benefit of deep washing. Clean stair edges and uniform surfaces make it easier for users to judge depth and placement, especially in low-light conditions. Research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health emphasizes that maintaining clean walking surfaces helps reduce fall-related injuries in workplaces.

Why Professional Cleaning Equipment and Assistance Matters

When deciding whether to clean your outside stairwells, one crucial consideration is how the work is performed. Commercial-grade pressure washers, surface cleaners, and trained technicians are designed to clean exteriors efficiently while protecting structural materials. Often, DIY equipment lacks consistent pressure control, leading to streaking, uneven results, or surface damage.

Professional tools allow for value-added cleaning that removes contaminants thoroughly and safely. Trained technicians and cleaning professionals also understand how to manage runoff, protect nearby landscaping, and address high-risk areas methodically. For commercial properties in Los Angeles and Orange County, this approach can lead to longer-lasting results.

If your building’s exterior access points have begun to accumulate shadows of grime or slippery patches, it may be time to reassess your maintenance priorities. Prestige Property Services can clean your outside stairwells more thoroughly. Contact us if you’re looking for commercial cleaning solutions in LA or OC.