Slippery stair carpet? Getting fed up of falling on my arse...

[BabCNesbitt]

We recently moved into a terraced house with very steep carpeted stairs, and in the last week DH, DD (nearly 3) and I have slipped down them at least once. (I have an impressive collection of bruises now!) There is a bannister, but all that's done is wrench my shoulder as the rest of me skids downwards.

Are there any products I can buy to stick on carpet that might make them less lethal and won't leave marks (rented house)?

No idea, but having slipped on my stairs last year, caught my foot in the banisters and broken the leg in three places, I would urge you to sort it out ASAP and be very careful in the meantime!

Can you not speak to the landlord - it seems like a health and safety issue that s/he would be responsible for changing.

What have you had on your feet when you've slipped? We lived in an old house with very steep stairs and I only slipped when wearing flipflops with no grip - I slipped in them stepping out of the back door too and hurt myself on the raised threshold of the UPVC door. Ouch - lesson learned.

If the land lord won't rectify, or there is a delay in them doing so, get decent slippers with rubber soles, rather than leather/ suede type. Or possibly go barefoot. Definitely not just in socks. Your DD might be encouraged to go down on her bum or tummy backwards, like a slide. It's safer. In fact, you all could, it would be fun.

This is a health and safety issue (if rental); the stairs need re carpeting pronto. In the meantime, bare feet are better than slippers or socks, but get this attended to.

I was wearing trainers when I slipped.

Yeah, I was coming down barefoot. I thought about slippers, but the stair treads are so shallow that I'm worried about slipping wearing them as my feet would feel different, iyswim. Will contact landlord and see what she says.

I now always come down like a toddler, one foot following the first, catch-up style, and ALWAYS holding on to at least one rail, if not both. It's been 20 months since I fell, too, but I can't see myself ever changing now.

that is the classic sign of knackered carpet and there is no cure. The landlord won't know as he doesn't walk it regularly; so tell him.

One of the expenses you have to accept when renting out houses.

might be better without carpet at all?

I think it's a terraced house thing. Our stairs are pretty newly carpeted so not dodgy but visiting children will ALWAYS fall down the last 3. DH once fell down and took out DD1 who was waiting for him at the bottom. I have been up the stairs on my hands and knees feeling for loose carpet but there's none and it isn't a slippery fabric. Our DC are good at going up and down but I think you 'learn' your stairs. I come down sideways so my feet are always firmly planted on the stair and not half on, half off. My friend's terraced house stairs are practically vertical and frighten the life out of me.

Your stairs might not meet building regs. There is a link from here that shows the height and depth that the treads and risers should be.

a stair tread only needs to be slightly out to 'throw' you - but you do get used to your own.

apparently stairs would never pass health and safety if they were invented now!

you won't get the stairs changed; the place had them steep when you viewed and accepted it. But if the carpet is worn out, that should be done.

Ah, well, we rented the place sight unseen, more fool us, as we were moving back from abroad and just wanted somewhere to live for a year or so. Wouldn't have taken it if I'd realised, but apart from the death slide, it's otherwise ok!