Narrow stairs, three floors, original hardwood — Philly row homes have their own rhythm. Here's how we clean them efficiently.
Most of our Philadelphia work happens in row homes — Fishtown trinities, Rittenhouse brownstones, Queen Village Federals. They share a few quirks that affect how you clean them.
Work top-down, always
Start at the top floor and work down. Dust falls; carrying a vacuum up two flights of stairs only to push debris back down again is a rookie mistake. We always finish on the ground floor.
Original hardwood needs less water than you think
Old Philly hardwood is often original to the home — 100+ years in some cases. Avoid steam mops and over-wet floors. A barely-damp microfiber mop with a pH-neutral cleaner is all you need. Excess water warps boards and lifts old finish.
Don't skip the stairwell walls
Narrow row-home stairwells collect hand smudges, scuff marks, and dust on the chair rails. Wipe them at least monthly with a microfiber dampened with diluted castile soap.
Trinity layouts
Trinities — one room per floor — feel small but actually take longer to clean than open layouts because of the stair count. Budget extra time, and consider a two-person team if you're booking professionally.
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