How do you keep outdoor stairs clean?

[Bruce999]

This will seem like a stupid question, but I am sure there must be some sort of magic solution out there. I spent weeks replacing rotted boards, sanding, and painting our front porch. When it was done, it looked great. All vertical posts were white, all horizontal surfaces were grey. In one day, it looked dirty. When wet leaves fall on it, they leave a yellowed stain. When people walk up and down the stairs (just 5 of them), the stairs seem to get dirty very quickly. Hosing them off has little affect, effort is required with a detergent (I have been using dish detergent) to get them clean again.

Is there any additional coating I can add on top of my outdoor acrylic latex deck paint which will make the paint more resistant to dirt, stains, and generally looking upkept? As it is right now, I can make them look better with the standard mop and bucket approach, but am looking for something which will allow me to just spray them with a hose to have them looking (almost) new again. I realize I am sweating the small stuff, but it is frustrating to have gone through all of that work only to have them look dirty 24 hours after I had finished the project.

Also, during the project, my neighbour came over to see how it was coming along. He commented that I was going to have to repaint every year because I went with light colours. I get along fine with my neighbour, but I would be very happy to be able to prove him wrong on this count.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Bruce.

[suemarkp]

When you want a painted surface to be more durable, you can apply a clear coat to it like varnish. You'll need to pick a clear coating that will adhere to the latex paint you've used (I'm not sure if polyurethane or varnish will stick to latex paint). Having a shinier finish is also part of the solution, but I don't know if you'll like a gloss or semi gloss deck. The clear coatings also seem to be a little slick, so dirt comes off easier, as do your feet from under you.

I think I'd try a small area first to make sure the coating is going to be enough of a benefit to do what you want. I also wonder if a water seal product (like Thomson's) will help and if it could be applied over paint.

[Bumblerazz]

A water seal like Thomson's does not adsorb into any paint, and a surplus on the surface will actually attract dirt. It doesn't ever completely dry out and will forever have a slight tacky feel. A very thin layer might work, but I doubt it.

I would go the clear-coat or varnish rout, though as Mark says, be very carefull of your footing when it gets wet. You could add a special grit to increase traction, but it may defeat the clean surface look.

[Bruce999]

Thanks for the ideas, but I didn't even consider the potential loss of traction by adding a coat of "stain resistance". I have 3 kids under 6, they are about as steady on their feet as clowns at the circus, so I guess I shouldn't be adding to their walking woes by making the front steps even more slippery. Having that in mind makes the mop and bucket approach much more palatable, so I will just stick with what I have for now and clean it when it bugs me.

Thanks again for the replies.

Bruce.