Experiencing spring fever? Buzzing around your home to do a deep clean feels like the perfect way to bid winter adieu and enter a bright new season. Although the kitchen counters and living room baseboards may get your much-deserved attention, doors are commonly overlooked during spring cleaning.
Doors are—literally—the entrypoint to your haven, and they can set the tone for the space. Dirty doors can make a home feel unloved and, well, dirty. A little TLC goes a long way in keeping your interior and exterior doors looking fresh. Ahead, we’re sharing our top tips for cleaning your doors the right way.
How to Properly Clean Exterior Doors
Exterior doors must withstand even harsher conditions than the daily wear and tear of interior doors. From pollen and dirt to rainy weather and wind, exterior doors block out the elements—and they start to show it if you don’t maintain them.
Let’s face it: Life can get hectic. If you only have time to tackle ONE exterior door this spring, make it your front door! After all, it serves as a welcoming point and first impression. Pay attention to the type of material of your door before you start cleaning to avoid doing any permanent damage.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unused paintbrush (optional)
- Magic Eraser
- Duster or microfiber cloth, sponges
- Mild dish soap, like Dawn
- White vinegar
- Water
- Empty spray bottle
- Toothbrush
Step One: Get the grime off
Your cleaning will be much more effective if you aren’t smearing around existing dirt and dust. Use an unused paint brush or rag to wipe away excess grime from top to bottom, including the door frame. You might even need to bust out the leaf blower to knock out all the cobwebs and debris before you begin!
Step Two: Start with the frame
Mix up a bucket of soapy water, then grab your sponge and an old toothbrush. Clean the door frame with the soapy mixture. It may take an extra round or two of scrubbing if the frame is especially dirty, and that’s where a scrub brush or toothbrush comes in handy. After using the cleaning solution, it’s important to rinse it all off completely with a round of water. Be sure to dry it well using a clean rag or newspaper before you move to the next step.
Step Three: Wash the door
Following the same general guidelines as those for an interior door, gently wash your door. Be sure to thoroughly rinse away all soap and dry thoroughly to prevent drips or watermarks.
FOR METAL DOORS: In a spray bottle, add 1 cup of white vinegar, 2 drops of Dawn, and 1 cup of water. Once rinsed and dried, follow up on tough stains with a Magic Eraser. (Use gentle pressure so as not to wipe away paint.)
FOR WOOD DOORS: Use a mild dish soap and water.
FOR GLASS DOORS: Use a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water. Wipe down with newspaper or an old t-shirt to avoid streaks.
Step Four: Clean any window panes/transoms
Although cleaning the panes can be tedious, it’s well worth the effort to have them gleaming. Use your favorite glass cleaner or a simple solution of vinegar and water, which can be less streaky.
Start at the top and work your way down. Again, it’s important to dry your door completely before you start to ensure a streak-free shine. For a longer lasting shine, apply a water repellent (like Rain-X®) to the exterior panes. This will help the water, rain and even dirt run right off the panes, helping to keep the door looking cleaner for longer periods of time.
Step 5: Last but not least: Polish Your Hardware!
Don’t overlook your hinges, locks, handles, and the like! While it takes hardly any time to maintain them, leaving hardware unpolished for too long results in rustier hardware that is hard to clean.
If you have brass, chrome, or stainless steel hardware, a little mild dish soap and water is likely all you need to safely clean off the dirt and grime. For areas that are more tarnished, you may need polish specific to your material type, which is likely carried at your local hardware store.
How Often to Clean Exterior Doors
The best way to keep this task from becoming a gargantuan chore is to wipe down your doors every month or so, especially if you have pets or small children. Then, do your deep cleaning approximately every six months. At the very least, put it at the top of your spring cleaning list annually!
If you decide that your door has seen its better days and you’re ready for an upgrade, give us a call at Xtreme Home Products and check out our lineup of stylish, high quality exterior doors. We serve Statesville, Troutman, Winston Salem, Taylorsville, Hickory, Denver, Sherrills Ford, Mooresville, Newton, Concord, Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Lincolnton, Charlotte, and surrounding areas.
