How Do You Clean a Door?

By: Architectural Visions

Spring cleaning is in the air, and you know how to clean your windows — but how do you properly clean a door? Doors are high-traffic areas of the home and not only receive lots of use but can make a first impression, as they can be one of the first things a guest notices about your home. So make sure you’re making an excellent first impression with a sparkling clean front door. Whether you have a steel, wood, or glass front door, read on for tips on keeping your doors clean.

Key takeaways:

  • Metal doors require less maintenance than wood doors and can be cleaned with a mild, all-purpose cleaner or a simple homemade solution.
  • Painted doors require more care than non-painted doors. It’s essential to avoid cleaners that are abrasive or acidic.
  • Spot clean white front doors with a melamine foam cleaning sponge to gently remove the marks without the risk of removing the paint.
  • When cleaning stained wood front doors, use wood furniture polish as a finishing touch for a gleaming shine.

How to clean a metal front door

A metal door is one of the most durable types of doors and requires less maintenance than other doors. Cleaning a metal door is a straightforward process that yields significant results. Simply spraying a mild, all-purpose cleaner on a wet sponge or rag will remove dirt, dust and debris. If you prefer a natural solution, you can mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle to achieve the same results as a store-bought solution.

How to clean a painted metal front door

Cleaning a painted metal door is similar to painting an unlacquered metal door. However, it’s important to avoid abrasive or acidic cleaners with painted metal doors to avoid damaging the paint. Also, avoiding cleaning solutions with ingredients such as rust remover or pumice will help preserve the paint.

How to clean a painted front door

Regardless of the door’s material, if the door is painted, it requires more care than a non-painted door. Avoiding stripping the paint is essential to consider when cleaning a painted front door to prevent unsightly chips and necessary touch-ups. A gentle cleaning solution and a damp cloth are all you need to keep your painted front doors looking fresh and new.

Front entrance

How to clean a painted wood front door

Painted wood doors, particularly front doors, require regular cleaning to reduce the inevitable dirt, dust, spider webs, build-up and more. Cleaning a painted wood door requires a more careful process than a metal door requires. A detailed process is necessary so you don’t strip the paint. A cleaning solution made with warm water, mild dish soap and water or ammonia will be gentle enough for a painted wood door. Before using the wet cleaning solution, use a dry rag to remove loose dirt. Then, use a clean cloth or a sponge to wash the door with the cleaning solution, moving top to bottom to ensure a thorough clean. Once the door is cleaned entirely, dampen another clean cloth to give the door a final rinse.

How to clean a white front door

Cleaning a front door painted white requires the same cleaning steps as any other painted door, with a particular focus on using a gentle, non-abrasive cleaning solution to avoid removing the paint. Since a white door shows more stains and marks than a dark-colored door, you may need to manually remove the visible dark spots, stains, and scuffs. Spot cleaning these marks using a melamine foam cleaning sponge will gently remove the marks without the risk of removing the paint.

How to clean a stained wood front door

To clean a stained wood front door, you can use the same gentle cleaning solution and damp cloth that you would use for a painted wood door. To keep the stained wood door’s gleaming shine, you can use wood furniture polish as a finishing touch.

How to clean a glass door

Cleaning glass doors regularly is essential to remove dirt, dust and grime. Whether it’s paned glass, stained glass, or glass sliding doors, dirty glass doors are immediately visible and can reduce the amount of sunlight that shines through. You can keep your glass doors looking shiny and new by wiping away visible dirt, followed by an equal parts water and dish soap solution. Once the doors are cleaned, spray the glass with a glass cleaner for extra sparkle.

AVI Windows & Doors

Turn to a professional to help select and install new front doors by contacting the experts at AVI. AVI is your one-stop-shop for installing front doors with in-person and online service options. Please don’t hesitate to contact us online or come by one of our Southeast locations and let us help you!