How to Clean Your Front Door

Cleaning your doors, especially exterior doors, may sound like a waste of time. How many people actually look at a door and care whether it's clean or not? Well, the cleanliness of a door matters more than you'd think, especially when it comes to curb appeal. Doors are high traffic areas and tend to be magnets for dirt and dust. Your exterior door will especially get dirtier faster than your interior doors.

This article will be showing you how to deep clean your door. Knowing what door maintenance tips to use and what to avoid will help you keep your doors in better shape for longer.

An important note to remember is that you should not use ammonia-based cleaners on Knockety doors, as they can strip the finish off the doors. Every Knockety purchase comes with a small bottle of touchup paint to fix any mistakes that happen.

Cleaning Wood Doors

The first thing you want to do with any style of door is make sure that there is no debris or dust on the surface. You can do so by using a microfiber cloth to get rid of the debris on the surface of the door. This will prevent streaks when you move on to the cleaning portion.

Wood doors are best cleaned a simple mixture of mild soap and water. Be sure not to drown the door with water and only use enough to simply dampen the surface. You may use a microfiber cloth or a gentle brush of your choosing. Get into those cracks and grooves as that is where the dirt collects.

Once you've cleaned the surface, take a dry towel to remove the moisture from the surface. Having a dry surface to work with will make polishing the wood surface easier and yield better results.

The last step is to use a woof furniture polish. Be sure to use a fresh rag or towel and rub the polish in the direction of the wood grain. This will bring out the natural shine and colors of your door and maintain its integrity for longer.

Cleaning Fiberglass Doors

Fiberglass doors are known to be energy efficient and do not require as much maintenance as other types of doors. As usual though, you will want to make sure you wipe off any debris or dust from the surface with a clean, dry rag or towel.

Instead of mild soap and water, the best cleaning solution for fiberglass doors is white vinegar mixed with water. In this case, you will want to add a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Once you have that ready, you can use a clean rag/towel or sponge to gently scrub the surface. For problem areas on the door, you can opt for a soft brush to remove stains.

After you've scrubbed the door with the vinegar mixture, rinse the door with plain water. If the smell of vinegar is too much, you can add some drops of your preferred essential oil to the door. The smell of vinegar should dissipate in a day or so.

Cleaning Painted Doors

Like the previous examples, be sure to remove dust and debris from the surface with a dry cloth or towel.

Similar to cleaning a wood door, you will want to use a mixture of mild soap and water to clean the surface. To clean, dip a clean rag or towel in the mixture. You'll want your rag or towel to be damp, not soaking wet, when you scrub the door.

In order to better preserve the paint used on the door, do not scrub harshly. Only use gentle force so as to not damage the painted surface. This is also why you do not want to use harsh chemicals or harsh brush, as it will dull or remove the paint.

Explore the Solutions

Knockety offers a wide selection of interior and exterior doors to help you elevate your image. Proper door maintenance will keep your doors looking clean and fresh all year long. Be sure to contact our team to learn more about how to take care of your door.