After investing in beautiful exterior wood doors, any proud homeowner will want to keep them looking their best. In any city, exterior doors can easily collect dirt and grime. However, with a little know-how and some effort, you can have yours looking great again in no time.
A fresh looking front door will liven up your home and help it stand out from your street. You’ll feel good about entering your home through a clean portal, and you’ll also give your guests a good first impression.
Cleaning your doors is not difficult, but you may need a few different cleaning products depending on the type of door you have.
Starting with some of the supplies you’ll need and explaining how to prep and clean them from top to bottom, here’s how to keep your exterior wood doors looking their best.
Gather your cleaning supplies
The first task is to look at the type of door you have and the amount of dirt and grime you need to remove. For both prep and cleanup, you may only need a few of the supplies here. For certain types of doors, or depending on the task at hand, you may need them all.
To prepare the door for cleaning, any of the following equipment may be required: a vacuum cleaner with a hose and brush, paper towels or soft cloths, a feather duster, a small artist’s brush, a stepladder, and a broom.
For the cleaning step of the process, we may need any of the following: soft rags and soft sponges, a commercial wood cleaner like Murphy’s Oil Soap, a homemade dish soap cleaning solution, a teaspoon of baking soda, and four cups of hot water, glass cleaner (newspaper makes a good cleaning cloth that won’t streak glass), commercial metal cleaner or hot soapy water for metal door hardware, and oil to use on hinges .
Use a commercial product or the homemade mixture to clean exterior doors on unpainted wood. For painted doors, use the homemade solution; do not use Murphy’s oil soap.
Preparing your door for cleaning
Before you can clean your exterior wooden doors, you will need to get rid of the dust and dirt that has accumulated on them.
Open the door and start at the top of the door frame, using the vacuum’s brush attachment whenever possible. Then dust with paper towels, rags, or a feather duster where the vacuum won’t reach.
Dust the entire door frame and door from top to bottom, and use this time to inspect the door for stains and damage. Use the small brush to get into the cracks.
Finally, sweep the entrance, inside and out.
get rid of the grime
Use a soft sponge or cloth to apply the cleaner, always following the direction of the door. Again, go from top to bottom and include the door frame.
Be careful not to rub too hard, as this can remove the paint or finish from the wooden exterior door. Once this is done, wipe the door with a soft cloth to remove any remaining cleaner or water.
When cleaning any window, be sure to keep an eye out for drips and get them out quickly. These could stain your door and leave you with an unpleasant reminder every time you leave or enter.
Clean doorknobs, locks, hinges, and other metal hardware. Again, be sure not to scrub too hard if you’re using an abrasive cleaner.
For exterior wood doors with a stained finish, use furniture polish or wax to give it a like-new shine. Wipe the door in the direction of the grain so the polish applies smoothly and looks even when finished.
Finish off by oiling the locks and hinges to give the door a smooth feel to match its new look.
While it may seem like a big task, and it’s worth taking care of the paint or other finishes, cleaning an exterior wood door doesn’t have to be a chore.
Start by gathering everything you’ll need to have everything on hand during the process. Next, remove all the dirt and small particles that have accumulated on and around the door. Finally, clean that door until it shines and makes you proud!
Afterward, you can enjoy your wooden exterior door every time you enter or leave your home, and maybe even get a nice compliment from a neighbor.
