How To Clean Wood Doors

Information on cleaning Exterior and Interior wooden doors to keep your home beautiful

Here are some suggestions for cleaning the high quality wooden doors sold by CR doors:

• Check to see if you can find the manufacturers cleaning instructions that would have come with our quality wood doors
• Inspect your door for damage such as dirt build up, cracks, flakes, scratches, pealing, puckering, or dis-coloring / tarnishing
• Inspect door glass for moisture between panes, or glass damage
• Inspect weatherstripping which wears out and needs replacing every few years. Do not subject weather stripping to any harsh chemicals.
• Check your rain gutters over doorways, they need to be cleaned out at least once a year depending on nearby tree foliage.
• If you have a fine finish or paint on your door Do Not Use:
  • Acid base cleaners such as Vinegar or Citrus
  • Turpentine or Paint Remover
  • Industrial Strength Cleaners
  • Siding, Concrete, Stucco, or Brick cleaners/washes
  • Glass cleaners
  Any of these may damage the finish, remove paint, or leave stain or discolor finish
• Brush the outside and inside of the wooden door down with a light dust brush or a dry sponge, to be rid of any cobwebs in the corners, or dried mud or dirt that will fall off with just a little assistance. Make sure to clean the door frame, top, sides (don't forget between the door and frame on the hinge side), and the bottom. Be careful with the weatherstripping. Always work top to bottom.
• Rinse the door with water to get the next easy layer of whatever there is off
• Before cleaning the whole door test a small, unnoticeable spot with your cleaner, clean, rinse off cleaner, dry with clean cloth. Examine sponge, and/or clothes. Do not continue if anything comes off that shouldn't have.
• Then you can use warm water with diluted mild soap (example baby shampoo), a diluted vinegar and water mix (test on small unobserved spot), or even a carefully prepared cleaning mixture of Murphy's Oil soap and warm water (carefully read and follow cleaner directions). Using a soft sponge, non lint producing cloth, or the micro fiber reusable cleaning cloths. Clean the area, again starting at the top, with the door frame first, then sides, bottom, the door top, sides, and bottom.
• To remove an oil or grease stain try baking soda and water. If the stain persists you may have to try a stronger active ingredient which could remove the stain but leave a spot from damaging the finish or the paint.
• RINSE AGAIN - Do Not Let any cleaning solution dry on your door.
• Rinse away any water in your walkway, sweep away, or mop up any leftover water.
• You may clean glass panels in your door with glass cleaner or vinegar and water. Be very careful not to let this mixture drip down on your door finish.
• Dry your wood door with a separate clean, non lint cloth. If it comes out dirty, repeat until clean. (Make sure you have have not removed finish or paint.)
• Cleaning door knobs and hinges can be done with glass cleaner or vinegar as well, or if they are brass please use a brass cleaner and carefully follow the directions.