5 Tips to Successfully Clean Your Garage Door
Garage doors are one of the most noticeable design elements of your home’s curb appeal. Unfortunately, your garage door is bound to get dirty over time. The good news is that cleaning your garage door to make it like new is easy with the right tips. If you’re ready to restore your garage door, read on to learn five tips to clean it effectively from Visalia garage doors pros.
1. Gather All of Your Supplies
Before doing anything else, gathering all the supplies you’ll need for your garage door cleaning is essential. Most people have several cleaning supplies in their homes, but successfully cleaning your Visalia garage doors will require specific cleaning tools.
Some supplies you’ll want to consider include several soft cleaning cloths or cleaning mitts. Cloths and mitts are some of the best materials to use to clean your garage door. You’ll also want to get a few clean dry towels. In addition to this, be sure to grab a gentle soap for cleaning, a large bucket for your soap water, a broom, and a silicone-based lubricant.
In terms of soap, dish soap, and car wash soap are both great options to choose from. But if you can, it’s best to use car wash soap as it is the most effective and economical.
Keep in mind that if you have stubborn stains that can’t be removed with soap, using a mild detergent can do the trick. Also, if your garage is made from steel, aluminum, or fiberglass material, you’ll also want silicone wax. These doors should be waxed yearly as it adds a protective coating to your door’s finish.
2. Thoroughly Brush and Rinse Your Door First
Before you start the cleaning process, you’ll want to thoroughly brush and pre-rinse your garage door. Using a soft-bristled broom or microfiber mop should remove all dirt and debris from the surface of the garage door.
Next, you’ll want to pre-rinse the entire garage door surface with a hose. Rinsing the door will work best if you have a nozzle and set it on the wide spray setting for better coverage. With that said, never use a pressure washer because the pressure could damage your garage door.
3. Applying the Soap
Once the garage door has been thoroughly cleaned, it’s time to apply the soap. You’ll be using your soapy water solution along with your cloth or wash mitt. Scrub the entire surface of your garage door. Don’t forget to also clean the weather stripping to ensure that is well maintained. This is also a great time to make sure the weather stripping isn’t cracked or worn.
4. Rinse, Dry, and Wax (If Needed)
After you’ve thoroughly soaped your garage door, the next thing you’ll need to do is rinse your door with a hose. Be sure to rinse until all the soap has been removed. While you’re rinsing the door, this is a great opportunity to see if there are any dirt spots you missed that you need to scrub again.
As stated earlier, certain garage doors like steel, aluminum, and fiberglass need regular waxes. If you will need to add a wax coating to your garage door, make sure it is dry first.
With that said, there are some waxes that can be applied on a wet surface but not all. Always check your wax instructions to determine the best way to apply the wax. When waxing your garage door, wipe from top to bottom. More specifically, you’ll want to start at one of the top corners and then work your way across and then transition to the next row until you’ve covered all surfaces.
5. Final Touches
The last two things you’ll want to do to finish up your garage door are to lubricate the weather stripping and clean the inside of the door.
It is encouraged to lubricate weather stripping every two to three months. For this reason, it’s best to get it out of the way while you’re already giving your garage door some TLC. Be sure to use a silicone-based lubricant. Using a petroleum-based lubricant will lead to your weather stripping drying and cracking.
Most homeowners focus on the exterior of their garage door, but it’s also a good idea to clean the interior of your garage door. Occasionally cleaning the interior of your garage door ensures you’re able to upkeep your garage door. You can use the same process that you did for the exterior of your door.
Brush the interior surface of the Visalia garage doors thoroughly to get rid of dirt and debris. Then, you’ll want to scrub the surface with a gentle soap solution. Lastly, you’ll want to use a clean, wet cloth to remove any suds. Take a dry cloth to dry the surface completely.
Note that this is also a good time to ensure the tracks are clean. A buildup of dirt and grime on the tracks will lead to problems like the rollers sticking. Never lubricate tracks though. It is essential to only clean them. As far as the rollers, those can and are encouraged to be lubricated. If you’re unsure about how to properly lubricate your rollers, consider contacting a professional to prevent any damage.
Garage Door in Visalia, CA: Keep Your Garage Door Like New
The garage door is a key feature of your home. Maintaining your garage door is the best way to retain your home’s curb appeal. Luckily, a thorough cleaning can help keep your garage looking like new.
