How to Maintain and Care for Your Wooden Swinging Doors

Unfinished Wood Doors – Need to be Finished

An unfinished wooden door is unprotected. Over time it will attract common household stains on its surface. Such as dirt and assorted goop that may be on and under the fingertips, including other everyday household substances. In addition, other splashed and spilled liquids such as wine can soak deep into the wood. The watery blemish that soaks into the wood will give your door an overall inconsistent appearance. We recommend ALL unfinished wood doors be painted or stained with a sealed, or simply sealed to bring out the wood’s natural look. Unfinished doors should not be installed and used without being finished.

Stained Wood Doors

To care for and maintain a wooden door that’s already been stained we recommend a regular maintenance schedule to maintain beautiful clean doors. Here are the best practices for stained wooden doors.

  • Light Wash warm water and apply a mild soapy solution of dish soap with a clean non-abrasive sponge or cloth to gently remove any small smudges or accumulated dirt
  • After a light wash dry doors using a soft towel to completely dry the doors
  • It’s best not to use any abrasive or household chemicals as the ingredients contained can be corrosive and harmful to your door finish.
  • A final polish will help maintain its aesthetically pleasing finish, use a quality liquid furniture polish.
  • Budget-minded consumers can apply a simple homemade polish mixture solution

Painted Wood Doors

If you purchased painted doors from us, we would recommend unpacking the doors immediately.

  • This is because there could be a reaction with the paint and packaging since the paint is still curing (the time it takes for the paint to become fully set).
  • When the paint is applied to a solid object like a wooden door there’s a chemical process that happens to help bond it to the surface.
  • Once doors have finally cured about 3 weeks after delivery you can go ahead and wash and clean the doors normally

How to Properly Clean Painted Doors:

  • Light Wash warm water and apply a mild soapy solution of dish soap with a clean non-abrasive sponge or cloth to gently remove any small smudges or accumulated dirt
  • After a light wash dry doors using a soft towel to completely dry the doors
  • It’s best not to use any abrasive or household chemicals as the ingredients contained can be corrosive and harmful to your door finish.

Yes, Clean the Metal Parts Too

Your doors accessories should also be cleaned thoroughly when cleaning the doors. Take a small, dry cloth and wipe away any gathered debris embedded in the area.

A consistent practice of regularly cleaning your wooden doors is the key to ensuring it will stay looking new and beautiful year after year. Solid wood doors can be sensitive to humidity and temperature change.

Annual and Semi-inspection Hardware Schedule

Your wooden door and the hardware attached to the doors combine to give your room a balanced look. Every 6-12 months, schedule time to inspect your doors hardware.

This is to ensure each door and doorway continues to provide an attractive and secure entranceway. When inspecting your door:

  • Open and close your door wide to make sure it continues to function normally with no movement as you perform the action
  • Check for any hinge issues. For example, look closely to make certain that there is sufficiently lubricated. Examine them closely from top to bottom

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