People often mistakenly believe that wood doors that have been stained are difficult to clean and maintain. In fact, just the opposite is true, especially with the top quality of stains and sealants that are used today.
For the vast majority of potential stains on both interior and exterior wood doors around a home, warm water and a mild soap is often all that is needed. However, there may be some specific types of stains that are more problematic than others.
To help people choose the right cleaning products and avoid those that may damage the wood, consider the following options for cleaning of wood doors either on the interior or the exterior of the home.
Don’t Use Furniture Cleaners and Polishers
With wood doors that are stained and sealed, using the readily-available types of furnish polishes will leave a residue over time. This will become dull and filmy looking and may even result in attracting more dirt and dust that will stick to the surface.
Often most stains and dirt residue will be simply removed with warm water. It is important not to soak the door, simply use a damp cloth and wipe the area.
Remove Oil and Grease
First, it is important not to use a general purpose oil or grease remover on wood doors. These products can actually damage the sealant or cause damage to the surface of the wood. With painted doors this can be even more problematic than with stained doors as the cleaner can actually cause the paint to lift off the door’s surface, or it may lead to peeling and flaking.
Remove as much of the surface grease or oil as quickly as possible. This can be done by dabbing with a paper towel or other absorbent type of cloth. Do not smear the grease or oil to create a bigger stain area.
Use a mild dish soap and warm to hot water combination and allow it to sit on the stained area without soaking the wood. Keep repeating until the grease and oil has lifted off the wood doors.
Never use bleach products, ammonia, full-strength vinegar or try to use abrasive materials or cleaners. This will scratch the surface of the wood doors and cause an irregular look to the surface area around the stain. With painted doors these products, including the pot scrubber types of abrasive sponges, will remove the paint completely, requiring a complete touch-up.
With the care taken at Nick’s Building Supply to stain and seal our wood doors, cleaning is always a breeze.
