Need some advice on keeping your internal doors looking their best? We know that well maintained doors will not only look great in your home, but will give you years of use if you treat them well. Here’s our top tips for internal door upkeep that you can start applying today.
Keeping your doors clean is obviously one of the most obvious things you can do for your internal doors to keep them looking great, but the cleaning process differs depending on the finish of your doors. If your doors are varnished or painted to protect them, you can simply clean them with a soft cloth and furniture polish once a fortnight to remove any surface dust.
If they are untreated, or unvarnished, you can clean them to remove dirt and dust with a simple wipe with a damp cloth and a bucket of warm water with gentle detergent. Try to wipe with the grain of the wood rather than against it and always dry them thoroughly after to remove any excess moisture. If you want to enhance the natural wood tones and the beauty of the grain in your wooden doors, you can use a simple cleaning solution of 15mls of olive oil added to 4 litres of hot water, and wipe a cloth dampened with this mixture over your doors. With this ratio, there should be no grease left on your doors when you’re finished.
If you have decided that your untreated doors need a bit more protection but you don’t want to paint them, you can try waxing them instead. This way, you can add the wax directly to the door and buff it to the desired level of glossiness. Once a year it’s also a good idea to apply a special wax to varnished doors to help protect them from humidity (which can cause the doors to swell and stick in the frames).
If your doors are painted and you notice that they have chipped and are looking a bit tired, or perhaps you simply want to refresh them with a different paint colour, you should sand them down and start with a clean slate instead of trying to paint several coats over the top of the current colour.
Your hinges and handles need some attention too to keep your internal doors looking their best. Squeaky hinges are more than just an annoying sound – they could be a sign something is not quite right with your doors. Check they aren’t loose or too tight, causing the screws to warp. You should also tighten any loose screws around your handles, as with general wear and tear everyday they can become loosened.
If you find that in the summer months your internal doors swell due to the increased humidity, don’t be tempted to shave a few millimetres off them in order to stop them sticking, or you’ll regret it come winter when they go back to regular size and you’re left with draughty gaps around them. Instead, take a look at our recent blog post on what to do if your doors swell for some handy tips and advice.
Looking for new interior doors for your home? Why not pop in and see us in one of our showrooms, or browse our collection online.