Your front entry door, whether stained or painted, often sets someone's first impression of your home. In order to have it looks its best, it should be cleaned regularly.
Here are the steps for how to clean an exterior front door.
photo courtesy of Elliott Brown flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4451354838/Vacuum
It may sound weird to use a vacuum on the outside of your home, but vacuuming a front door is highly effective.
A shop vac or wet/dry vac is preferred, but you can also use an indoor vacuum or a hand held vacuum #ad (otherwise known as a dust buster).
Make sure to take precautions when using an interior vacuum outdoors, such as keeping it away from water and making sure it is grounded.
Vacuum all of the visible dust, dirt, debris, bugs, and cobwebs on and around your front door.
Top to Bottom
Using a mixture of vinegar and water, test an inconspicuous spot on your door to ensure the solution does not discolor your door.
Once you determine it to be safe, use a rag to wipe on the solution and immediately wipe off the solution using a dry rag.
You might need several rags to complete the entire door.
Start cleaning your door in small sections at the top and work your way down to the bottom.
If you have stubborn dirt that is hard to remove, you can try a general purpose cleaner, some dish soap and water, or a magic cleaning sponge to remove it, but test an inconspicuous place first to ensure it does not discolor your door.
Cleaning the Glass
If your front door has glass, use the same vinegar mixture to clean the glass, but dry it using paper towels or newspaper for a streak free finish.
Cleaning the Hardware
The cleaning method for your front entry door hardware depends on its material.
Brass hardware should be cleaned with brass cleaner and polish.
Stainless steel hardware should be cleaned with stainless steel cleaner.
Front and Back, Top and Bottom, Left and Right
Don't forget to clean both the interior and exterior part of your front door as well as the top and bottom edge and left and right edge.
