Consider your garage door a property investment, one that prevents access to your home. Replacing a garage door entirely is not cheap — and no garage door is designed to last forever. The good news is you can prolong the lifespan of your garage door with proper repair and regular maintenance. Part of the routine upkeep you should maintain for your door includes cleaning. In fact, by cleaning your garage door regularly, you can prolong its lifespan by up to 15 to 20 years.
Here’s how to properly clean your garage door so it stays in great repair and continues to operate at peak performance.
Stock Up on Cleaning Supplies
You’ll need the right cleaning supplies to properly clean your garage door. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy — dish soap or car wash soap works just fine. Mix a solution in a bucket with the same amount of suds you’d expect to tackle a sink of dishes. Whatever you do, don’t add bleach — this can permanently stain your garage door.
You’ll also need some sponges or clothes that are non-abrasive. You don’t want to damage the finish of your garage door.
And of course, you’ll need a ladder to hit the tough to reach spots.
Cleaning Your Garage Door
When it comes to garage doors, the best cleaning agent is good old fashioned elbow grease. Scrub hard and try to remove any dirt, stickiness or buildup. You might want to also clean the weatherstripping or the door trim. This will help them last longer overtime. After you’ve thoroughly scrubbed down your garage door, spray everything down with a hose.When you clean your garage door, you not only get a cleaner garage door — you also have the opportunity to inspect it for potential repair issues. This way, your door will look beautiful and you can take a proactive approach to maintenance issues — a win-win!