Your garage door is a valuable property investment. It serves as a critical barrier safeguarding access to your home. As well, a garage door is one of the first impressions a buyer will make of your home. It directly impacts curb appeal and if you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. A worn down and busted overhead door sticks out like a sore thumb and shows a lack of care for a home.
While a complete replacement can cost a fair amount, it’s important to recognize that no garage door is impervious to wear and tear. Every overhead door material and style will have a limited lifespan before repair or replacement is needed. The encouraging news is that regular maintenance and proper repairs can extend your overhead door’s lifespan. An essential part of this maintenance routine involves consistent cleaning. Remarkably, regular cleaning routines can effectively extend a garage door’s lifespan by an impressive 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 Gentle Cleaning Supplies for Your Garage Door
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. As well, keep in mind the materials used for your garage door. You don’t want to leave any soap on spots that may cause rust or wear.
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. Remember, repairing a problem with you garage door before it causes major damage can save you from needing a full door replacement.