Many homeowners clean their garage door’s exterior fairly often. After all, that’s what most visitors see when they come to your home, and we know that a clean house also has better curb appeal. When you ask, “How to clean the inside of a garage door,” it’s usually because you know you’ll have a company that may spend time in your garage.
Keeping a clean garage door interior provides more than cosmetic benefits. The inside of a garage door makes the perfect home for spiders and other insects and may harbour dust or debris that worsen respiratory problems. Use the following steps to clean the inside of your garage door and reduce the risks of pests or sickness.
1. Get Your Supplies Together
To properly clean your garage door’s interior, you’ll need the following:
A broom
A gentle car wash soap
Soft cloths or wash mitts
A bucket to hold soapy water
A water hose with a spray attachment
A silicone-based car or liquid spray wax
A silicone-based lubricant for your weather seals
2. Clear the Door of Dirt and Debris
Most garage door interiors collect dirt, dust, cobwebs, and other debris that can easily brushawaywith your broom. Follow up your brushingbyspraying downthe door with water. Use a water hose with a spray nozzle instead of a pressure washer, as too much water pressure can strip your door’s paint or cause damage to the door.
3. Soap It Up
Step three of “How to clean the inside of a garage door” includes the most fun part of the process: using car wash soap to clean your garage door. Lather the soap with water in a bucket, then use a soft cloth or wash the mitt to wipe away the grime from the door. Start at the top and work your way down to keep dirt from flowing down onto already-cleaned parts.
4. Finish Cleaning
Grab your garden hose again and spray down your door until the water runs clear. Using soft cloths again, dry your door before you wax the surface. Remember to work from the top down when waxing your garage door to prevent extra work.
5. Oil Up Your Weather Stripping
The weather stripping on each side of the door requires lubrication to keep it in good shape. Petroleum-based lubricants can damage your stripping, so stick to a siliconebased lubricant to avoid those issues.
6. Check Your Door Tracks
Look at your garage door tracks, rollers, belts, and springs as a final precaution. Clean these components if they appear grimy, and look for signs of wear and tear so you can change them out if required.