Installing beautiful floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors adds lighting, beauty, and openness to a room. It allows light to stream in, lifting your mood. They only look truly beautiful when they are clean and you can look out into your yard, pool, or garden. Still, we all know how tiresome cleaning doors and windows can be. Just when you think you’ve got the inside clean, you find the kids’ fingerprints and the dog’s nose prints on the outside. It is a process that can be extremely irritating, but you still need clean, clear views of all of the outdoor scenery. To make things easier we’ve put together a few tips for cleaning those side by side doors and windows.
The Glass
Today there are a lot of ways to clean glass, and a large number of glass cleaning products are on the market. However, there is a simple, affordable solution that will make your glass sparkle. The best glass cleaning product you can use on glass doors is a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
Regardless of the cleaning product you use, the most important thing to remember is to remove those streaks. Use a microfiber cloth or a squeegee to get that easy, streak-free finish on your bifold doors. Before you start cleaning, be sure to remove your jewellery and watch as well. These can leave permanent scratches on glass.
How to Clean the Door Frames
Cleaning the frames only requires a quick wipe-down with a non-abrasive moist cloth or sponge. Soak the cloth or sponge in warm, soapy water or in your vinegar and water solution. If you see staining, try a non-abrasive liquid cleaner or paraffin-based solution. When there are marks on the frame, such as shoe scuffs, try using a pencil or pen eraser to lift the mark up.
Clean the Door Tracks
The tracks on the bottom of the doors need to be free of dust and dirt. These can make the entire door appear dirty. It can be hard to get the dirt out of these little, narrow grooves and tracks. The easiest way to clean these areas is to use a vacuum cleaner with an attached nozzle. Run the vacuum along the tracks and remove the dirt, pebbles, and dust left behind. On some models, you will need to lubricate the tracks with an oil-based lubricating spray. If the door sticks, pay close attention to the wheel and guides to make sure they run smoothly.
Check the Locks
Add lubricating oil to the locks as well. You can spray it in the key hole or place on the key before you insert it into the mechanism. Insert and extract the key a few times so the interior of the lock gets enough lubrication. This will keep the lock working well for a long time.
Bottom Line
Doors need attention just as the rest of your home does. You need to keep them clean to keep your tracks and locks functional for years to come.
