How to Clean Painted Wood Doors

Painted wood doors can become very dirty with fingerprints around the knobs. Pets can add a lot of dirt when rubbing up against the doors, and spills often splash onto the door. Doors with recessed panels can accumulate dust in the corners and around the trim. Painted wood doors can look so dirty that they may appear to need to be repainted. However, with a good cleaning, most painted wood doors can look as good as they would with a fresh coat of paint.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bucket
• Dish soap
• Hot water
• Cleaning cloth
• Soft toothbrush
• Screwdriver

1. Fill a bucket with hot water and some dish soap.

2. Wash the door with warm, soapy water and a cleaning cloth.

3. If there is a lot of build-up around the door's knob, use a screwdriver to loosen the knob so you can clean under the plate behind the knob. Tighten the knob when you are done cleaning under the edge of the plate.

4. If the door has recessed panels that have a build-up of dust, use the cleaning cloth to saturate the soiled area.

5. Gently scrub the corners of the panels of the painted wood door with an old, soft toothbrush. Be careful to not scratch the paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean painted wood doors weekly to prevent dirt from building up on the surface.
• Strong household cleaners that contain bleach, ammonia or abrasives can damage the painted surface. Very hot water can cause older paint to melt. Use only warm water, not hot.