I looked online to see what cleaner I would need to drive in to town to purchase so I could come back and finish cleaning… There were lots of suggestions but no clear “winner”. Rub the damp cloth over the surface then rub with dry cloth to dry the surface. This creates a grimy, yellowed surface that is unattractive and difficult to clean. Apply with a soft cloth. For tougher stains, use mineral spirits instead. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The plastic is porous and excess smoke will discolor it. Speaking of cleaning hacks, be sure to check out 7 Of My Favorite Cleaning Hacks. Try scrubbing with 100 grit sandpaper and a mixture of dish soap and bleach, or just bleach. For things like doors and walls, the cleaner that is best suited would be a nonabrasive one, something without harsh chemicals like bleach. Video of the Day Volume 0% Follow up by rising the surface with a damp, soap free cloth. Scrub repeatedly until the stain is gone. Mix 1 part bleach with 2 parts water. Dip a damp sponge, soft toothbrush or nylon-bristled scrub brush into the paste. How to Clean a Front Door Exterior Remove loose dirt. Nov 25, 2016 - If you can't get them clean, you can always paint yellowed refrigerator handles. What is the best way to clean a varnished exterior door before I refinish it? Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Do not apply cleaners or disinfectants to your door hardware in direct sunlight or elevated temperatures. Scrub the cigarette smoke-stained area with the scrub brush … Apply the cleaner. They are easy to clean, but there are some specific things you should do to keep them looking nice and in top condition. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 94,114 times. What's the best way to clean my wooden doors if I want to keep the original paint and it's old? unlocking this expert answer. Support wikiHow by Scrub … Stop using immediately if anything is damaging your surfaces. There are several types of chemical strippers – liquid, brushable pastes, and wash away strippers. Spray the cleaner onto your sponge or lint free cloth, and then start to wash the door completely. How do I remove chalk stains from a door? By using our site, you agree to our. This prevents grime from building up over time. It’s relatively easy to keep the wood doors in your home looking clean and maintained with regular dusting and some soapy water. I have the old fire doors and they are very grubby where children have opened the doors. No matter the cause of the yellowing tiles, you can make them white again with a few common household products. Press the paper towels firmly against the surface of the plastic and let them stay there until the plastic has whitened. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. % of people told us that this article helped them. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. An effective cleaning solution is a combination of ¼-cup white distilled vinegar, ¼-teaspoon liquid soap and 16 ounces of water. If you haven’t cleaned an exterior door in a while, grab the vacuum cleaner and run the nozzle attachment around the door trim, frame, and along contoured edges or recesses on the door face, to remove large debris and/or cobwebs. Try to dust your wood doors, especially in the grooves of the door, once every week or so to keep them looking nice. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Answer + 37. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. I've tried upvc reviver, cif bla bla bla and nothing works. Then you brush off the remnants (or rinse it off, depending on the kind of stripper you are using). Either option will work well, but remember that chemical stripping must be done in a ventilated area with proper precautions (like wearing a dust mask). How to Clean Wood, Glass, Interior and Exterior Doors. I’ve struggled cleaning my outside doors including my back sliding door for years. Doors are made with various materials and come in a lot of sizes and designs - plain solid wood, paneled wood, vinyl, aluminum, steel core, half doors, folding doors, decorated glass doors, security doors, storm doors, patio doors, you name it, the list goes on. Add 2 Tbsp of Oxi-Clean / Oxi Magic per gallon of warm water. Soak paper towels with the bleach solution and cover the yellowed plastic with the wet paper towels. What should I do? Per CDC guidelines, do not dry the surfaces. Usually, it’s external doors and garage doors that fall into this category. Things Required. Apply a few drops of mineral spirits to a clean, soft rag until the cloth feels damp. Wipe the surface of the wood door with the moistened rag, always going with the grain of the wood. Gently scrub the wood doors periodically with dish soap and hot water to remove any light dirt or grime. In any case, you apply the chemical stripper to the wooden door and let it sit until dry. Metal doors require a different approach than wooden ones. Make sure you rinse off any soapy residue with a clean rag when you are done. Wipe the door with a clean, dry towel to prevent any drip marks. Whether you want to clean your Plexiglas windows or get rid of the yellow tint on your car's headlights, the key is to use a nonabrasive cleaner and gently scrub. Dust the wood doors regularly to keep grime and cobwebs away. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and allow to dry. But be sure to clean off all of the soapy residue when you finish. A door is a door is a door ... not anymore! Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. References. You may have to restore the color with paint. You can also use or a small brush (like a toothbrush) to get into corners and crevices in the door. You can also point a box fan at the wood door to help it dry more quickly. This method is particularly effective for exterior wood doors. Don’t forget to wash the frame as well! The fixtures come into contact with the most bacteria, so it’s important to address this when cleaning your wood doors. Or, if the item cannot be submerged, only make a small batch. I know you are going to love them as much as I do! Try making a paste with baking sida & white vinegar. This article has been viewed 73,841 times. Combine a few drops of dish soap in a container of hot water and use a sponge or an old toothbrush to scrub the surface of the door. To clean your wood doors, you’ll need to dust regularly and wipe them down with mild dish soap every so often. All tips gratefully received. My glass shower is the original in my 1951 home, so it is coffin-like compared to modern all-glass shower doors (swoon), and I'm not too crazy about the etched swan. 3 Put some bicarb of soda into the bowl and add a little lemon juice - it will start fizzing. my front white upvc door has stained yellow. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Remove-Yellow-Cooking-Odor-Stain-from-White-Kitchen-Cabinet-Doors-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Remove-Yellow-Cooking-Odor-Stain-from-White-Kitchen-Cabinet-Doors-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Remove-Yellow-Cooking-Odor-Stain-from-White-Kitchen-Cabinet-Doors-Step-1.jpg\/aid14501-v4-728px-Remove-Yellow-Cooking-Odor-Stain-from-White-Kitchen-Cabinet-Doors-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":485,"licensing":"