How should I take care of interior doors?

The main cause of scuffs and damage on doors is often improper cleaning. To maintain the original appearance and functionality of the door for many years, it's important to follow simple rules of door care. Implementing these rules takes little time and allows you to extend the lifespan of even ancient doors significantly.

Basic recommendations for door care

It's important to remember that when maintaining interior items like doors, it's necessary to use special cleaning products designed for door surfaces. These products can be found in many stores. When choosing cleaning supplies (wipes, sponges, polish, etc.), it's important to pay attention to the following details:

• Only detergents (not water!) suitable for corresponding surfaces (veneer, enamel, polypropylene) and containing no abrasives, solvents and aggressive chemical compounds can be used for cleaning a door unit;
• Aerosols for wooden furniture may be applied on a door unit to give the surface additional shine and freshness (regarding the recommendations on the use of aerosols);
• Avoid buying metal sponges, scrapers, stiff plastic spatulas;
• Make sure that the sponge, cloth or gloves are not impregnated with unsuitable chemicals (the label or instructions should indicate that the impregnation is intended for finishing materials, wooden objects, and furniture);
• Use materials suitable for glass if you have all-glass doors or doors with large glass inserts.

When maintaining the appearance of interior doors, follow these recommendations to keep them at a proper level.

1. Avoid installing ordinary door structures close to heating devices, as well as in rooms with high humidity and sharp temperature fluctuations.
2. Avoid rough handling of doors and door units.
3. Protect the doors from potential damage, such as shocks, drafts, and scratches from pets' claws or teeth.

Care for pre-painted interior doors

If you purchased primed doors, clean the surface and sand, if necessary, to remove excess lint before painting. It is better to paint such doors with water-based compositions.

Pre-painted doors, like others, are not resistant to chemicals, do not tolerate moisture well, and should not be placed close to heating devices. Regular maintenance for such doors includes:

• Weekly cleaning of the surface from dust is done by using a slightly damp and then dry microfiber or viscose cloth.
• Annual cleaning using mild cleaning agents that do not contain acetone or chlorine.
• Remove grease stains with a gentle dishwashing detergent, and scratches with a special paste.
• Remember to regularly clean and lubricate hardware and other structural elements.
• To hide small damage on white doors, you can use a white stationery corrector.

Care for wood veneer doors

Aggressive household chemicals are not suitable for sashes made of natural or artificial veneer. It is better to use a soft, damp cloth followed by a dry one. Caring for interior doors made of wood veneer is not complicated. You just need:

• Choose one with natural wax from a wide range of polishes. It gives a pleasant shine and has dust-repellent properties.
• If small scratches appear, you can cover them with a colourless varnish.
• If the scratches are large or a crack has formed on the sash, promptly use a special wax pencil for wood. Melt the pencil, apply the resulting liquid to fill the voids, and then remove the residue with polish.
• If the sash has cracks that you don't want to remove, use a special polish with a high content of natural wax to give it a natural shine and prevent dirt buildup.

Don't forget to regularly dust and lubricate the hinges and latches and clean the handles so you can use the doors for many years without any problems.

Care for laminated interior doors

The algorithm of care for laminated doors is quite simple:

• Wipe off any water that gets on the sash and immediately dry;
• Wipe the surface with a soft sponge or cloth several times a month;
• Do not use cleaning powders or acidic liquids;
• Periodically wipe the sashes with natural wax polish.

Remove heavy soiling with a mild detergent, remove organic stains with laundry soap, and mask scratches with a wax pencil.

Following these simple instructions will help extend the life of your doors and maintain their original appearance.