They say you never notice a garage door until it’s broken, but that’s not quite true. Even next to the most immaculate lawn and front porch, a dirty and dented garage door can ruin the overall look of your home and even bring down its curb appeal.
Don’t let something so simple ruin the aesthetic of your house or business. Keeping your garage looking nice is easier than you’d expect, and well worth the effort!
Get The Bumps and Bruises Fixed
From cars to debris and harsh weather, your garage door has to stand up to a lot. It’s no wonder the majority of doors will get a few bumps along the way. Unfortunately, even the smallest dents can ruin the overall look of your door.
While you might be able to fix smaller dents, be sure to contact the experts for professional garage door repair. We can fix your door or replace the panel entirely, if needed, plus fix any warping, chipped paint, or scratches in a wooden door.
Once your door is fixed up, it’s easier to focus on general aesthetics. The easiest and most effective way to keep your door looking its best is to regular clean it, just like you would your home’s siding.
How Often Should You Clean Your Garage Door?
Most people don’t think much about cleaning their garage door, or, if they do, they assume they’ll clean it when it looks dirty. But, much like your car or the siding on your home, the slow accumulation of dirt and grime may not be noticeable until it’s suddenly very noticeable.
Since the majority of people don’t want to keep track of a calendar for the garage door, we typically recommend cleaning your door at the same time you do other home or business maintenance.
For instance, if you clean off your porch every six months, pair the task up with cleaning your garage door. Also be sure to inspect your door after any harsh weather, which could dirty it faster than normal.
Clean Dirt and Grime off Your Garage Door
To clean dirt off a garage door, you want to do so while still preserving the finish of the door. You can use a chamois, large sponge (such as a car sponge), a stiff bristle brush, or even just a towel. Work from top to bottom to avoid dirt falling where you just cleaned, and start to work off any accumulated grime.
Do not use harsh solvents or chemicals! They can erode the finish on your door. Instead, use dish soap or biodegradable cleaner diluted in a bucket of water to help scrub off the dirty layers.
Then, spray everything off with a garden hose and allow the door to dry. After your garage door has dried, you can also wax it to help prevent future build-up and give it an extra shine.
If your finish has deteriorated, if the color on your garage door has faded due to the intense Texas sunlight, or if you want to give the exterior of your home a facelift, you may want to paint your garage door. You will want to clean the door first, then prep, prime, and paint, leaving plenty of time to dry between steps.
Do NOT pressure wash your garage door. Pressure washers can damage the finish on steel and wood garage doors, and should not be used. The pressure can peel off paint or your door’s finish, and you typically won’t need so much force to clean your door in the first place.
If you have a wooden garage door, it can be cleaned with the same steps outlined above, but you should take care to make sure that your wooden garage door stays primed since they can actually absorb water and warp out of shape if left exposed to the elements. If the finish has eroded to the point of showing the bare wood, you will need to prime the exposed area with an oil or alkyd primer before applying the new finish coating.
Enjoy Your Garage Door!
While we know garage doors aren’t on the top of most people’s minds, we hope that having a shiny, clean door will help showcase what a difference a garage door can make to the overall look of your home or business.