If you’ve ever had someone perform professional maintenance on your garage door, you’ll notice cleaning your garage door of dirt and debris is part of the process. Why is cleaning around your garage door so important, and what is the best approach to cleaning your garage door?
Why You Need to Clean Dirt and Debris From Your Garage Door
The most obvious reason for cleaning your garage door is its appearance. Just as you wouldn’t let the rest of your home’s exterior collect dirt and get dingy and dusty, you want your garage door to look clean, as well. It can be even more challenging to keep a garage door clean, however, since you’re kicking up dirt and debris around it much more often than other parts of the exterior of your home.
When it comes to cleaning your garage door, it’s not just the walls you have to attend to. You’ll also want to pay attention to the garage door floor — including the space directly underneath the door — the tracks and rollers, the sensors and anywhere else you may need to clear debris or brush off dirt. Garage door systems can be very sensitive, and an accumulation of dirt and debris can interfere with their operation.
For example, dirt and debris can block the photo eye sensors that allow safe operation of your door, collect in the tracks, thus putting strain on the opener as it tries to roll the door through them, and otherwise interfere with the life expectancy of your door. Cleaning floors, garage walls and other garage accessories can help reduce these stressors and provide you with better, longer-lasting garage door operation.
How to Clean Your Garage Door
Start with the garage door walls themselves. Beginning with the outer wall, use a sponge, cloth or soft brush and a bucket of mild liquid soap and water. Gently rub the solution over each panel until it is clean. Do this until the whole door is clean, then repeat on the other side. Do not use any harsh detergents or abrasives.
Use a hose to wash off any remaining soap and dirt — do not use a pressure washer to avoid damaging the surface. Then, pat-dry the door with another cloth or soft towel.
Examine the tracks and rollers on the ceiling of your garage. If you can proceed safely, use a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth and run it along the tracks, clearing out any dirt and debris that may be resting there. If you can, you should also lubricate the tracks with an approved — not oil-based — lubricant.
Once this is done, raise the garage door and clean off the bottom of the door. Then, use a mop and your bucket of soapy water to clean the area underneath the door and hose it off.
Finally, check the photo eye sensors and clear away any dust, dirt or debris that may be blocking them.
Schedule Professional Garage Door Maintenance With AE Door & Window
Cleaning your garage door in this way every few months can help your door look its best and prolong its life. If your home is in the Northern Kentucky, Eastagate or Cincinnati area, we recommend contacting AE Door & Window for garage door maintenance at least once a year. We’ll clear out all the dust and debris, lubricate the tracks, rollers and torsion springs, tighten any loose screws or bolts and generally make sure your door is ready for optimal operation.