Garage doors, over the years, sustain a lot of wear and tear due to the elements. Like the rest of your house, it’s constantly getting pelted with rain, dust, snow, mud, or whatever else the weather is throwing at it. Garage doors tend to take up a large portion of your house and are usually a solid color. When dirty, they can bring down the appearance of the rest of your home causing it to look dirtier and older than it is. If you’ve never cleaned your garage door, you might be wondering where to start. Luckily, we’ve put together a guide on how to clean your garage door so it looks like new!
Gather the Correct Supplies and do a light wash
If you’re going to wash your garage the correct way, you’ll want to round up the cleaning supplies meant to do the job. There are quite a lot of cleaning products out there that are marketed towards garages, but some simple dish detergent will do the job. Dish detergent is tough enough to dissolve the dirt and grime but also gentle enough to not destroy the finish. Mix some dish soap with water in a bucket and use a non-abrasive sponge to wash away any residue. You might want to use a step ladder to get the higher, harder to reach spots.
Once you do a light wash, rinse the garage door with a hose. Don’t use a pressure washer because this could destroy some of the finish and the paint. Repeat the process a few times for the best result! This will work on garage doors made of just about any material––even wood!
Focus on Tough Stains
After you’ve gone over the exterior of your garage a few times, you might notice a few tough spots that didn’t budge. While it might be tempting to go to town scrubbing them off with a brillo pad, this could cause scratches and abrasions. Instead, continue using the softer sponge and use a small amount of bleach and water to try and lift stubborn stains. If this doesn’t work, you might want to consider refinishing your garage door.
Add Some New Paint or Finish
If the cleaning process doesn’t fully do the trick (see above point), now might be the time to consider adding some fresh paint or stain to your garage. This might seem like an annoying task, but realistically, it could be a good opportunity to add a new pop of color to the exterior of your house. The material of your garage door will indicate what kind of paint or finish to use. If you’re not feeling too confident in your painting skills, consider hiring a local painting company to take care of the job for you!
Add a Wax Finish
Last but not least, add a nice wax finish to your garage door to get it looking spiffy. Not only will this look nice, but it will also protect the exterior of your garage from the elements! It’s best to apply wax right after you clean it!
Pick a weekend to clean your garage this month––preferably a warmer, sunnier day––and complete the steps above! Your garage will be looking clean and nice in no time!
John Dixone is an avid home blogger, with the goal of helping his readers find inspiration and ideas for their next project. He writes about everything from small design projects to large renovations. His goal is to help people transform their homes into something that reflects who they are.
