Hello to Fall. . .Great Time to Refresh

As we say goodbye to the summer months and hello to the fall season, we can learn to appreciate the beauty this season brings! Pumpkin spice lattes, trips to the community apple orchard, and cozy movie nights with family or friends. However, in the fall, it is also a great time to refresh your home with new inside and outside decor, and a coat of fresh paint to walls in high-traffic areas! Nevertheless, as you consider your seasonal updates and cleaning, now is the best time to spruce up the paint on your front door as well!

As we say goodbye to the summer months and hello to the fall season, we can learn to appreciate the beauty this season brings! Pumpkin spice lattes, trips to the community apple orchard, and cozy movie nights with family or friends. However, in the fall, it is also a great time to refresh your home with new inside and outside decor, and a coat of fresh paint to walls in high-traffic areas! Nevertheless, as you consider your seasonal updates and cleaning, now is the best time to spruce up the paint on your front door as well!

Why Is It Important to Maintain Your Painted Doors?

The first thing that may come to mind when you think of the importance of doing maintenance to your painted doors may automatically be the aesthetics. However, maintaining your painted front door is also a great way to protect your investment as well.

They say the shoemaker’s kids have no shoes. Well, the Preventative Maintenance Specialist’s home needed some maintenance recently, and we didn’t figure it out until we put our house on the market! Let’s just say that scheduling our home for routine maintenance would have allowed us to sell our home much more quickly. However, one of the things that we needed to add to our maintenance list was our front door. Over the years, our wooden door has become somewhat embarrassing due to wear and tear.

Oftentimes it is easy to ignore our doors, but now I am understanding that when you are trying to sell your home, regular maintenance to your front door is an instant way to take your home from an ordinary look to an immaculate look!

Typically, it is advised to repaint your front door every 18-24 months. However, signs that your door needs to be repainted sooner can start to appear seemingly unexpectedly if regular maintenance does not occur.

Below is a list of signs your front door needs updating!

How to Clean a Standard Painted Wood Door

1. Mix 1/2 cup of all-purpose cleaner, white vinegar, or wood cleaner with 1/2 cup of water and add to a spray bottle.

2. Begin to spray the wood surface with the mixture, doing small areas to prevent the water from running too much.

3. Scrub the surface with a soft sponge using a circular motion and go right to the edges.

4. Rinse the sponge, then wring it out, and wipe the wood again to remove the cleanser.

5. Dry the surface with a soft towel or rag.

“A well-maintained door contributes to the beauty of your home or building. It leaves an impression on all visitors, and it adds value to your property.”

Quick Tips When Preserving Your Front Doors

● Keep in mind the type of doors you have in your home. There are three industry-standard models and care guides for each: Wooden doors, Fiberglass doors, and Wrought Iron doors. Wood doors need attention every season and major care like sanding and painting every few years, while fiberglass and metal doors often only need an annual cleaning and the rare additional improvement.

● Do not use a power wash on the door because this can cause water damage.

● Never throw water in areas near the door.

● It is advised to clean and rinse the door in small sections.

● Do not use strong cleaners because they can strip the finish.

● To preserve the door as if it were new, dust should be wiped with a duster or soft cloth over the entire door.

● The best sealer to use for giving extra protection to a painted door is either an oil-based or a water-based polyurethane sealer.

● Avoid cleaning in extreme temperatures.

● Avoid using sharp or metal objects on the door to clean.

● Add your front doors to your maintenance schedule

As always, “It’s better to be ProActiv than to be re-active.”

● Keep in mind the type of doors you have in your home. There are three industry-standard models and care guides for each: Wooden doors, Fiberglass doors, and Wrought Iron doors. Wood doors need attention every season and major care like sanding and painting every few years, while fiberglass and metal doors often only need an annual cleaning and the rare additional improvement.

● Do not use a power wash on the door because this can cause water damage.

● Never throw water in areas near the door.

● It is advised to clean and rinse the door in small sections.

● Do not use strong cleaners because they can strip the finish.

● To preserve the door as if it were new, dust should be wiped with a duster or soft cloth over the entire door.

● The best sealer to use for giving extra protection to a painted door is either an oil-based or a water-based polyurethane sealer.

● Avoid cleaning in extreme temperatures.

● Avoid using sharp or metal objects on the door to clean.

● Add your front doors to your maintenance schedule

As always, “It’s better to be ProActiv than to be re-active.”

How We Can Help

For new and old homeowners, HOAs, and small-business owners, remember that keeping your painted front door maintained is vitally important. Having an aesthetically pleasing, well-maintained front door can bring a warm welcome to everyone who enters! If you are too busy, we can help you with a preventative maintenance plan, which is customized for each person’s home or building. Whichever works best for you, we are here to help.

Customer Testimonial

“Thank you for taking care of our condo building doors for us. They look great!”

– Clarissa, Evanston