Interior doors made of white wood are a wonderful addition to the overall design of the interior of your home. They are simple, sophisticated and timeless – characteristics that make them incredibly adaptable to a wide variety of interior design ideas and styles. You can choose a white door that suits your home, whether you like it more classic and vintage or modern and minimalist. However, white is extremely unforgiving when it comes to stains, splatters and scratches that are an inevitable part of everyday living in the home. An accidental spilled drink or the inevitable contact with shoes can quickly ruin the beautiful appearance of your white interior doors. Discover below how you can clean white wooden doors! If they have yellowed, you can let them shine again in new splendor.
How often should you clean the doors in the apartment?
The various doors in the home are used to varying degrees. Nevertheless, we recommend that you keep a close eye on your doors and give them a thorough cleaning from time to time. A dirty door can undo all the hard work you put into cleaning your home. For example, you can clean your interior doors every other week, monthly, or anywhere in between.
With the door handles, however, things are quite different. Since they are touched more frequently, germs and dirt are more likely to collect here. It is therefore strongly recommended to clean them more often.
What is the cause of the yellowing of the white doors?
You may have noticed that your formerly pristine and all-white wooden door has turned yellowish over time. These are possible causes:
- Excessive humidity most commonly found in high humidity areas such as restrooms.
- Tobacco smoke: If you smoke in your home, you may find that your doors and walls have unsightly stains that are difficult to remove.
- Yellowing may occur if the doors are close to a heat source (e.g. a radiator or stove).
- As strange as it may sound, the lack of direct sunlight can also cause yellowing.
Dust off room doors as the first step
Before you start cleaning your doors, you should first dust them thoroughly. Dust spreads easily in the presence of water and can make surfaces appear dirtier than they were before cleaning. Therefore, you should dust thoroughly before using any cleaning products on the doors.
Clean dirty doors and door frames with home remedies
Because most of the dirt that accumulates on doors and door frames is caused by unclean hands, cleaning doors with plain water is often ineffective. The task can be accomplished with a solution of water and diluted, mild dishwashing liquid. It is enough to mix a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with 4 liters of water.
You can use a sponge or a soft cloth. First, squeeze out the excess cleaning solution from the sponge or cloth and clean the surface of the door completely and thoroughly. After that, wipe the door with a clean towel to remove excess moisture and stains. Last but not least, don’t neglect to clean the door frame.
Clean white wooden doors – remove stubborn stains with baking soda or vinegar
There are instances when water and dish soap alone are not enough to remove the dirt from the doors in your home.
Baking powder for yellowed room doors
A mixture of water and baking soda (or baking soda) is an effective stain remover that can be used on any stubborn stains. This method, which does not use harsh chemicals, can also remove stains from painted surfaces. You should get a paste. Then you need a damp sponge or an old toothbrush, which should definitely have soft bristles. Rub the soda paste on the yellowed door with the sponge or toothbrush. Leave the paste on for a few minutes before removing it. After removing the paste from the door with a damp towel, wipe the surface well and then dry it. If yellowing has progressed too far, you may need to repaint the door to restore its brilliant white shine.
However, care should be taken with lacquered wooden doors. Baking soda can cause wood finishes and finishes to discolor. So choose a less conspicuous part of the door and clean a small piece of it before you start cleaning the entire door and door frame. This gives you the opportunity to test your cleaning solution to ensure it does not cause any adverse reactions to the paint or finish.
Clean white wooden doors with vinegar
For hard-to-remove stains, consider using a mixture of water and white vinegar. The vinegar has no dangerous effects and is still quite inexpensive. A strong but gentle cleaning solution can be made by mixing 250ml of white vinegar with 1L of water.
A helpful note: Vinegar should never be used on untreated or stained wooden doors and frames. It can cause the wood to appear dull.