No one can deny the durability and classic beauty of iron front doors. Although you may not have had to do much to maintain it in the past, there comes a time when it will have to be cleaned. Here’s how to keep your door looking great for years to come.
Long-Term Luster
The best way to keep your door beautiful is to wipe it down once a month with a soft cloth soaked in a mild, plant-based soap and water mixture. “Wait, what?” we can hear you say, “Doesn’t water cause rust?” Technically, the formation of rust is a team effort. It requires consistent exposure to both water and oxygen to form.
You’ll be wiping your door down with the wet cloth, but then rinsing it and giving it a thorough wipe-down with a dry sponge—so there’s no worry about causing rust by cleaning your door. If you do notice rust spots, though, the soap and water should take care of most of them.
If you live in a coastal area where salty air is especially corrosive to wrought iron front doors, you’ll definitely want to clean and inspect it for rust twice a month.
Rust Removal and Prevention
If the rust on your door is too invasive to remove with the method above, you’ve got a few options. You can use a wire brush or rub rust spots with sandpaper. If it has deeper spots or hard-to-reach areas, use kerosene. No, we aren’t kidding! Dabbing rust spots with a kerosene-soaked cotton ball will help to soften it, making it easier to remove.
There are also many ways to protect your iron door from rust. Oiling the hinges will give a layer of protection, not to mention will keep your door operating quietly. If you’ve got some car wax lying around, use it on your iron door.
That wax will do the same thing for your door as it does for your car—cause water to roll right off. You apply it in the same way as you would when waxing your car—with a lint-free cloth. Just like your car, you will also need to reapply the wax every six months or so.
No wax? No problem; just grab some linseed oil. It protects, too, plus it will give your iron door a gorgeous glow. This method will require more frequent application, though, so be ready to reapply several times more often than car wax. A coat of exterior primer and paint will also help to protect your door.
Nothing Working?
When you’ve done all of the above and your door still looks old and tired, it might be time to think about checking for iron front doors for sale. The best place to start is at Universal Iron Doors, where we’ve put 150 years of blacksmithing experience into our beautiful wrought iron doors. Get your customized door today; just give us a call at 818-771-1003.
