Wooden doors feel more homely and give a nice touch to the house. They are hard-wearing and sturdy; however, like everything else, they need to be cleaned and maintained often if you want them to be in the best condition.
If you neglect cleaning your wooden doors, they may get a lot of dirt and stains that will be difficult to remove with time. The handles and lower part of the wooden doors get the most grime and dirt, which accumulates and get stubborn with time. Also it important to know how to fix a door that won’t latch.
If you want to learn some amazing tips and techniques to remove old stains from your wooden doors, this article is for you. Let’s start.
Ideas How to strip old stains from wooden doors
1. Materials and Tools
1.Microfiber Cloth
2. Safety Gloves (Chemical Resistant)
3. Safety Goggles
4. Respirator
5. Paint Brush
6. Wood Stain Remover
7. Scraper
8. Wood Polish
9. Steel wool
10. Rag
11. Sandpapers
12. Dishwashing Liquid
13. Household Items (Vinegar, baking soda, etc.)
2. Preparatory Work
Before you start working on wood stains, taking safety measures is very important. Most wood stain removers contain chemicals that can be hazardous if they touch your skin or if you inhale them.
Therefore, working in an open environment is very important, possibly out of the house. If the pieces of wood are too large or it is not possible to move them, make sure to keep the room’s windows open all the time to ensure that the room is well ventilated.
Cover the surrounding furniture as well so that they aren’t affected while you work on the doors.
3. How to Get Rid of Old Water Stains from Wooden Doors
If you are removing old stains from the wooden doors, you will need to check the door surface first. If the water stains on the door appear dark, you may need to refinish the surface because the water is likely to have penetrated the wood.
If these stains appear to be white, you can easily get rid of them by following simple homemade solutions.
1. Petroleum Jelly
Apply petroleum jelly to the stain with a microfiber cloth or paper towel and rub thoroughly. Soon you will see the stains disappearing.
2. Olive Oil and Vinegar
Combine and mix equal parts of olive oil and vinegar. Rub the mixture onto the stain using a clean towel. Make sure that you are rubbing in the direction of the wood grains on the door.
3. Non-Gel Toothpaste
Cover the water stains on your wooden door with toothpaste and rub until the stains are gone.
4. How to Remove Old Dark Stains from Wooden Doors
When you come across the stains on your wooden doors that appear dark, you may wonder where they came from. If the stains are noticeable, the water may have penetrated deeply.
When water damages the finish of the door, a white ring is formed. However, black spots may appear when water adheres to the wood. It might get difficult to remove such stains; hence expert assistance is required sometimes. However, there are two ways to try it.
1. Polish the dark spots with the help of 100-grit sandpaper. To make sure that it blends perfectly with the area, make sure you smooth the edges of the door with 150-grit sandpaper.
Make sure that you work along the grains and don’t apply pressure on the door. After removing the stain, lightly polish it several times to easily match the original finish.
Apply extra-fine steel wool to the edges and blend it finely with the surrounding wooden grains. At last, apply a very high-quality polish to the door to get the best finish.
2. Wear protective gloves, soak the brush in a bowl with bleach, and lightly apply to the dirty areas on the wooden door. Leave the bleach on the stains for some hours until the stain loses its original color and starts disappearing.
Use a damp sponge to remove the bleach, and after that, apply some vinegar to the door to avoid the formation of white spots. Let the door dry completely, apply a wood-stain remover, and then polish the high-quality wood.
5. How to Get Rid of Heat Stains from Wooden Doors
Heat marks are usually very stubborn and appear in white on the door. Once they get old, you might find it tough to remove them. However, if you try to get rid of them in the early stages, they are generally easier to remove from a wooden door. Here is how you can remove them:
1. Use a paintbrush to remove all the dirt and grime from the door. Make sure to check the corners as they get the most of the dirt.
2. Take a glass of hot water and mix a little dishwashing liquid in it. Gently wipe the door with a microfiber cloth to remove the leftover dirt and grime that the door gets daily.
3. Make another non-gel toothpaste and baking soda mixture and apply it to the door with the cloth until it warms to the touch. After it feels warm, quickly wipe it with a damp cloth and let the door dry. Repeat this process multiple times if you want the old stains gone permanently.
4. The soap contains chemicals, so wipe the door one last time with clean water to make sure there are no soap residues.
5. When it’s clean, apply the first coat of wood polish to the door.
6. The door handle is always in contact with your hands, attracting bacteria and dirt. Therefore, clean the door handle with an antibacterial spray or wipe.
7. To give the wooden door a new sparkling look, spray a little wood polish on the door at the end and wipe it with a fresh cloth. Make sure to apply polish on the entire surface of the door to get a proper finish.
Frequent cleaning of your wooden doors is a must; therefore, use the methods and tips shared above to get the job done perfectly. These methods will help keep your wooden doors in the best condition and prevent them from early decay and damage.
