How to Maintain French Patio Doors

When you’re selecting patio doors you have many choices available. French patio doors can provide a beautifying aesthetic and add significant value to the home, but you need to know what kind of maintenance is necessary before you have them installed.

Any type of patio door is going to be exposed to the elements like rain, snow, excessive heat, wind, and more. Depending on the region of the country in which you live, this wear and tear might be more intense than normal. So you’re going to want to be sure that you’re ready to take on the responsibility of good patio door maintenance. Let’s take a look at the many different factors that are involved:

Washing Windows

If there’s one thing you’re going to need to do often with french doors, it’s washing the windows. That’s because these types of doors have an abundance of glass throughout and you’ll need to give some attention to each and every pane in order to clean away the dirt and grime that can collect.

But don’t expect to grab some Windex and get to work. Most store-bought glass cleaners will tend to leave streaks behind and that’s going to mar the appearance of your beautiful and expensive doors.
Turn to some mild dishwashing soap instead and avoid the paper towels and washcloths. Grab a squeegee and wipe down that glass with the soap and water mix.

Cleaning Hardware

When it comes to maintaining your French patio doors you’ll want to look beyond the glass. Cleaning the other major components of the doors is vital for ensuring they look great and operate as expected. Therefore, you’ll want to take a close inspection of various hardware on the doors.

The handles, in particular, can get dirty and dingy, covered in fingerprints and smudges. Go get some more of that dish soap and warm water and use a soft cloth to clean them up. Before you know it, they’ll look as good as new all over again, like the day you bought them. Once you’re done, apply some polish to the handles and other hardware to restore their brilliant, shining luster.

Wiping the Frame

Here is where you’ll find the most grease and grime from normal use. The more people in your household, the dirtier these frames can become. Check to see where greasy smears, smudges, and unseemly buildup have started to accumulate. These things are usually found along the edges of the frame where people’s hands have touched the door instead of the handle.

Kneel down low and take a look at the bottom of the frame. Here is where you’ll find the dirt and grime, especially along the threshold where shoes and feet have walked in and out, over and over and over again. If your doors are the access in and out of the house from the outside, then you can bet you’ll need to give this area some extra cleaning power.

Material Consideration

When you’re cleaning the frame, be aware that you may need to take extra precaution with the type of cleansers you decide to use. While wood is one of the more popular materials used for French patio doors, there are other alternatives that may also require a specialized touch.

If yours are wood, mix some liquid soap and water and get a sponge and scrub brush to remove set in stains and caked on grime and dirt. You can always get a wood soap to give the material an even deeper clean but that’s entirely up to you.

Functionality Problems

Most problems with your French patio doors can be fixed with some minor application of cleanser and lubrication. If you find your door handles aren’t working properly and the locks and latches seem to stick, this is typically due to dirt getting into the mechanisms.

But spraying some lubricant like WD-40 into these areas can help remove the grime and get everything moving again. While you’re at it, have a look (and a listen) to the hinges if your door is held on them. A little extra lube on those wouldn’t hurt in order to keep the doors swinging in and out smooth and quiet.

Energy Efficiency Issues

Anyone with patio doors Charlotte may find that a gap has become visible between the doors when they are shut. Losing that tight seal where the door frames meet can result in your climate-controlled air escaping to the outdoors.

That can increase your utility bills as you run your HVAC system longer than normal. But you can stop this from happening by closing the gap in between your patio doors with some fresh weather-stripping. It’s as easy as that and you’ll be amazed at how much money you’ll save each year.