A Teeny Tiny Cleaning Task that Will Make Your Home Feel Like New

published Aug 12, 2017
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An apartment entryway with a bubblegum pink door
(Image credit: Minette Hand)

It’s the details that really allow something — like an outfit or, in this case, your home — to shine. Even when the furniture is flawlessly laid out and the decor is impeccably styled, a dingy little detail might be bringing the whole look down.

Ok, that was kind of a grand statement, because… doors. We’re talking about doors. But your doors are probably dirty! They likely don’t get touched with your everyday cleaning habits, and yet, you and anyone who visits your home walks through at least one every day. Cleaning your doors and doorknobs is like polishing your jewelry — it’s an every-once-in-a-while task that lends a certain shine to your domain.

First Thing’s First: Assemble Your Kit

So how do we tackle the task? You can start by putting together a totable kit. Because your doors are located all over your space, you’ll want to easily be able to drag your cleaning supplies from one to the next. It’s a small effort that makes quick work of the whole endeavor.

So grab a caddy or bucket or even a grocery bag and stash inside of it these three things: something to dust with, something to wipe with, and a disinfecting cleaning solution. If you’re a cleaning wipes person, you’ve got the last two knocked out in one.

Then Do the Door Clean Routine

Once you’ve got your kit, the cleaning part couldn’t be easier. Grab your supplies and walk around to each of your doors (if you have many, maybe just focus on the interior) and tackle the same quick routine:

  • Dust around the door frame and on top of the open door. (Warning: if you have always-open doors at home, you might experience dust shock similar to when you finally clean your ceiling fans.)
  • Wipe down each face of the door and around the door frame with either a wet cloth, or (if your doors are especially grimy) a cloth with a bit of all-purpose cleaner.
  • Clean the door knobs with a disinfecting solution — make sure to use the right cleaner for the material your knobs are made out of. (For instance, brass will do best with a special brass cleaner you can pick up at a home store.)

Repeat as needed for the doors inside your home, then marvel at how sparkling clean your space looks!