How to clean and preserve your garage door panels in Arizona
Arizona is a beautiful place to live and over the last few years more and more people have begun to realize that and one of the consequences of that has been the rise in property value. Whether you’re new to Arizona or you’ve been here for years, keeping your home valuable and beautiful is going to be a constant struggle against the elements. Extreme heat, torrential rainstorms, gale-force winds and epic dust storms sweep across the valley several times a year and they will have a negative impact on your curb appeal if you aren’t actively trying to preserve your garage door panels.
Cleaning your garage door panels
Like your car, your garage door is made up of metal panels with a layer of paint over the top (it is possible that your garage doors are made of wood which is less common but even more imperative that you clean them regularly). Being left out in the elements will eventually degrade the finish, then wear through the paint and start damaging the underlying metal structure. To prevent that we recommend washing your doors like you would wash your vehicles. Get a bucket and a cup of a degreaser detergent, like Simple Green® or Dawn® and a rag, sponge, or soft-bristled brush.
Scrub thoroughly but not too aggressively, we don’t want to wear through the paint, just clean it off. Make sure you get under the stop molding as well and then rinse it down and let it dry.
Waxing to preserve your garage door panels
Again, like your car, a layer of wax on your garage doors can protect the paint against the intense UV rays, make them shed rainwater when it comes and take the hit instead of the paint when the dust storms blow through. Consider waxing your door at least twice per year. There are easy spray-on waxes that you can apply after you wash your door, that will keep it looking great with minimal effort. Once the door is washed and rinsed, instead of leaving it to air dry, apply the liquid wax from a spray bottle and then use a dry rag or towel to wipe down and dry the doors.
Cleaning and waxing your garage door like this will really improve the lifespan of your doors and affect the way you and others see your home. Garage doors are the fastest way to improve your curb appeal because they are usually so prominent on the front of the house. Clean and waxed doors make the home look brand new again, with minimal effort and will make your investment in nice doors last even longer.
For help with your annual garage door maintenance, click here. We can send a technician to ensure that your tracks, rollers, springs and motors are all running smoothly and quietly. This will also help extend the life of the product and increase your satisfaction with the home in general.