How to clean the doors in your home

9honey Living’s The Wash Up: Your 30-day spring cleaning guide is a month-long series aimed at making your annual house clean easier with hacks and expert advice.
Cleaning your doors may not be at the top of your cleaning checklist list, but that doesn’t mean the task should be ignored.
In fact, not cleaning your door can lead to germs spreading throughout your home as bacteria are not known for staying in one place.
It may seem like an unimportant task, though if there is ever a time to clean your door, now is as good a time as any.
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Different types of doors will require different cleaning methods. We have provided three processes, one for painted doors, another for wooden ones and for the dirtiest door of all, the screen door.
The first step for cleaning both types of doors is to dust first with a dry cloth. and the final step (which should also be done weekly) is disinfecting doorknobs and handles.
When you clean a painted door, you want to be careful to not remove the paint.
To avoid this situation, complete a patch test of this method in an inconspicuous area and use non-abrasive cleaning products and tools.
The most simple and effective solution for cleaning doors is to use heavily diluted dishwashing liquid, which you can thin out with water.
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Mix a spoonful of dish soap in a bucket of water, and use a cloth to apply the solution to the door and its sides.
Using a bucket of just water, wipe off all the soap before thoroughly drying the door with a microfibre cloth.
If you have any stubborn stains or marks on your door, you can wipe with a more concentrated solution of dish soap. 
When it comes to cleaning wooden doors, using vinegar is an excellent cleaning solution as it naturally deodorises the area and keeps the wood intact. You can also use mild dishwashing liquid and water if you prefer.
Combine equal parts of white vinegar in a bowl, and using a rung-out cloth or sponge, gently scrub the door. Do not add too much of your solution to the door due to wood’s absorbent tendencies.
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Rinse it off thoroughly with a damp sponge or cloth before drying with a fresh cloth.
You can also use the same solution and a small brush to scrub a door’s hinges, paying close attention to those harder-to-reach areas before drying well.
The mesh of a screen door is likely the dirtiest of all because it does the job of filtering out pollution, dust, dirt and bugs from outside, so if you haven’t cleaned it in a while (or ever) consider putting this first on the list.
Using a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid, dunk a cloth in the mixture and then scrub the mesh screen.
Wipe over with a clean cloth dampened with water to rinse. Keep repeating this until the door is clean.
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For nooks and crannies and the decorative pattern on some screen doors you might need a small scrubbing brush like a toothbrush to clean all the details.
Dry excess water with a cloth and leave the wooden door open to allow the screen to air dry.
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