Decorative Wrought Iron Maintenance

Importance:
You should clean your decorative iron doors and windows at least once if not twice a year. Build up of dust, bird feces, pollen, etc will trap moisture against the finish. Even if your opening is covered, high humidity or the occasional blowing rain will damage the finish over time.

Cleaning solution:
Using a mild detergent such as Murphy’s Oil soap diluted to one cap full to a gallon of water. If using a different type of detergent, be sure not to use to much concentrate in your solution. It is easier to add more then to have a soap streaked door or window. Dried soap on a dark colored door will show up easily.

Method:
It is very important that you use a solution wet rag or sponge with the use of a drying rag or sponge as you go. The classic “wipe on, wipe off” motion works best for this. Not drying as you go will also leave streaks.

Glass cleaning:
We have all cleaned glass, but try using newspaper print or the white pages from an old phone book wadded up instead of a rag or paper towels. The print leaves the glass streak-less.

Cleaning your decorative iron door or window is very important, once or even twice a year depending on your location. Most decorative iron doors and windows are coated with a clear lacquer over the faux paint. The degree it is applied will very a great deal from one manufacturer to another. The ideal cleaner seems to be Murphy’s Oil Soap, but any mild detergent used sparingly with lots of water will work. Most scuffs and scratches are easily wiped away with your solution and cloth, but the most important step is drying with a dry cloth immediately after cleaning. This would be the “wipe on, wipe off” move as you go. Missing this step leaves a streaky mess.

If you have grease fittings on your hinges, you must inspect very carefully before applying grease. Remember that a hinge is an open unsealed mechanism and will readily leak grease all over the place. You should see rust, hear a squeak (locate the squeaky hinge), or feel a resistance when opening before you decide to grease up your iron door. If necessary, you can purchase grease guns at your local auto parts dealer or even Wal Mart. Once you’ve loaded your grease gun, and you have pumped it until the grease is at the end of the nozzle, push the grease nozzle onto the grease fitting. In most cases you will hear a snap, but not always. Only pump one or two at most before operating the door back and forth to work in the grease. If you pump enough that you see grease coming from you hinge, you’ve used to much.

Door bottoms, or sweeps, are consumable and will ware out over time depending on the use of the door. You can pick up replacements at your local hardware store for around $5 a piece. The problem is going to be gathering enough friends to lift the door panels off, lay them on their side, remove and replace the sweep, and re-setting the panel. When purchasing a door bottom, you will look for a 1 3/4″ size. Try to find one that does not have a connector rib to fit into a groove, or also avoid sweeps with tall mounting legs to be screwed to the face of the door. You will probably need to have some new self tapping 1/4″ sheet metal screws to re-attach. Run a continuous bead of silicone across the bottom of the door panel before applying the new sweep. Attach with screws about 6″ to 8″ apart.

For more tips and tricks, or to view some American Made Iron Doors, go to www.irondoorsofatlanta.com