DIY Spring Cleaning for Your Garage Door: What to Check & Fix

Spring is the perfect time to give attention to cleaning dirt, debris, and wear and tear in your home and garage. Ignoring cleanliness can affect your quality of life since a rusty or dusty garage can also create health issues. A thorough spring cleaning and inspection keeps the garage door running smoothly and extends its lifespan. It saves you time, money, and the hassle of repairing it. So, here is a step-by-step DIY guide to cleaning your garage door, and what to check and fix in it. 

1. Clean the door surface. 

If it has been a while since you cleaned your garage doors, they will be covered with dust, dirt, and grime. This makes the garage door look unsightly and damages its integrity over time. Regular cleaning especially in the spring and fall will maintain the appearance and functionality of the garage door. Here is how you can clean the garage door; 

• Wash the garage door thoroughly using a mild detergent and warm water. Scrub the stubborn stains with a soft brush. 
• If your garage has metal doors, check for rust spots. Carefully sand them down to remove the corrosion before applying rust-resistant primer. Also, don’t forget to repaint the door surface to prevent further corrosion.
• If you have wooden garage doors, check for the signs of rot, warping, or peeling paint. If you spot damage, use a wood filler to repair minor damage. Sand it down and apply a fresh coat of weatherproof paint or stain on the garage door surface. 
• Pay special attention to the garage door edges and corners. Dirt tends to accumulate more in edgy areas. Use a microfiber for these areas to wipe everything clean. 

2. Lubricate moving parts 

You can easily spot if the garage door needs lubrication because it often generates a squeaky sound that irritates your ear. No one wants to hear that sound. This is why you must lubricate it in the spring as winter creates a corrosive layer on the moving parts. Here is what you can do to make your garage door operate smoothly and quietly; 

• Clean the moving parts of the garage door with a damp cloth to remove any dust and debris. Use the corrosion sandpaper if needed to clean the corrosion.
• Apply a good amount of silicon-based lubricant to rollers, hinges, and springs to reduce any friction. While applying, move the rollers, hinges, and springs frequently to ensure lubrication has been applied to each moving part. 
• Most people use grease or heavy oils for lubricating moving parts in the garage door, please avoid it as they attract dirt. 

3. Test the balance & alignment.

One of the most common reasons to replace a garage door is because the owner never bothered to care about the balance of the garage door and its alignment. Here is how you can balance and align the garage door on a DIY basis; 

• Balance: First disconnect the automatic opener. Second, manually lift the door halfway. If the door doesn’t stay in place, the springs need adjustment. You can either call the service repair or tighten the springs if you know how. 
• Align: If the door appears crooked, the door tracks need realignment. You can do this by tightening the loose brackets.

4. Test the safety features.

Most garage doors come with safety features to prevent horrible accidents. If your garage door lacks those safety features, you need to replace it. However, if your garage door has safety features, here is how to ensure they are working; 

• Take an object like a broom, place it exactly under the door, and close it. The auto-reverse feature of the garage door must activate. 
• You should also check the photo-eye sensors by wiping them clean and ensuring they are properly aligned.  

On a side note, you should also inspect screws, bolts, and brackets. Over time the door’s vibrations loosen this hardware which can cause an accident. So, tighten them. Also, if you find frayed or damaged cables, call a repair service. Don’t try to handle them yourself unless you are a skilled professional in this domain. Otherwise, it may cause an accident even if you know what to do.   

5. Examine the garage door opener.

Last but not least, check your garage door opener if it is working smoothly. Here is how you can ensure that; 

• See if the batteries in the remote control are working fine and if not, change them immediately. 
• Examine the garage door opener’s chain or belt tension and adjust it if it seems necessary. 
• Check the emergency release function of the garage door by putting it to a test. 

Final thoughts

One thing you should always remember, regular maintenance of your garage door is better than accidents or frustration with faulty garage doors. I hope you can set aside some time each spring to inspect and fix minor issues in your garage door that can prevent any unwanted situations. Believe me, it sounds like work but if you think it is a fun exercise to enjoy all spring without any garage repair trouble, you will love it.