Aluminium Door Maintenance Tips

Cleaning 

Keeping aluminium doors, including their frames, clean, is vital in helping them to continue functioning correctly. 

There’s no specialist cleaning products or solutions required, just water, a mild detergent, and a clean cloth or rag will work wonders. 

However, it’s important to note that some aluminium doors and frames will come with manufacturing guidelines. In these instances, these guidelines, including care and maintenance instructions, must be followed for warranties and guarantees to remain intact. 

Scratches 

Sometimes (and very rarely might we add) aluminium can get scuffed and scratched. 

For scuffs and small marks, non-abrasive liquid cream or paraffin cleaner should be used and will remove such marks effectively. 

For deeper scratches found on the surface of the aluminium frame, oxidation can occur, which will then act as a seal on the exposed aluminium, preventing further corrosion from happening. Re-touching the paintwork in these cases can be carried out; however, we’d always recommend speaking and working with a professional first. 

In each situation, these scuffs and scratches won’t affect the lifespan of the aluminium. 

For those aluminium frames that have an anodised finish rather than painted, any marks that do make an appearance on this type of door or frame can be removed relatively easily using an ink rubber or eraser. 

Bi-Fold and aluminium sliding doors 

Due to their sleek design and sophisticated style, sliding and bi-fold aluminium doors have grown in popularity. 

However, these doors do require a little extra maintenance because they use tracks, runners, or rollers, in order for them to open and close. 

The tracks of these types of doors need to be kept clean and free from debris and dirt to ensure their functionality at all times. 

To help: 

• Remove all debris and large items from the tracks i.e., pebbles, rubble, etc 
• Hoover the track regularly (we’d recommend once per month) 
• Lubricate the track now and then using a silicone spray. 

Note: If your door is suffering a little wear and tear and not operating properly, and the above cleaning tips don’t make a difference, then you need a specialist team to help. 

Locking Systems 

The locking mechanisms on aluminium doors are designed to last and therefore require very little attention.  However, lubricants can be used to help keep locks fresh and moving.  

To keep the inside of the lock clean and lubricated, you can apply a little bit of oil to the key before use (we’d recommend this cleaning procedure every three months, helping to keep the locking cylinders clean and healthy). 

In extreme external environments and weather conditions, extra care and attention may be required. 

Cleaning substances to avoid 

There are some solutions out in the market that doesn’t react well to aluminium and should be avoided at all costs. 

These are mainly strong solvents containing: 

• Chlorine 
• Esters 
• Hydrocarbons 
• Ketones 

(Ultimately, any product that is found to be particularly abrasive!) 

Timescales 

Cleaning timescales can be very subjective and dependent on several factors. In highly polluted areas we’d recommend a cleaning regime of every three months, for example. However, in rural areas and quiet residential areas, once per year can often be enough. 

For things such as hinges, handles, friction stays restrictors, cylinders built-in hinges, etc. periodic maintenance should be carried out, again depending on how often the door is being used, the style of door, and where it is located. 

Industrial cleans 

Aluminium doors can have specialist cleaning and maintenance carried out if required, and these methods can be ideal for: 

• Face fixed closes 
• Tilt and turn windows or patio doors 
• Panic bars and exit devices 
• Gears on sliding doors 
• Magnetic locks 
• Top arms and bottom pivots 
• And more 

Professional door suppliers and maintenance should be sought if you have: 

• Automatic doors (sliding or swing) 
• Floor swings 
• Window winding gear 
• Remote control systems 
• Glass doors with patch fittings 

As the aluminium door and window specialists, Crucial Engineering is here to help. Available to answer your questions, as well as supply and install the perfect aluminium doors for you, we also carry out aluminium door repairs and regular maintenance checks too! Call 03451 930 420 for more information.