How to clean white lacquered doors effectively

White lacquered doors can lose their shine over the years, and worse still, they can even yellow. To avoid this happening, we are bringing you some easy tips to restore their original colour and shine. 

How to clean white lacquered doors easily.

Doors lacquered white and in other pale colours get dirty quickly. Although they look nice, dirt is more visible on those colours.

To clean them you will need warm water, mild soap or liquid detergent, a soft cleaning cloth or sponge and a dry cloth or towel. For stubborn stains, keep some white vinegar handy.

Moisten a microfibre cleaning cloth in soapy water, but you must be sure to use another cloth afterwards to dry it. A microfibre cleaning cloth and a little hot water (without soap) will be enough to clean the door, but you should always make sure to dry it after. When cleaning, wipe the door in gentle circular movements, concentrating on the areas where there are stains or fingerprints. 

You should always use mild products, as more aggressive products could damage the finish on the doors.

Don’t forget the doorframes, which also spoil over time and need special attention. For effective cleaning, first dust off the doorframes. You can use a dusting cloth or a hand-held vacuum cleaner to get rid of the dust.

When you have dusted the frames, use the water and soap mixture to moisten the frame. You should clean them using this mixture once a week. This will get rid of any dirt remains. It is important you don’t forget to dry the doorframe afterwards with a soft cloth.

Products for cleaning yellowed white lacquered doors

• Glycerine: apply a little glycerine using a microfibre cloth and allow it to dry. Once it has dried, wipe over the door with a dry cloth.
• Baking powder and vinegar: mix both ingredients together in a bowl and then moisten a cloth. Make sure it is not a coloured cloth in order to avoid staining the door. Gently rub the lacquered door and you will see how the yellowing gradually disappears. If all the yellowing is not removed, you can change the cloth for a soft sponge.
• Hydrogen peroxide and Vaseline: use these two products in the same way as described previously, adding a little water to dilute the hydrogen peroxide and Vaseline mixture. This is an effective mixture, particularly for localised yellow stains.

Products not recommended for lacquered doors

Although lacquered doors are fairly resistant, there are some products that can damage them, such as:

• Avoid using scouring pads: they are very abrasive and can scratch lacquered doors. It is better to use a soft cloth or microfibre cleaning cloth.
• Products containing a lot of alcohol: these products are good for cleaning lacquered doors, although we recommend adding a little water to dilute them. This will ensure they don't damage the doors.
• Acetone: this is a strict no, because it is a very abrasive product that completely damages lacquered doors.
• Whiteners: absolutely forbidden, as they will not help restore the whiteness, on the contrary, they will worsen it.