Ornate ironwork and bespoke wrought iron doors look stunning when properly cared for and last for years when you know a few simple pointers. In this easy-to-follow guide, learn how to clean an iron door or gate without damaging the finish.
Wrought iron is essentially iron that has been super-heated many times and then shaped with a blacksmith’s tools. It’s very malleable and grows stronger when heated, worked, and molded. Wrought iron is made mainly of elemental iron with 1-2% added slag, or filler aggregate, and is identifiable by its fibrous texture.
While wrought iron looks incredible, it does have one weakness – moisture. Wrought iron is vulnerable to corrosion and rust stains, which develop when bare surfaces simultaneously come into contact with oxygen and water droplets. Learn how to keep your iron gates, hinges, and doorknobs looking as good as the day they were installed with this guide to iron care basics for beginners.
Trustworthy Tips for Cleaning an Iron Door
We all want to prolong the life and look of our iron gate, steel door, or wrought iron window cover. Fresh, clean metal gates look great and are a sign of a well-maintained property. Learn how to wash an iron door or gate with straightforward strategies.
Pick up the best pointers to help you wash wrought iron security doors right the first time, and learn how to get rid of rust and restore neglected ironwork without spending much money. Set aside time to take your wrought iron piece from okay to ornate in just a few simple steps.
How to Clean an Iron Door With Mild Soap
When you have a custom wrought iron door or an iron security door, it’s tempting to go straight for the pressure washer, but the pressurized stream could damage your gate. Most manufacturers use a paint or powder coating to protect the metal from rust, which lasts longer if you’re gentle.
All you need for a clean wrought iron door is mild or vegetable-based soap and a few soft rags. Choose a clear, mild dish soap or all-natural Castile soap to safely remove rust from cast iron grates while preserving the protective top coat for as long as possible.
Knowing how to wash an iron door means you can preserve it indefinitely. When cleaning wrought iron, start from the top of the gate and work your way down using a soft cloth, mild soap, and warm water. To fight corrosion, you’ll need to finish by hand-drying all the water droplets with a dry cloth to prevent rust stains from forming.
How to Wash an Iron Door With White Vinegar
Learn how to clean an iron door without shelling out big bucks on specialized cleaning products and tools. Whether you have a single door set-up or a double door, a sliding iron entry door, or ornate wrought iron embellishments, this recipe is for you.
Fill a large bucket with one part clean water and one part distilled white vinegar. To polish exterior door hardware with vinegar, apply the solution with a clean cloth and let it set for several minutes. When washing an iron door, get all the curves and crevices, then dry it thoroughly with another rag.
It’s important to note that cast iron and wrought iron are not interchangeable terms, though many people use them that way. Cast iron is iron that’s melted, poured into a mold, and then given time to solidify; it is very brittle and doesn’t stand up well to washing.
How to Clean Rust off an Iron Door
Corrosion and rust stains are electrochemical reactions. When acidic substances such as water come into direct contact with metal, the particles oxidize, forming rust. Essentially, corrosion is the natural deterioration of metal components due to environmental factors.
Rust happens during periods of excessive moisture, and it’s not your fault. Telltale signs of a rust problem include orange and red blotches, peeling paint, and brittle, flaky metal. Fortunately, this simple strategy should help you get a clean wrought iron door before calling the professionals.
When cleaning an iron door with rust stains, you need something sturdy like a wire brush, steel wool, or fine-grit sandpaper. Gently sand the rust off hinges and door knobs using small circles; you have to get it all, or the rust stains will continue to spread.
Follow up with a vinegar rinse, and dry the surface thoroughly to prevent rust on wrought iron. Fill a bucket with equal amounts of distilled white vinegar and water to create a rust-fighting solution, and apply it with a clean cloth before you hand-dry the metal.
How to Clean and Repaint an Iron Door
When cleaning an iron door isn’t enough, it’s time to consider other options. Did you know it’s possible to sand, prime, and repaint your tired iron doors? Discover a great trick to help with extensive rust buildup; spray the metal with phosphoric acid, which turns rust into crusty iron phosphate for easy removal.
If you don’t have phosphoric acid handy, get a wire brush or steel wool and sand the entire door; remove all loose paint and debris. Once you have clean iron doors, choose a quality oil-based metal primer and paint a thick coat. Come back 24 hours later and apply your favorite shade of oil-based metal paint.
To get iron entry doors clean and prevent rusty, damaged iron, clean and visually inspect your wrought iron piece every six months, and consider priming and painting every five years to keep your custom iron door or window fixtures looking fresh.
We hope you liked these exciting iron facts and enjoyed finding out how to clean an iron door or gate effortlessly. True wrought iron is made by skilled blacksmiths who forge and hammer the piece into shape. Hours of time, love, and craftsmanship go into making a single wrought iron piece, and it seems a shame to leave iron doors and gates looking neglected.
The best way to care for your ironwork is to make time for maintenance and mark the calendar every six months to remind you. Mix a bucket of mild soap like clear dish soap or Castile soap and use a soft cloth to wipe down the entire door or gate; always hand-dry your gate after washing to prevent rust stains.
If rust has gotten the better of you, sand it away and start over; unless the gate is structurally damaged, it should be easy to scrub the rust off, prime the metal, and paint it with a new color. If in doubt, always ask your local craftsman for preservation advice; you might learn interesting new ways to enjoy wrought iron.
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