What each door can take

  • Painted steel. One maker says a garden hose is fine but never a pressure washer, because water can get through small gaps around the door and soak the inside of the house. It says dark colors fade much faster, and a well-kept steel door should need repainting only every 8 to 10 years, so faded paint can look uneven after any wash.
  • Fiberglass. The same maker says dish soap and water does the job in most cases, and that the clear topcoat needs re-applying about once a year in direct sun, or perhaps every two years in a milder spot. An overdue topcoat may be the weak point; a fiberglass door maker’s FAQ describes cleaning with mineral spirits or an all-purpose cleaner before refinishing.
  • Stained wood. One maker says a wood finish can start to break down within the first year in frequent direct sun. A wood door maker lists hairline cracks in the top coat, color changes, flaking and dullness as signs the finish needs work, and says regular finish maintenance is a requirement of its warranty.
  • Any prefinished door. A door maker’s care sheet says to wash with mild soap and water, rinse with clear water and wipe dry, and never to use paint or lacquer thinner, gasoline or kerosene.

The price line. One Nashville company lists a single-story house soft wash from $299, so ask before you book whether that price includes covering the door and sidelites or hand-wiping them at the end.

If the door was sprayed, call the company with photos and ask what they used and whether they covered it. Our guide to wash damage vs damage that was already there explains what settles that, the questions to ask a house washing company include the cover-up question, and garage door streaks after a house wash covers the door’s larger neighbor. How we check sources: methodology.

Sources

Based on 5 sources · How we price