The Best Way To Clean Gunk Out Of Your Sliding Door Tracks

Sliding glass doors are sometimes forgotten about during weekly cleaning, but this can lead to the tracks becoming damaged and the door not sliding properly. Repairs for this kind of door can be expensive, but regular cleaning will help keep your sliding door gliding smoothly over the tracks. For sliding doors with extremely dirty tracks, a little dish soap goes a long way.

To deep clean your sliding door, start by sweeping or vacuuming any large pieces of debris from the tracks, making sure to get both sides of the door. Using a hose attachment for your vacuum can help get into spots that are more difficult to reach. Once the majority of the loose dirt is cleaned up, you can wipe the tracks down with a damp cloth, and you can add a few drops of dish soap if needed. If you do use soap, it's important to rinse the tracks after cleaning to ensure no residue is left behind and let the tracks air dry. Weekly vacuuming will help keep your door from building up too much dirt, while deep cleaning will only need to be done about once a month.

If you've cleaned your sliding door's tracks with soap and they still seem dirty, you can try using baking soda and either vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. First, spread baking soda lightly over the tracks, and then spray the area with vinegar. Allow the solution to bubble before scrubbing the tracks and the bottom of the door with a toothbrush. The small bristles will be able to get to any difficult spots on your sliding door, including the locking mechanism. If the dirt doesn't let up at first, don't fret — just keep scrubbing until you're satisfied.

Hydrogen peroxide can also be used in place of vinegar. After sprinkling baking soda and pouring hydrogen peroxide along the tracks, wait for up to 10 minutes before wiping with a damp cloth. You may also need to rinse the tracks again. Once your sliding door is clean, it's best to apply a silicone lubricant to the tracks to keep your door from sticking instead of sliding.

Sometimes, the wheels on a sliding door can also become caked with dirt. To clean the tracks and the wheels, you'll need to take your sliding door off the doorframe. To do this, you'll need a flathead screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, and a soft place to set the door down, like a thick blanket. Start by using the flathead to remove the screen door from the bottom track, and then you should be able to remove the sliding door from the inside. If you can't remove the sliding door from inside, you may need to take out the stationary door first, which can be done by taking out the screws at the top, middle, and bottom of the door.

Try sliding the door until it reaches the small indentation on the bottom track. You should then be able to take out the adjustment screws on the side of the door and pull the door out of the frame. Now, you will be able to fully clean the tracks, as well as the sliding door rollers, with the aforementioned cleaning methods.