If it's time to update the paint color of your interior or exterior doors, painting over dirt and grime isn't ideal. It can cause distortions in the new paint, including color differences, and even leave bumps when debris is caked on. You want to cover up this muck, and paint will help, but there's one ingredient to start with before you get the paintbrushes out. That's sugar soap.
The door's surface plays an important role in the finished look and the durability of the new coat of paint. If you don't clean off that surface, the paint cannot adhere properly and may chip, crack, or peel away. The dirt and oils from hands or food particles on the door make that adhesion impossible.
Sugar soap is a type of mild cleaning agent. It's designed for various cleaning projects, even helping you with more delicate surfaces, like cleaning wallpaper or scrubbing down your walls before painting them after removing that wallpaper. It's effective because it can safely remove dirt and grime, including those oils, without damaging the door's surface. Though sugar soap has its limitations — it won't be able to remove deep stains or texture on the door — it will work to give you a clean, ready-to-paint finish in most situations.
How sugar soap cleans doors
Sugar soap doesn't actually have sugar in it but gets its name from the sugar-like look of the dry powder it's composed of. It contains several ingredients, including sodium phosphate and sodium silicate, though each company that makes this product can alter ingredient makeup.
While many types of cleaning agents have a similar ingredient list, sodium silicate sets sugar soap apart. This compound adds just a small amount of grit, much like the texture of sugar itself. This added grit allows the soap product to scrub a bit better and remove more of the challenging areas of debris and dirt on the surface of well-used doors. Some versions also include sodium hydroxide, ideal for cleaning away organic material containing oils and fats, including grease off the kitchen pantry door, for example. It works to dissolve those materials off the surface. All of these ingredients dissolve in water.
How to use sugar soap to clean your doors before you paint
Sugar soap isn't complicated to use, but it's important to check with the manufacturer about the steps to using that particular cleaning agent. Removing the door from the hinge and laying it flat is often beneficial to make cleaning the surface easier. Then, create the sugar soap mixture. This often involves diluting the powder or concentrate in warm water. Since it can cause skin and eye irritation as well as breathing complications in some people, wear goggles, gloves, and a mask — especially if you have asthma.
A simple and effective way to clean a door is to use a sponge soaked in a mixture of soap and water. Gently scrub the surface of the door using a circular motion and apply some pressure to help loosen dirt. Be sure to clean the entire surface of the door, not just spot-treat, to achieve an even clean. Rinse off the soap with clean, warm water and a cloth. Although this product is unlikely to leave a residue, it is still recommended to thoroughly rinse the door, including the edges. Allow the door to fully dry before painting. If the paint finish is not in perfect shape, it may be necessary to repeat the cleaning process for better results.
