Keeping slim aluminium frames looking new
Ten minutes twice a year is most of it. What to clean frames with, what to avoid, and the parts of the hardware that actually need attention.
- Warm water and mild detergent only. No abrasives or solvents on powder coating.
- Clear the track and drainage slots twice a year.
- Coastal and city sites need cleaning three or four times a year.
Slim aluminium frames are chosen for how they look, so ten minutes twice a year is worth the effort. The good news is that there is very little to do and almost nothing that can go wrong if you do it.
Cleaning the frames
Warm water with a little mild detergent, a soft cloth or a soft brush, then rinse and dry. Abrasive powders and scouring pads take the sheen off a powder coated finish, and solvents, bleach or acid based cleaners will attack it.
Anodised finishes are more tolerant of cleaning but should still be wiped with a mild solution and never with anything alkaline.
Tracks and drainage
Grit in the track is what makes a sliding door stiff and a folding door start catching. Vacuum or brush the track out, then check the drainage slots and weepholes are clear. A drop of silicone lubricant on the rollers once a year keeps a slider quiet.
Hardware
Handles, hinges and locking points need a check for tightness and a light lubrication. Do not oil a cylinder, because oil attracts grit. A graphite or purpose made lock lubricant is the right product.
Sites that need more attention
Coastal properties and city centre locations see salt and pollution settle on the frames, and both shorten the life of a finish. Clean them three or four times a year rather than twice, and rinse the frames after a storm.
Written by the Minimal Frame Projects UK team. If you would like advice on a specific opening, send us the dimensions and a few photographs and we will come back with a specification.
