How to keep your door handles in top condition
Friday, 11 May 2012 11:42 AM
Choosing what designer door handles you fit in your property can be a big decision for many people, and once you have made your selection and installed the levers or knobs, you won't want them to tarnish or become damaged. Therefore, this advice on how to maintain your door handles will come in handy.
What metal is your door handle?
You've installed your door handles and your house is looking just the way you want it, but this is not where your work ends. Metal knobs and levers need to be looked after so they stay as shiny as they can for as long as possible.
The first thing you need to do then when thinking about how to clean your door handles is find out what type of metal it is. You can locate handles in a variety of metals, but they all need to be looked after differently, so it is wise to double check what material your levers or knobs are before you start cleaning.
Polished and satin chrome, nickel, stainless steel, brass and bronze are all popular types of metal, so it is likely that your door handle will be made from one of these metals.
Looking after chrome
Chrome is a shiny material, and is popular as it is strong and durable, so you won't have to change your door handles time and time again. However, it can be difficult to maintain its shine, with dust, dirt and sweaty hands all contributing to a dull appearance after a few months.
For this metal, it is best to use a soft damp cloth to remove water spots and other marks on the door handle. This will take any debris away from levers, such as Veer door handles, or knobs. Leave it to dry naturally at this stage, as you will create marks if you try to rub it off.
Once it is dry, you can use another dry cloth to wipe it clean. Or, if you want a real shine to the metal - which you would if you had stylish Mercury door handles - use chrome polish or wax that you can then gently wipe off.
Taking care of stainless steel
Stainless steel is another popular metal for door handles; however, it is important to keep these knobs or levers looking clean, otherwise, they can appear dull and show up lots of marks, such as finger prints.
Indeed, it is not safe from grubby hands or dirty children's fingers, although it can be easily cleaned if your little one has handled the lever or knob after eating or drinking something sticky.
One of the best ways to clean stainless steel is simply to wash it with a cloth soaked in hot, soapy water. Give it a thorough clean (without scrubbing too hard) and then, once it is dry, you can wipe again with a dry cloth.
It is important that you don't rub the surface of the handle too vigorously or use scouring pads to clean it, as this will damage the surface and cause scratches to appear on the metal.
However, if you want to give it the shine it once had, you could put some baking soda on to the handle or lever and rub gently, before rinsing off and drying with a soft cloth. This will ensure your handle looks brand new!
As long as you take some time to look after your door handles, they'll be able to appear as stylish as they did when you bought them, no matter what metal handles you have installed in your house.
