Proper care and disinfection of door handles

Maintain the appearance, service life and hygiene of door handles: This requires regular cleaning and care. We touch door handles several times every day. That's why germs can easily collect there and be passed on with every touch. With the right care, this stops.

Cleaning plastic door handles is particularly easy compared to other materials. To clean plastic, lukewarm water and a little washing-up liquid or curd soap is sufficient. A classic all-purpose cleaner is also sufficient. Use a soft cloth or sponge. When choosing a sponge: make sure that it is not made of abrasive material, otherwise it can cause fine scratches in the plastic. The following applies to all door handles when cleaning: Too much water will do harm. Make sure you squeeze the cloth or sponge well. It is sufficient if it is only slightly damp. Rub the sponge over the plastic in small circular motions. Then rub the plastic door handle dry with another cloth. Thorough cleaning is recommended once a month. Wipe the door handles with a damp cloth once a week at best. One disadvantage of plastic: it can yellow. To clean yellowed door handles, you need a somewhat more aggressive cleaning agent. It is best to use a special plastic cleaner and put on gloves. Tip: Before applying the aggressive cleaner to a large area, test it on a small inconspicuous spot on the door handle.

Stainless steel door handles are durable, easy to clean and corrosion resistant. Stainless steel is considered rust-free. If the material nevertheless shows signs of rust, it is rust film. To clean stainless steel door handles, it is sufficient to use lukewarm water, soft sponges or cloths and mild cleaning agents. The cleaning agent should be suitable for stainless steel. Matt stainless steel should be cleaned in the direction of the pattern. This means that you rub the sponge in the direction of the grind. To maintain the high gloss on polished door handles, it is a good idea to use special stainless steel polishing agents. Refrain from using abrasive cleaning agents and sponges made of steel wool. They could damage the surface and leave unsightly scratches on the door handle. The sponge or cloth must not be too wet. Squeeze it well so that it no longer drips and is only moistened. This prevents water from getting into the grooves of the door fittings.

The brass alloy protects the material. Brass darkens after some time. Especially if they are not lacquered but waxed. This natural process is called patina. To remove dirt and patina, brass door handles should be cleaned regularly. You should also use soft cloths and sponges for brass door handles. Here, too, the cleaning cloth should only be slightly damp and not too wet. Finally, rub the handle dry with a cloth.

The surface of aluminium door handles protects the material from external influences such as humidity and hand perspiration. Door handles made of aluminium are very easy to clean. It is sufficient to wipe them damp with water and mild cleaning agents. You should avoid abrasive cleaning agents and sponges. Here, too, you can otherwise damage the protective surface layer or rub scratches into the material.

Door handles made of wood are rather rare. However, there are some door handles with wooden inserts in the door fitting. As a rule, these wooden elements are provided with a protective coating. But here, too, the rule is: Do not clean too wet. If water runs into the grooves and gets into the wood, it can swell.

Spray the door handle and the door rosette extensively with disinfectant. Especially the handrail of the door handle. Make sure that the disinfectant also fights viruses. Allow the disinfectant to soak in. The exposure times vary depending on the manufacturer. Rub the door handle with a disposable cloth. Do not rub back and forth, but wipe the surface with the cloth only once in one direction. This ensures that the surfaces remain visually attractive even after frequent disinfection. After disinfecting, rub the door handles with a new cloth with water or soapy water.