Your front door is the first impression visitors get of your home, so making sure your door and porch look their best is vital for making an eye-catching statement. The process of choosing styles, colours, configurations and accessories that will perfectly portray your family’s taste can also make for a fun project.
If you have an aluminium entry door, you’ll understand that it doesn’t require much maintenance at all compared to other materials such as timber. This is particularly true for the Origin Residential Door, which comes with the highest quality powder coating available and may be covered with up to 20-year guarantee. Although aluminium doors provide a luxurious option for your home and will stand the test of time – it is still important to clean your front door and make the best first impression possible.
Here, we give you the best tips for cleaning your front door and explore other ways to achieve a fresh new look for your porch.
In this guide:
Read our tips on cleaning your aluminium front door.
Find out how often you should be cleaning your door.
Read our expert tips on decorating your porch area to make the best first impression.
Find out more about keeping your home safe and secure.
How to clean your aluminium front door
When cleaning your front door from the outside, you will need the following items:
Non-abrasive cloth
Water
Towel
Soapy water / aluminium cleaner
1. Wash down the door with water
Remove light stains by simply wiping down or hosing your door with water. This will allow you to spot any harder stains that you’ll need to concentrate on with your soapy water or cleaner later.
2. Apply cleaner to the door
Whether you’re using soapy water or special aluminium cleaner, apply your mixture to the door and work it in with a cloth. The Origin Residential Door is powder coated, which is much more robust and requires much less maintenance than traditional liquid paint. As such, special aluminium cleaning products are not necessarily required - soapy water will suffice - abrasive cloths should be avoided as this may risk damaging your door. Any harsh cleaning products that contain bleach or any other strong chemicals should be avoided as they may also risk damaging the finish. However, if you do prefer to use an aluminium cleaner, then this is down to your personal preference and special care should be taken when choosing one and spot test the product first on the bottom corner of your door.
For tougher stains, it’s safe to apply a bit of extra elbow grease and scrub at the stain until it’s removed. If there are any very tough stains or signs of oxidation, then get in touch with a professional aluminium door cleaner.
Read our guide to the benefits of choosing aluminium here.
3. Rinse the door with water
It’s important that you rinse your front door with water to remove any soap or aluminium cleaner and avoid streaks. You can get a new cloth and use that to apply water and rinse away any residue or hose down the door.
Are you choosing a new aluminium front door for your home? Read our full guide to choosing a new front door here.
How often should you clean your front door?
How often you decide to clean your front door is truly down to personal preference. The Origin Residential Door only requires minimal maintenance. However, as a general guideline, we would recommend cleaning your aluminium front door every few months to keep it looking fresh and to prevent any build-up of tough stains.
Are you looking for a bespoke front door?
Each home has its own unique character, and your front door is a big part of that. Origin front doors are made bespoke to your needs, so you can ensure it’s making the right statement for your home:
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Specify your size
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Pick a panel or mid-rail option
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Pick a colour on the frame, sash and panel
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Select your handle and colour
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Select whether you want your door to include a letterbox, knocker, or a spyhole
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Pick your threshold
Decorating your porch area
It’s easy to neglect your porch. For some, it can become simply a functional area that gets overlooked in terms of aesthetics. But, having a beautifully decorated porch creates a welcoming first impression for visitors and can totally change the way you interact with your home, too.
Below, we explore some porch design ideas that consider aesthetics as well as functionality for a porch area that you’ll be proud to come home to:
Plants
Adding plants to your porch area bring a lot of natural beauty and rustic charm to your property. Topiary trees, planter boxes or hanging baskets can be bought at most local garden centres and you can even colour-coordinate your planting pots with your front door or accessories.
Wreaths are another great way to add personality to your home, and, even if you consider yourself a DIY beginner, you can still make your own seasonal wreaths. Wreaths don’t have to just be for Christmas, and there are plenty of beautiful wreath designs to choose from.
Light
If you have the space, then why not consider installing sidelights? Sidelights are narrow, vertical windows that go either side of your front door - some people with less space choose to have one side light, which still provides an impressive design. They are an excellent way to add more natural light into your home and give your home a grander entrance. Find out more about our front doors with sidelights here.
Typically fixed and available in a variety of glazing types, sidelights can add natural light while still providing privacy. Origin sidelights are completely bespoke and can be made to fit almost any size requirement and can even be made to match existing colours or finishes. To find out more about sidelights, speak to your local installer today.
There are also lots of other lighting options available to bring more character and visibility to your porch area, including outdoor wall lights, decorative lanterns and strategically placed solar lights.
Find out more about the different options of aluminium front doors here.
Keeping your home safe with high-quality door hardware and technology
While it’s important to have a beautiful and welcoming front porch area, it’s also important to ensure your porch is secure and discourages intruders.
CCTV cameras can now be bought at fairly reasonable prices that can discourage intruders or be useful if an incident occurs. Smart technology goes a step further in allowing you to prevent a crime before it happens - and even allows you to do things like accept deliveries or say hello to neighbours when you’re home. For example, with the right equipment installed, a sensor can either:
notify you when someone is at your door;
automatically ring the doorbell as someone approaches your door;
call the emergency services if there is a problem;
trigger an automated response that can, for example, let people know you’re unavailable or for the postman to leave a delivery in a safe area
You should also consider choosing high-quality hardware options, such as handles and locks made from durable materials. Doors with a multipoint locking system can also ensure your home is extra secure against potential intruders. Choosing a reputable supplier can help to ensure you choose reliable hardware and accessories. Read our full guide to choosing front door hardware.
What are the benefits of the Origin Front Door?
The Origin Front Door is made from premium-grade aluminium and is available in a large range of colours and designs to suit your needs. The key benefits of the Origin Front Door include the following:
Incredible strength and durability - the increased strength means the doors are available in larger sizes, giving a grander appearance
10-panel options available in 150 RAL colours: you can choose the door you want and customise it to suit your home’s style
Fully weather protected
Extremely hard-wearing powder coating, which prevents oxidation and water stains and comes with up to a 20-year guarantee
Thermal efficiency exceeds current industry and government standards
Very low maintenance needed; just wiping the doors down is enough in most environments
Can be PAS 24 and Secured by Design accredited - available with either an 8-point or 5-point automatic firing locking system and 3-star British Kite Marked tamper-proof barrels
Find out more about the Origin Front Door here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the different types of front door locks?
Front door locks come in many different types and vary in the level of security they provide. You can read our complete guide to the different front door locks here.
What are multi-point locking systems for front doors?
Multi-point locking systems work by engaging a number of bolts and hooks around the frame by lifting the handle, often known as ‘lever/lever’.
Which front door material is the best?
Although your ideal material choice depends on your priorities and what you are looking for in a material – aluminium is a strong option for a durable and secure front door. Read our guide to choosing a safe and secure front door here.
Why are aluminium doors better than uPVC doors?
uPVC doors do not begin to match the performance of aluminium doors. uPVC doors warp and change shape, become brittle over time and discolour. The uPVC material is simply not as robust as aluminium and cannot withstand the same conditions without being compromised. uPVC doors also do not offer the same insulating properties as high-quality aluminium doors and will need replacing sooner than an aluminium door.
