To think a clean front door is important.

[usernumberno46273]

Pointless & lightheaded post.

Live rurally, in a very open area with high winds. Have loads of mud and dirt blow into front door, have a very large tree outside and leaves & other dirt blow off into the door. Also share a step with neighbour who has 5 very large dogs who often shake themselves right by the door (I don't mind, we have a dog too). So yeah our front door gets pretty grimy.

Therefore I clean it every month or so. Maybe more this time of year with a bucket of water and the hose. It goes get dirty in between so never stays spotless.

Dp thinks I'm mad. Aibu to to think not having a filthy front door is important? I mean it's the very first thing someone sees about your house really.

It's pvc so easy to clean!

Doesn't take 5 minutes reallt. He thinks I'm wasting my time as it'll be dirty again soon. But surely that's the whole point - keeping on top of it.

Probably the most boring post on mumsnet today. But I don't want a filthy front door!

Aibu?

I'm sure if Dp lived here alone or I didn't do it, it would never get cleaned!

I'm also an estate agent and tell sellers to clean their front door as it makes a bad first impression if it's dirty.

Thanks all! Door had been cleaned this morning just need to get the pressure washer out to do step and path. I don't do that half as much as the door to be honest!

Ours gets similarly mucky, and is under a storm porch so we grow lots of spider webs as well. Nice thing to get in the face as you leave in the morning! So I do wash it down regularly, along with the (pvc) step, and brush away all the webs, leaves and debris off the ledges and below the threshold. It makes me happier not dragging all that crap into the house with me, and I think it’s nicer for people visiting too. Also wipe over all the door furniture at the same time. It takes about 10 minutes in total. So not a huge burden.

I have literally just brushed mine down, ten minutes ago. However the window cleaner also does it.

I assume the window cleaner does ours as it's never noticeably dirty? But we don't use it anyway, so I never really look at it or think about it.

Honestly, how much free time do people have that they have time to clean the front door? The rest of my house is much, much dirtier!

I think you are playing fast and loose with the definition of 'important'

I clean mine, but maybe more like 2-3 times a year. It's a wooden door so I just wipe it down with a damp cloth. Then clean the handle and bell and hose down the steps. It makes a difference to my mood coming home:)

Never clean the front door, as its brown. I do clean the back door now and then, as its white. The dogs get their muddy paws on the door, if I shut them out.

I've never ever thought about whether I should clean my front door or not. Perhaps it's never looked dirty enough to bother me? I don't know. I'll have to go out and look at it now..

@Edinvillian

I'm also an estate agent and tell sellers to clean their front door as it makes a bad first impression if it's dirty.

Absolutely, because you are presenting your house to people you hope will want to give you lots of money for it, the same way as you've rented storage for your ten tonnes of Lego.

But I think that's different to just living with your front door on a day to day basis without intention to sell.

I don't think I've ever cleaned mine. Then again, I'm not sure I've ever in my life devoted a fraction of the amount of thought to cleaning that some people clearly regularly do, judging by posts on here.

Not being sneery about this, in fact I find it interesting, as I don't know anyone who devotes any thought to cleaning in RL. And certainly not to the concept of 'visitor ready', which I see very commonly on here.

@Fetchthevet

I've never ever thought about whether I should clean my front door or not. Perhaps it's never looked dirty enough to bother me? I don't know. I'll have to go out and look at it now..

It would be funny if you went out to inspect your front door, glanced down the street and saw several other women also standing and looking attentively at their front doors.

I cleaned ours for the first and last time during the first lockdown last year. Cleaned the step and everything. It did look beautiful!

I’ve never cleaned mine, although I’m sure it’s a “nice to have”

That's what rain is for IMHO.

@statetrooperstacey

Also see dirty bagged up nappies that people leave by their front door , often right next to their wheelie bin, filthy heathens. Loads of people do this!!!

Sorry but this made me laugh as when mine were little and I use to visit my mum she use to refuse to let me put their dirty nappies in her bin! Instead she insisted I put them by the front door and take them with me when I left

I remember as a child that one of my jobs was cleaning the front step with ‘Brasso’ once a month, I think the front door was cleaned then too.

As an adult, having left home over 40 years ago I have never cleaned a front door, not even once! Not top of my list tbh, if the inside ever reaches actual ‘clean & tidy’ & my life doesn’t feel like a whirlwind of chaos then maybe one day..

It's on my list of 'things not to give a shit about'

I barely have time to clean the inside of my house!

I have a pvc door under a storm porch so we have to dust off cobwebs but thankfully don’t need to clean except on an ad hoc basis

@TheSnowQueen

I think you are playing fast and loose with the definition of 'important'

Important to me 💕 I'm a bit of a clean freak though!

I came back to ours this morning and thought it did look pretty grimy and maybe I should do something about it - but that was more the step / threshold not the door itself. Wherever we’ve lived I’ve only ever cleaned our front door for marketing photos and seller open days!

@SpiderinaWingMirror

That's what rain is for IMHO.

Sounds a good idea but my door has a little ledge above it so rain doesn't hit the door at all!

I do mine cos it's a flat with an inside entrance - no rain. 30 secs twice a year makes a remarkably pleasing difference to this lazy person.

you could say 'what's the point it'll only get dirty again' about any cleaning really.
The fact is most doors are washed by the rain more than muck is flung at it so most don't need to do that chore. But that's not true for you. Imagine how thick and crusty it would get if you didn't bother!

I quite like cleaning the front door and window sills when they get grubby. I like simple jobs where you can see the difference and take a while to undo. Keeping on top of the kitchen on the other hand...

It is VERY important, imagine what would happen if you didn’t do it.