sticky feeling on wooden doors

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What do you use to clean your wooden doors?
when I moved into my current house the wooden doors were filthy. I managed to clean them up with star drops cleaner but a few of them are still sticky in the area where hands have been touching.
I had some success on a few of the doors with star drops but it lightened the wood slightly.
I've tried vinegar and water, stardrops , wood cleaner and nothing has worked. Google has also failed to produce any help I'm at a loss on what to try next. I don't want to have to sand them.
Help!

is it bare wood, varnished, oiled or what?

Are you sure they aren't sticky because they have been waxed?

(You'll know as if you scratch it, it will come off under your nail)

Don't think they have been waxed.
I think they have been sealed with something but not sure what, possibly oil, I don't think they have been varnished.
The only part that is sticky is the bit where people are grabbing the edge of the door to pull open and closed (instead of using the handles )
when I first moved in the same area was thick with dirt which I managed to clean off (leaving the wood a slightly different shade but I can live with that).

Now I think of it the doors that were thick with dirt aren't that sticky and it's the ones that were cleaner are the sticky ones.
maybe the dirt offered some protection

try cleaning them with a rag moistened with white spirit (wear plastic gloves, not rubber which will dissolve)

It will clean bare, waxed or oiled wood.

Oil goes gummy if it has been applied too thickly, or excess not polished off after it has absorbed what it can.

Thanks piglet. is there any chance of it ruining the doors? should I spot check first?

if they are solid wood, no. If they have been waxed or oiled, it will take the dirty wax or oil off the surface, but you can re-treat it (it would take a lot of wiping to clean it all off)

If they are veneered doors (quite common with modern doors) it might attack the glue, but veneered doors should not be waxed or oiled.

Bare wood will get dirty because it is porous, so is best treated. Matt varnish gives a durable finish.

Thanks piglet. The doors are solid wood so will do what you said and then treat them. I have 2 veneered doors but no problem with them, they just seem to wipe clean in a way the solid ones don't.

thankyou.