How to Clean and Lubricate a Sliding Glass Door

Sliding glass doors can become difficult to open because the track accumulates dirt and debris. The steps below tell you how to keep your sliding glass door sliding smoothly.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

The Thorough Way

Use this method at least once a year to thoroughly clean and lubricate the track to your sliding door. If you have a screen door, remove it first—–it will easily lift up and out of the track.

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    Remove drapes, blinds or any other window furnishings from your door.
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    Grasp each end of the door. Push the door up so that the wheels on the bottom of the door clear the track. You may have to use a screwdriver to loosen the level screws for the bottom wheels in order to get them to clear the bottom threshold.[1]
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    Keep pushing the door upward. Pull it towards you at the same time until it clears the door opening.[2]
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    Place the door on two sawhorses so that you can clean the track wheels.
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    Use a wire brush to loosen the hair and dirt from the wheels.
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    Vacuum the debris from the wheels and the entire bottom and top of the door.
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    Apply a non-stick silicone lubricant to the wheels.
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    Test the rollers to be sure that they are clear of all debris and are moving freely.
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    Vacuum the door track.
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    Wipe out the door track with a wet rag.
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    Apply some of the lubricant to the tracks in the door opening before you replace the door.
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    Lift the door from the sawhorses. Position the top of the door inside the top track of the door opening.
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    Push the door up so that the bottom rollers clear the bottom threshold.
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    Let the rollers drop into the bottom track. If you have loosened any screws, retighten them once the door is completely back in its track to make sure the door is plumb.
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    Slide the door back and forth until it is sliding smoothly.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

The Quick Way

If the track to your sliding door isn’t too gummed up with dirt and grime, you can get your door sliding smoothly again in about 15 minutes.

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    Thoroughly vacuum the track to your door while it is still closed.
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    Slide the door all the way open so that you can access the other side of the track.
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    3
    Scrape out the dirt and debris from the track using a flat blade screwdriver.
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    Vacuum the loosened dirt using an attachment with a narrow tip.
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    Use an old rag to apply generous amounts of a non-stick lubricant to both tracks of the sliding door.
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    Slide the door open and shut several times so that the entire track gets lubricated. You may have to open and shut the door for several minutes before it slides smoothly.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I lubricate glass shower doors on a track?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    I would recommend a dry spray lubricant like wax. Home improvement stores sell spray cans that use a carrier solvent to dispense wax, which is left after solvent evaporates quickly. Wax doesn't attract sand/dirt like WD-40 does. Use wax lubricant on bike chains, too.
  • Question
    How do I put a plastic shower back on track?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Use a powder-quality graphite such as Monkey Dust or Hob-E-Lube. If you find that doesn't work sufficiently, then use a super lubricant like NyOil or Krytox. Just know that these will be oil-based and can be a bit messy.
  • Question
    My sliding glass door will freeze shut in the winter. Is there something I can put on the track to prevent it?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try an aerosol silicone-based lubricant. Silicone does not freeze, so this may solve your problem.
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Warnings

  • It’s best to have a helper if you are going to remove your door from its tracks. If you should have to loosen screws, your helper can spot you and make sure the door doesn’t fall before you can remove it.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Try to avoid oily lubricants because they attract dirt and dust; you’ll have to clean the rollers and tracks of your doors much more often if you use any kind of grease or oil instead of a non-stick lubricant.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You’ll Need

  • Vacuum.
  • Wire brush.
  • Spray lubricant.
  • Flathead screwdriver (optional).

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.milgard.com/video/how-clean-and-lubricate-sliding-patio-door
  2. ↑ https://www.milgard.com/video/how-clean-and-lubricate-sliding-patio-door

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 355,638 times.
55 votes - 93%
Co-authors: 10
Updated: December 29, 2022
Views: 355,638
Categories: Featured Articles | Cleaning | Door Types
Article SummaryX

To quickly clean and lubricate a sliding glass door, start by vacuuming 1 side of track while the door is still closed. Then, slide the door all the way open, vacuum the other side, and scrape out the dirt and debris inside the track using a flat blade screwdriver. Afterwards, vacuum the loosened dirt, and use an old rag to apply non-stick lubricant to both sides of the track. Finally, slide the door open and shut several times to spread the lubricant over the entire track. To learn more, including how to clean the track wheels on your sliding glass door for a more thorough cleaning, read on.

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