How to properly clean your smart locks and door hardware
Friday, April 3, 2020
Today’s current environment has us thinking differently about our household’s high-touch surfaces. Now more than ever we are focusing on the importance and what it means to keep a safe and healthy home.
We’ve included the guide below to help you navigate how to properly clean and disinfect your smart locks and door hardware.
Step 1: Clean your door hardware.
Before you can apply disinfectant, you need to remove any dust, dirt or debris that could keep that disinfectant from working effectively. To do this, Schlage recommends starting with a mild liquid dishwashing soap detergent mixed with water.
Gently wipe the surface of your door hardware with the mild soap and water mixture.
Using water only, wipe surfaces again to remove any detergent left behind.
Immediately dry all surfaces with a clean towel.
Do not spray or immerse the hardware in liquid at any time.
Step 2: Disinfect your door hardware.
Once you have removed excess dirt and grime from your hardware, you’re ready to disinfect it. Pay special attention to the disinfectants’ ingredients. Some contain harsh or abrasive chemicals that will damage the finish of your hardware. Be sure to refer to the product’s manual for more information.
Follow the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) guidelines under “How to clean and disinfect.” There you will find easy-to-prepare bleach or alcohol solutions.
Wipe surfaces gently, and do not spray or immerse your hardware in the disinfectant. When cleaning the keypad of your smart lock, do not leave disinfectants applied for a long period of time.
Per CDC guidelines, do not dry the surfaces. Instead, allow them to air dry to give the disinfectant time to work effectively.
Do not apply cleaners or disinfectants to your door hardware in direct sunlight or elevated temperatures. Doing so can harm your hardware’s protective coating.
Being diligent in cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces in your home is one of the simplest ways to help keep your home and family healthy.
