Hack for Cleaning Inside Sliding Window and Door Tracks

by Toolsthatbuild

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Intro: Hack for Cleaning Inside Sliding Window and Door Tracks

The Simplest Instructables are usually the best. Here is an effective easy way to clean inside any sliding window or door track. It requires minimal supplies and works extremely well.

STEP 1: Marking the Sponge

Place a regular kitchen scrub sponge on the track of the window or door. Using a marker, put a mark on the sponge where each piece of track is. It doesn't matter how many tracks there are as long as the sponge is wider than the track.

STEP 2: Cut the Sponge

As the title says use a knife and cut down the lines on the bottom of the sponge. Cut the full depth of the sponge, this may take several passes with the knife.

STEP 3: Clean Away

Wet the sponge in warm soapy water and push it down the track. When the sponge gets to the end of the track there may be larger debris left just vacuum it out and push the sponge down the track again.

STEP 4: Done

All done! Now your windows and doors will slide quietly and easily.

28 Comments

RogiO 1 year ago

"Cleaning" vinegar kills mold really well and if you keep the area that was black soaked for a few hours it'll follow the unseen tendrils back to the source and keep it from coming back. Follow-up with Tilex to fully remove the staining.

tem494 1 year ago

tem494 step 2
I would suggest using an electric knife for cutting the foam I believe it will make a cleaner cut.

Toolsthatbuild 1 year ago

Doesn’t matter, the cleanliness of the cut doesn’t affect the cleaning and the sponge is garbage after anyway. Quick and easy is the strategy here.

farmboy79 4 years ago

If you have an electric meat carving knife it will cut the foam effortlessly.

Toolsthatbuild 4 years ago

Great idea! I guess any serrated blade would work better

snowf7 4 years ago

This is great advice. It will come in handy for cleaning the sliding shower doors on bathtubs.

ferrotype 4 years ago

Great idea!
Any thoughts on what to do to clean up the "mold" that accumulates in window sills after being shut tight for 6 months?

Toolsthatbuild 4 years ago

For mold you need bleach or a pre mixed store bought mold solution. It’s a living thing that needs to be killed as well as removed. Cut the sponge in the same way.

etriker 4 years ago

Like George57 already said just vinegar - have used it exclusively in shower mold for over 50 years with great success. Folks simply don't do it because of the intense smell.

ferrotype 4 years ago

Thank you heaps! I do not mind the smelj
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