A well-made fitted wardrobe asks very little of you, but the little it asks differs by finish. Gloss wants a different cloth from painted timber; sliding tracks want a monthly vacuum; hinges want a screwdriver once a year. This guide covers each, and the few things you should never do.
Care, in short
- Matt and super-matt: dry microfibre for dust, damp cloth with a drop of washing-up liquid for marks. Nothing abrasive.
- Gloss: microfibre only, wipe in one direction, no cream cleaners.
- Painted timber and MDF: damp cloth, dry immediately; touch-up paint for chips.
- Mirror and glass: glass cleaner on the cloth, not the door, away from the edges.
- Sliding tracks: vacuum the bottom track monthly; never lubricate the rollers.
- Hinges: check alignment yearly; two screws adjust height and depth.
Doors: match the cloth to the finish
Matt and super-matt vinyl is the most forgiving surface we make. Dust with a dry microfibre cloth; for marks use a cloth damp with warm water and a single drop of washing-up liquid, then dry. Never use cream cleaners, scourers or anything with bleach, which will dull the surface. Woodgrain finishes are cleaned the same way, wiping along the grain. Gloss shows everything and scratches if grit is dragged across it, so dust with a clean dry microfibre cloth first, then wipe with a damp one in one direction; no polish, no cream cleaner. Painted doors, timber or MDF, take a damp cloth and should be dried straight away. Small chips on painted timber can be keyed and touched in with the matching paint, which is one reason people choose it.
Mirror and glass
Spray glass cleaner onto the cloth rather than the door, so nothing runs into the edge where the glass meets the frame, and wipe from the centre outwards. A dry microfibre cloth removes most fingerprints without any cleaner at all. Tinted mirror hides marks better than silver and needs less attention.
Sliding tracks and rollers
Our sliding doors run on bottom-mounted steel rollers with a 10-year guarantee on the running gear. The only maintenance is keeping the bottom track free of grit, hair and the occasional hairpin: run the vacuum nozzle along it once a month. Do not oil or spray the rollers; lubricant attracts dust and gums the bearings. If a door starts to catch, clear the track first; if it still catches, the roller height may need a quarter-turn adjustment, which our fitters do in minutes.
Hinges and drawer runners
Soft-close hinges hold their setting for years, but a heavy door opened ten times a day can drift a millimetre. Once a year, check that door edges align. The two screws on each hinge adjust height and depth; a small turn brings a door back into line. Drawer runners are sealed and need nothing. If a drawer front sits proud, the front's fixing screws adjust it.
Interiors
Empty and wipe shelves and drawers twice a year when you swap seasons. Leave cedar blocks or lavender in the drawers rather than moth sprays, which mark finishes. Keep the wardrobe closed in a steamy bathroom-adjacent bedroom; interiors are moisture-resistant, but constant damp is unkind to any furniture.
Damage and the guarantee
Every Metro wardrobe carries a 10-year guarantee on the furniture and the installation. If a hinge fails, a runner sticks or a panel develops a fault in normal use, we repair or replace it, usually with a replacement part within a few weeks. Damage from misuse or water is not covered, which is why the cleaning advice above matters. Claims go to our office in writing with a photograph.
Frequently asked questions
How do you clean high-gloss wardrobe doors?
Dust with a dry microfibre cloth first so no grit is dragged across the surface, then wipe with a damp microfibre cloth in one direction and dry. No cream cleaners, polish or scourers.
How do you keep sliding wardrobe doors running smoothly?
Vacuum the bottom track monthly so grit and hair cannot reach the rollers, and never oil the rollers. If a door still catches, the roller height needs a small adjustment.
What should I use to clean matt wardrobe doors?
A dry microfibre cloth for dust and a cloth damp with warm water and a drop of washing-up liquid for marks, dried straight away. Avoid anything abrasive or containing bleach.
Can chips on painted wardrobe doors be repaired?
On painted timber and MDF, yes: the area is keyed lightly and touched in with matching paint. Vinyl-wrapped doors can have small marks polished out; deeper damage usually means a replacement door, which is covered by the guarantee if it is a fault.
Explore Metro
Ready to see what your room could hold?
Book a free home design visit. A Metro designer measures the room, brings full-size door and finish samples, and returns a 3D design with an itemised, fixed price within two to three days. No deposit is taken at the visit and there is no obligation. Or see every door style at our Wembley showroom, next to the workshop that makes them.
