How to Maintain a Bifold or Sliding Door System Year-Round

One of the most common questions after installation isn't about the door itself — it's "what do I actually need to do to keep it running like this?" The honest answer is: very little, but not nothing. A folding or sliding system is mechanical, and a small amount of regular care goes a long way in a climate that pushes hardware harder than most.

Every month or two

• Run a soft brush or a vacuum with a crevice tool along the track to clear dust and grit before it compacts — this is the single most effective thing you can do, and takes under five minutes.
• Wipe down the glass and frame with a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. Avoid anything with ammonia or abrasive powders on powder-coated aluminium — they can dull the finish over time.

Every few months

• Check that the door still opens, closes, and locks smoothly across its full range. A little added resistance is usually just dust in the track (see above); a sudden change is worth flagging to us rather than waiting.
• Inspect weatherseals around the frame for any sections that look compressed, torn, or are no longer sitting flush — these are what keep dust and driving rain out, and they're a simple, inexpensive fix if caught early.

Once or twice a year

• Apply a light, silicone-based lubricant (never oil-based, which attracts more dust) to rollers, hinges, and locking points.
• Check that all fixing screws around the frame and track are still snug — normal thermal expansion and contraction over a full summer can work fittings very slightly loose over several years.

What not to do

Avoid pressure-washing the track directly — it can force water and grit further into the mechanism rather than out of it. Avoid household glass cleaners with ammonia on any powder-coated or anodised aluminium surface, not just the glass. And if a panel ever feels like it's dragging or catching rather than gliding, don't force it — that's almost always a sign something needs adjusting, not more effort.

The short version

Keep the track clean, keep the seals intact, lubricate the moving parts once or twice a year, and treat any change in how the door feels as worth a quick look rather than something to push through. Every Rigor installation already carries a 10-year warranty on hardware and workmanship — but the systems that get this small amount of regular care are the ones that still feel brand new well past that.