Cleaning garage doors is not only a matter of aesthetics. It will surely make a difference to the curb appeal of your house but the main reason for washing off dirt is to see if there are problems hidden under the layer of dust. It's always best to discover imperfections and defects before it's too late. When rust eats up the material of the door, the problem might not be solved easily. In some extreme occasions, you might even need garage door replacement. You can also check for warped edges and worn parts. This will save you the trouble from dealing with unexpected problems at a later stage.
Cleaning your overhead door is not hard. You will need soap, water and a soft sponge. Though, it's vital to consider the needs of the door. If you have a door made of wood, you don't want to use excessive amounts of water and you must also let the material dry perfectly well. If you find defects or detect some tiny rusty spots, make sure they are treated right. It's also helpful to use special varnishes or wax over the door once it is cleaned and dried just to make it more resistant.
Of course, you must clean well the inner part of the door, too. This part is not as dusty as the external one but still needs good cleaning so that you will avoid debris landing on your car or lungs. Garage door parts need extra good cleaning as well. Since most of them are periodically lubricated, they attract more dust. If dust is accumulated, components won't perform well. As a matter of fact, once you clean parts well it's also good to lubricate them, too. Though, you must remove residue of old lubricants.
It's essential to be particularly thorough when it comes to garage door tracks. Debris sits on tracks and is mixed with dust. As a consequence, rollers won't have a clear access. If tracks are dirty, rollers won't move smoothly and this will bring problems to the entire performance of the door. When parts are cleaned and lubricated properly and periodically, they will operate better and last longer.