I spent an afternoon once cleaning all the interior doors in my house, and when I stepped back, every single one had streaks. It looked worse than before I started, honestly. The problem was not the dirt. The problem was that I was using too much cleaner and the wrong rag.

The streak-free method

1. Mix a few drops of dish soap into a bucket of warm water.
2. Wring your cloth out well. Damp, not dripping.
3. Wipe the door from top to bottom in straight lines.
4. Go back over it with a dry microfiber cloth.

Why streaks happen

Streaks are leftover soap or cleaner that dried on the surface. Too much product is the main cause. When you spray cleaner directly on the door, it runs down in little rivers and dries in lines. The fix is using less, and drying the surface after washing.

The rag matters

Microfiber picks up and holds the grime instead of pushing it around. Cotton t-shirts work too if they are clean and lint-free. Avoid sponges that leave foam, and avoid paper towels, which break down and leave lint on wood grain.

Wood doors are different

If your doors are stained wood rather than painted, skip the soap. Use a wood cleaner made for sealed wood, or a barely damp cloth and dry it immediately. Water sitting on raw wood can cloud the finish over time.

Handle the tricky spots

The edges and the panel grooves collect the most dirt, especially around doorknobs where hands grab every day. Use a small soft brush or an old toothbrush dipped in the soapy water for the grooves, then dry them. Fingerprints around the handle come off with one swipe if you dry after wiping.

The doors in my hallway finally look clean instead of just damp, and it took half the time of my old method.