Kitchen Cabinets are one of the most underrated parts of your kitchens. We rarely give them the proper time they deserve, and as a result, the quality fades away. It’s not that the maintenance is high. It’s just we don’t pay much attention to this part of our kitchens. Those who pay attention don’t seem to know the best practices to keep their cabinets glossier and premium. Let’s look at a simple guide about maintaining kitchen cabinets.
Maintaining the Cabinets
Cabinets go along with rough and tough kitchen situations like grease, hear, scratches, harsh lightings, smoke, etc. These factors gradually decrease the lifespan of the cabinets. Let’s break down the cabinet care into four sections to understand the situations better.
1. Brand new Cabinets
Upon the first installation, everyone is extra careful to preserve cabinets’ grace. Use a soft, damp cloth to wipe out first and grease. Make sure to use another soft piece of fabric to dry out immediately, or it can leave watermarks and a foul smell. Your direction of wiping should complement the direction of the wood grain. Otherwise, the counterforce may end up in scratches.
After cleaning, the polish care kicks in. Apply a light coat of the best polish available. The description of the bets polish doesn’t contain silicone or wax. Polishing the cabinets will enhance their lifespan and refine the scratches, shine, and extra moisture.
2. Regular cleaning
After the first installation, grease and grime start to collate on cabinets’ surfaces. This requires some extra care. We will let you know precisely how you can remove the residue. Follow the simple procedure mentioned above, and wipe down the surface with a soft, damp cloth. The only difference is that you have to use warm water to loosen up the grease. If warm water doesn’t work, use some cleaner or dishwasher. Gently wipe down in the direction of the wood grain.
Speaking of the cleaning agent, here is how you can make one for yourself. Add some baking soda into the water and mix it thoroughly to the point it becomes foamy. You can also add up vinegar in water to make an excellent reducing agent for grease and grime. Spray the cleaner to the subjective area or use a sponge for the application. Either way, it serves the same efficiency. You are also free to use any anti-grease solvent but make sure not to use the following compounds. It will deteriorate the quality and lifespan of your Cabinets.
- Bleach
- Petroleum derivatives
- Nail polish remover
- Steel scrub
- Ammonia
- Hard plastic brush
- Detergents and soaps
- Any potent reducing agent and thinners
There are few things that you should avoid whenever cleaning your cabinets. Otherwise, you may end up doing more harm than good.
a). Take care of the moisture
Moisture is not suitable for cabinets due to two prime reasons. First, it destroys the glossy and shiny finish of the cabinets. Secondly, it provides the base for molds and bacteria to grow unbearable in a hygienic kitchen. Cabinets near the dishwasher and sink are most susceptible to this. Take care of the wet area in a blotting manner. Don’t try draping tissue paper, kitchen rolls, or towels on the wet surface.
b). Avoid sunlight
Direct sunlight to the cabinets ends up destroying the life of the cabinet. Most of the cabinets are made up of natural woods, making them very subtle to the sun’s radiations. Thermofoil or other laminations can also get thin when continuously exposed to sunlight. To avoid direct sunlight contact, you can use light coverings around your windows. These only allow the fraction of radiations while dispersing the natural light even better.
c). Avoid high PH solvents
High potency detergents and cleaners can end up corrupting the polished surface of your cabinet. Solvents like bleach, ammonia, etc., are very harmful not only for the skin but also for the cabinets. There won’t be much need for such reducing agents, but when do you feel the necessity. Make sure the Ph is moderate.
d). Avoid extreme conditions
We all agree that the kitchen can turn up into a humid place and high temperature. Both of these factors reduce the longevity of your cabinets. Humidity and temperatures in the kitchen are apparent, but the extent of these two are controllable. Have a proper ventilation system installed to control the temperatures and humidity.
e). Don’t use plastic
Some people use brushes and steel foil to remove the grease. Hard plastic kills the subtle finish of the cabinets. Your laminations or Thermo foil may even wear out because of rubbing plastic against the surface. Don’t use anything other than fine cloth or sponge. And even with these two, be gentle.
Now that you know enough about the kitchen cabinets, Dos, and what no to Dos. Let’s dig straight into maintaining the kitchen cabinets in the four-way procedure.
- Cleaning agent
With regards to making a cleaning solution, you have two alternatives. The conspicuous way is blending some marginally warm water with a dish cleanser. This will make it work two ways, i.e., antibacterial agent as well as a cleaning agent. It remains light on your skin and also won’t hurt your cupboards. A dish cleanser usually is gentle enough to clean the surface while not obliterating any laminations or polished exterior coatings. Another technique that could work is adding vinegar to the water. Vinegar is an excellent solvent, and it can dissolve almost all sorts of grease every easily. More or less, it offers the same functionality as the method described above. You can change this cleaning agent’s potency by making variations in the amount of vinegar added. A low amount of vinegar for ordinary grease and the tougher ones can add more vinegar to the solution. It won’t deteriorate the cabinet surface in both ways. Be aware that it should be a little diluted as vinegar is acidic. And its direct application can erode the surface if kept there for a while.
- Take care of inside
We all make a common mistake. Which only clean the outer portion? We only know what we see and neglect cleaning the inner part. Which leads to bacterial and fungal infections. The food or stuff present in those cabinets tends to mold fast due to the unhygienic conditions. Use a paper towel or a simple towel to clean the interior. Paper towels and simple towels have excellent absorbency and soak any liquid residue, which is the favorite sport of molds to grow. They love moisture. Keep your cabinets dry and clean all the time. Use some cleaning agent to furnish it properly. Compliment yourself with satisfactory results.
- Exterior cleaning
After you are done with the interior, the next step is cleaning the interior. Cleaning is not rubbing against the surface for a couple of minutes. It is much more than that. Adding the last bit of details to the cabinets and making them bold and new again is what cleaning means. The handles and grooves are often the neglected parts. It might become troublesome to clean such narrow grooves. Use a soft artist brush. Soak it into the cleaning agent just like you are painting, and the cabinet is your art. Refine it with delicacy and gentle efforts.
It is better to leave the solution on the handle grooves for two to three minutes and let it settle. Afterward, you can dry it with a soft cloth. Most of the cabinets are of light shades, which means the spots are very prominent. Don’t oversaturate the cabinet walls to fade the cabinets’ naturals shine and appeal. Wring out your applicants carefully before wiping the surface.
- Polish the cabinets
Gradually building up of oil and regular cleaning can reduce cabinets’ polished surface. One can adequately restore the sheen of the original veneer by following some simple steps. First of all, apply some polish depending upon your cabinets’ material. Most of the cabinets comprise wood, and for that, you should use a wood polish from a trusted brand. Whenever buying the polish, make sure to cross-check two things. The polish should be free of silicone and wax.
First, apply a very minute amount of polish on a corner or a hidden side to see any reactions. Some chemicals or coatings in cabinets may react to the polish, so you should make sure before the full application, like any other polishing, buff the applicant on the cabinet surface. Keep buffing until it provides the glossier look you are looking for. Some folks might even prefer to do some extra work, which is excellent. If you want the most shine out of your cabinets, here is the deal. Add a few drops of olive oil into a one-fourth cup of vinegar. Buff the surface with a new clean piece of cloth and keep going until you find the sweet spot that works for you. Cabinets’ life relates to the right choices made in manufacturing and installing. The right decisions at the correct times can help you detain the quality and lifespan of the cabinets a lot more than usual. For this, you need a reliable and trusted name to make the best decision for you. Impressions Kitchen holds several international and national wards that complement its quality and satisfactory work. If you are looking for a piece of professional advice for your kitchen cabinets in Canada, you should get a quote from the best cabinet makers in Mississauga.
