Kitchen Cabinet Maintenance Tips

Refacing Cabinets Feb 16

Cabinet refacing is an important investment in your home, and you’ll want to make the most of it. In many households, cabinets sustain rigorous daily use, and they can become damaged in myriad ways. In order to keep your refaced cabinets looking and functioning like new, you’ll need to take proper care of them. The good news is that it’s easy! Just follow these tips from the cabinet refacing professionals at Home Solutions by Kurtis:

Quickly & Gently Wipe Away Spills & Grease

At Home Solutions by Kurtis, our cabinet refacing process includes the application of a premium durable varnish to the existing cabinet boxes as well as the new doors and drawer fronts. Although this varnish is highly resistant to water, food, and grease stains, the protection it provides is not absolute. It’s still important to clean up any spots, spills, and splashes right away—ideally before a stain sets. That way, you won’t have to resort to using a chemical cleaner that could potentially harm the finish of your cabinetry. You can safely clean your refaced cabinets with:

• A sponge dampened with warm water – Wring out the sponge, then gently wipe away the spill. If necessary, you can use a soft scrubbing pad (found on the back of many sponges) to loosen any hardened material that is stuck to the cabinetry.
• A sponge dampened with a mixture of gentle dish soap and warm water – A small amount of dish soap can help remove a stubborn stain.
• A soft cloth dampened with a homemade solution of two parts white vinegar to one part water – This effective, nontoxic, and nonabrasive cleaner can be used to gently scrub away spills that have dried.

It’s best to steer clear of store-bought cleaning solutions, which may do more harm than good. Never clean your cabinetry with ammonia, bleach, nail polish remover, paint thinner, or silicone- or petroleum-based products. You should also avoid using plastic brushes, steel wool, and scouring pads, which can create deep scratches. After you’ve finished cleaning up a spill, always dry your cabinetry with a clean, soft cloth. Any dampness left behind can potentially cause water spots and damage the finish. For the same reason, you should never hang wet towels near your cabinets.

Protect Your Cabinets From Heat & Sunlight

Cooking on a stovetop or oven can create heat and smoke, both of which can damage the surface of your cabinetry. Be especially careful with a self-cleaning oven, which can reach extremely high temperatures. If you opt to use this feature, you can remove the doors of the adjacent cabinets, or open the doors away from the oven (if possible) to reduce the risk of heat damage. A sunlit kitchen can be bright, warm, and pleasant, and many homes are designed with exactly this in mind. Over time, however, your cabinets can become faded or otherwise damaged through continual exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. To prevent this, you can cover the windows in your kitchen with draperies and/or blinds.

Go Easy on the Doors & Drawers

Slamming cabinet doors and drawers can chip or crack their finish, break their hinges, and/or damage the cabinet boxes. Also, make sure that no utensils, pot handles, or other items are sticking out of the cabinets or drawers when you close them. With the proper care, refaced cabinets can last for decades. If you have questions, contact Home Solutions by Kurtis today. Our work truly stands the test of time.