Cabinet Care to Keep Your Kitchen Looking New for Years to Come
Proper maintenance preserves the appearance and protects your investment
Whether you’ve done a complete kitchen remodel or a smaller scale “rip and replace” of your cabinetry, you’ve made an investment of cash and time, and you want that investment protected. Proper maintenance can keep your kitchen cabinets looking new for years to come. At Cabinetville, we know that when your kitchen looks good, our service looks good. So, we offer these tips on proper care to extend the life of your cabinets.
Maintenance begins as soon as you receive your order
When you receive your cabinets, store them in a safe, dry place until you are ready to install them. For greater safety and control, two people should remove the cabinets from their packaging. Set the boxes aside. Then, inspect the cabinets, parts and accessories for any defects or damage. Your cabinets are fully warrantied, so replacing any damaged parts is quick and easy.
Be careful while installing your cabinets not to scratch any visible parts of the surface. Make sure you set enough time aside for the installation; you can avoid accidents when you don’t have to hurry the process. When you’ve installed your cabinetry, wipe down the cabinets with a clean and damp cloth, then wipe them to avoid moisture damage.
Protect your cabinets by treating the materials with the proper products
Your new cabinets have the look of fine furniture and should be treated as such. For routine cleaning, use a soft cotton cloth with warm water and a mild dish soap. With wood cabinets, always clean in the direction of the grain. For persistent stains, you can use a paste of baking soda and water applied with a soft sponge. For sticky grime, you can use a solution of vinegar and water. We recommend a thorough cleaning of your cabinets twice a year.
To prevent damage while cleaning your cabinets, you should never use:
- Ammonia
- Bleach
- Commercial detergents
- Powdered cleansers
- Scouring sponges
- Magic eraser pads
- Steel wool
- Products containing silicone
- Plastic brushes, steel wool, or scoring pads
- Nail polish remover or paint thinners
- Solvents or petroleum-based products
Always dry your cabinets with a cloth after washing to avoid damage due to moisture.
Other dangers: heat, humidity and light exposure
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. That’s sound advice for people, but not so useful for kitchen cabinets. So, how do you guard your cabinets against excessive heat? First, keep your kitchen ventilated when your oven is in use. This will prevent you from getting overheated as well! Second, when it’s time to clean your self-cleaning oven, remove adjacent cabinet doors and drawers during the process.
As for humidity, be aware of the steam created by boiling food and excessively humid weather. Wipe down your cabinets with a dry cloth when there’s a lot of moisture in the air.
Over time, ultraviolet light can chance the appearance of your cabinets. Our high-quality cabinets have UV protection in their finishes, which slows this process. But, if some of your cabinets are exposed to direct sunlight, you may see a difference emerge between those cabinets and the others in your kitchen. You might want to consider drawing the blinds in your kitchen when the sun is strongest.
Contact Cabinetville today for high-quality kitchen cabinets that will last for years
Cabinetville provides a wide range of beautiful, easy-to-install cabinets that — with minimum care — will last for many years to come. To get your remodel started, call Cabinetville today at 973-908-7024 or contact us online to arrange an appointment. We come to you at your convenience anywhere in New Jersey.