If you just finished a kitchen remodeling project in your Pennsylvania home, you might have already noticed some spots or dust on your new custom cabinetry. Your new cabinets need special care to maintain their beauty and extend their lifespan after a kitchen remodeling.
Our kitchen design and remodeling experts at Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Bryn Mawr, PA, describe some cabinet care and kitchen remodeling tips below. Read on to learn more about caring for your cabinets in your new dream kitchen.
Protect Your Kitchen Renovation Investment
Your kitchen project was probably a costly investment. While it will continue to look stunning without much upkeep, maintaining a regular cleaning and care schedule can help it remain attractive for years while extending the functional use of your kitchen cabinets and countertops.
Maintain Your New Custom Cabinetry
Using gentle cleaners on your kitchen cabinets, immediately cleaning up spills and splatters, protecting cabinets from damaging UV rays, and taking care not to damage your cabinets are all important to keeping your cabinets looking beautiful.
Prevent Stains on Kitchen Cabinets
Splashes or spills left to sit on new cabinet surfaces can seep through the paint, stain, or sealer. Be sure to wipe up any food, grease, or liquid that spills on your cabinets before they have time to set.
Another step you can take is always using your vent hood when you cook to keep moisture and oil residue away from your cabinets. Steam from an open pot or pan can carry tiny droplets of oil onto countertops and cabinets around the stove. Using your vent can direct the steam away from the rest of your kitchen.
Don’t Use Harsh Chemical Cleaners on Your Kitchen Cabinets
After your kitchen remodeling, you need to keep your new cabinets clean. Some chemical cleaners will damage laminate, wood, or painted cabinet surfaces, including ammonia, bleach, abrasive scrubbing powders, and acetone. These substances can eat through protective coatings, exposing the wood underneath to the elements in your kitchen.
You should also avoid any cleaners labeled “heavy duty” or “extra strength,” as these may have concentrated detergents that can damage cabinet surfaces. A mild dish soap and warm water or a dilution of vinegar in water are often enough to clean your cabinets without damaging the coating, laminate, or stain.
Protect Your Cabinets From Direct Sunlight
A bright, sunlit kitchen is often warm and welcoming, but too much sun can damage your cabinets over time. Direct sunlight on your cabinets can fade paint or wood stains and cause laminate coatings to bubble or peel. If the protective coatings deteriorate too much, sunlight can affect the wood underneath, causing uneven weathering and fading of natural wood cabinets.
Hang blinds or curtains over windows that shine sunlight directly into your kitchen to prevent fading, warping, or peeling. Keep blinds closed as often as possible so sunlight filters in through the slats rather than directly through the window. If you install curtains or drapery, you can choose a lighter material that reduces the amount of sunlight rather than blocking all light from the outside.
Use Gentle Care With Your New Cabinets
Your cabinet doors and drawers contain complex hardware to function properly, including runners, rollers, and spring-loaded hinges. Open and close your cabinets and drawers with a soft touch rather than letting them slam closed. Repeated abuse can damage the hardware and the holes in the cabinets where the hardware mounts in place with screws.
Additionally, when cleaning your cabinets with a gentle cleaner, you should avoid using anything other than a soft cloth or sponge. Scouring pads, steel wool, or stiff-bristle brushes will leave scratches on the cabinet surface that can be difficult and costly to fix.
Planning a New Dream Kitchen? Contact Us at Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Bryn Mawr, PA
Caring for your new cabinets properly is the key to long-lasting style in your kitchen. For more information about kitchen remodeling for your Pennsylvania home, contact our expert design team at Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Bryn Mawr, PA. Call us at 484-872-8801 or fill out our online form to schedule your free one-hour in-home consultation.