Cabinet doors come in a variety of materials. Yours may be of wood, glass, or metal; in the term to maximize the use of your cabinetry over its lifetime, proper care is essential. The wood will maintain its beauty in grain variation and hue; the glass will still shine while the metal will keep its luster. Well-Maintained cabinetry will remove the need to find its replacement saving you on costs even when it comes to their repair. Care and maintenance could also serve you well in preserving a piece of family history for those cabinetries you may consider being heirlooms or those that have a particular hold in your life.
If you want your cabinetry doors to have a long life and beauty, then keep reading to the end to find out just how you can make it possible for them to keep looking their best even as they stand the test of time.
First Cleaning After Installation
After the initial installation of your cabinet, use a soft cotton cloth that is lint-free to clean the surfaces, both the interior and exterior surfaces, so they are free from dust. Do the cleaning completing small areas at a time. After which, use different clean and dry cloths to wipe the surfaces dry.
Regular Cleaning
You can use a soft cotton cloth that has been damped with warm water to do the cleaning. If the warm water is not enough, you can mix it with mild dish soap to clean your cabinet doors thoroughly. If your cabinet door is wooden, then wipe it along the grain. Clean the hinges, handles, and any ridges on the surface that are part of the design details. Using clear, warm water and a soft piece of cloth, rinse the sideboards and doors promptly. When you are done, wipe off the moisture using a dry towel or cloth.
You can use commercial cleaning polish to polish your cabinet doors to provide additional protection. Also, apply good quality wax paste regularly at least twice a year. After washing, you can buffer with furniture polish which will aid in retaining the finish, and in wooden cabinets, add a lustrous patina. You can do this by using a soft and clean cloth to apply wax of a thin layer using a circular motion in small segments. Let the wax dry after application, then buff it with a soft cloth.
You should wipe spills on the doors as soon as they occur and avoid wet hanging materials such as towels on your cabinet doors. These practices can cause peeling or discoloration of your cabinet finish. You can also do the frequent dusting of the cabinet doors using a spray-type dust remover. It is a recommendation that you do this routinely a few times every month.
Remove Stains And Grime
Some stains may be stubborn and cannot disappear gone by regular cleaning of your cabinet doors. If you want to remove these stains, make a paste from water and baking soda. Use a soft cloth or sponge to scrub off the stain, and then use warm water to rinse it off. You also achieve the same results when you mix warm water with a mild detergent.
You can also use a mixture of warm water and vinegar to remove sticky grime from your cabinet doors. This method produces good results against tough, sticky grease. To make the mix, all you have to do to make the solution is mix up two cups of warm water and one cup of vinegar. Soak a clean piece of lint-free cloth in the mixture you have made, wring it out to remove most of the solution, and scrub the tough grease. When you are through, dry off the surface with a soft cloth.
If the sticky spots refuse to clear out, try using a soft piece of cloth dampened in a solution of undiluted white vinegar. Clean the area again, increasing the applied pressure should it be necessary. Rinse the area with warm water, then dry it with a dry cloth.
Some grease and grime are obstinate despite trying all the above methods. When you face such a situation, try a new mixture altogether. The new mixture you should try is a paste of baking soda and white vinegar. Before you clean the outer surface of the cabinet doors, first try to clean the inside the cabinet to see if the paste will or will not mar the cabinet finish. If it does not, rinse a piece of soft cloth with warm water, wring it out to remove excess moisture, and use it to pick up a bit of the paste you have prepared. Dab the paste on the affected area and leave it for some time. Afterward, rub it gently with a damp cloth to remove the grime, then rinse off the area with warm water and dry with a soft towel.
Grease and grime may also accumulate into layers. When you have this problem, try using a cleaner with natural citrus. These can be orange or lemon oil. Preferably, use a cleanser with high d-Limonene concentration like a concentrate of pure orange oil. When using these cleaners, make sure to use the directions of the manufacturer. Do not forget to rinse thoroughly once you finish.
Avoid Harsh Abrasives
Some cleaning products can damage your cabinet doors. They will mar the paint finish or the topcoat stain.
Avoid silicone-based and petroleum-based products. Other abrasive products include ammonia, bleach, commercial detergents, powdered cleansers, steel wool, and paint thinners. You should never use sandpaper to remove stubborn stains.
These abrasive materials will give your cabinet an undesirable look. It may disgust even you at how they look should you decide to ignore this piece of wisdom being imparted in you.
Avoid High Temperatures
Heat can damage your cabinet doors. Some domestic appliances like self-cleaning ovens emit a lot of heat. You should remove your cabinet doors when using these appliances near them.
You should also avoid placing appliances that produce steam directly under your cabinet. After some time, the steam will peel off or steam-clean the finish right off from wooded cabinets.
The steam will also condense into water droplets that will damage the door finish or cause the color of the door to fade out.
If you are the proud owner of a metal cabinet, you will be at a disadvantage because the steam will not stop destroying the finish and color. Still, it will kill the metal material through rusting if not taken care of as advised.
Avoid Exposing Your Cabinet Door To Direct Sunlight
If you have a wooden cabinet door, avoid direct exposure to sunlight will darken its color. Suppose your cabinet door is painted or has a thermo foil or laminated surface, then the direct sunlight will cause its color to fade. You can consider using blinds or drapes to shield your cabinet doors from direct sunlight.
Avoid Moisture Damage
Your cabinet may be situated where the humidity is high and moisture collects on the doors. The moisture build-up can damage the finish of the cabinet. You should always ensure they are still dry. To further prevent water damage, you can add lining to the interior of all your cabinets.
As mentioned earlier, moisture can fade out the color of the cabinetry and rust out those made of metal.
Clean Glass Door Inserts
When cleaning glass doors or mirrors, take care not to apply the cleaner on the glass itself. You should use the cleaner on a soft, lint-free cloth or a paper towel. Remember not to let the cleaning agent run into the base trim as it could cause damage to the door mullions.
Do not use abrasives that will scratch the glass surface, and avoid cleaners that contain chemicals such as sulfur, sodium hydrochloride, and phosphoric acid, as these will damage the silverback of your cabinet door mirror.
Avoid Waxing And Polishing If You Can
Waxing and polishing are usually not required, nor are they recommended. Compounds from waxing and polishing accumulate overtime on the surface and change the appearance of the cabinet door. You will find that the wax build-up is challenging to remove. However, you can consult a professional on how to go about waxing and polishing to avoid complications.
Touch-Up And Repair
Your cabinetry most probably came with a touch-up kit. The kit is for hiding surface damage to your cabinet. If you do not have a touch-up kit, ask for one from your cabinet provider. Otherwise, you can purchase one at a home improvement store that will serve the same purpose of hiding scratches and nicks, especially on wooden cabinet doors.
Compared to replacement kitchen cupboard doors, refacing or refinishing is considerably cheaper. Please consult a professional refinisher when you cannot do it yourself since some procedures like paint blending require expertise. If you insist on doing it yourself, be sure to follow the prescribed instructions to the letter; otherwise, you might make a bad situation worse.
Hardware Maintenance
Over time, some components of your cabinet will loosen, such as the hinges of your cabinet door. To avoid damage or the screws coming off, tighten the screws of the hook of the cabinet door. As you do this, adjust runners and realign drawers. You will need to do this more often if you use the cabinet door frequently. Some cabinet doors have soft hinges that may require being adjusted to alter their closing speed to the desired one.
The hinges of the cabinet door will also require oiling to reduce the amount of friction that occurs during their movement. It, however, is not a necessity, although you can dust or clean the hinges with cotton-tipped swabs. Oiling metal cabinets help preserve them by protecting them from the elements that cause rust, humidity, and air.
You should always check the instructions and labels on some polishes before using them. Many silver and brass polishes have harsh chemicals. These chemicals can damage the surface of the hardware.
Clean the door, its pulls or knobs, using warm water and mild soap. Make sure all hardware surfaces and joints are thoroughly dried using a clean cloth.
Long-Term Care
Washing and polishing your cabinet is a highly recommended practice you should do at least twice a year, depending on how you use it. You should avoid using polishes that have silicone content, pastes, or waxes. The build-up that comes from these products attracts a lot of dust and is very difficult to remove. You should, therefore, use oil-based furniture polish that is a light coat and of high quality.
You can wash the cabinet doors by mixing one tablespoon of dish detergent with one gallon of water. Use mild liquid detergent and warm water. From the dirtiest parts, first, scrub the cabinet using a damp sponge immersed in the solution. Ensure you get to the corners and hinges of the cabinet doors. You can use either a baking soda or vinegar paste of hot water and vinegar solution for painted surfaces too harsh to clean. Scrub oil-painted cabinets with warm water and ammonia, use clear water to rinse it off, then dry when finished.
Oil The Wood Cabinets That Have True Oil Finish
Oiling wooden cabinets are also of concern when the cabinet has a pure oil finish. Right oil finishes are standard in unique order cabinets and antique cabinets. The oil will help moisturize the wood, preserving the timber and helping to maintain its color.
When oiling the wooden surfaces, use a soft nylon brush to help loosen the stubborn dirt. Do not use materials that will scratch the surface of the wooden cabinet.
Final Thought
The reader may not be as interesting for everyone as it is for those concerned about preserving the condition of their cabinetry. To be more specific, the cabinet doors. General care and maintenance of cabinet doors want you to adhere to the tips we have highlighted, especially to get the best out of your cabinetry for the longest time. Stick to the list, and you will not go wrong.