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Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning Tips For Longer Lasting Cabinets

Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning Tips For Longer Lasting Cabinets

You probably know you need to clean your kitchen cabinets, but it’s daunting, especially in hard to reach areas. The right kitchen cabinet cleaning tips make the job easier.

Don’t worry if you don’t love cleaning. You don’t have to tackle all your cabinets at once. In fact, you could do a section at a time. Or, do one major cleaning, followed by smaller cleaning sessions later on.

Regular cleaning makes your cabinets look amazing. It can also increase the life of your cabinets by reducing dirt and grime that can seep in, ruining your cabinets over time.

Gathering Your Supplies

First off, gather your supplies. You’ll need several rags or towels. You’ll want to keep a dry one on hand at all times for a finishing shine and to remove any lingering streaks, especially on glass.

Next, decide if you want to go with traditional cleaners or a DIY option. The former will have chemicals that don’t always mesh with your cabinets’ finish. They may also have stronger odors, so ensure you can open a window. For traditional cleaners, make sure they’ll cut grease and disinfect.

For DIY cleaners, you’ll just need to check your pantry. Even with something you make with natural ingredients, check a small area of your cabinet, such as the backside of a door, to ensure you’re not damaging the finish at all. Good Housekeeping and DIY Joy list DIY recipes for your entire home. Common ingredients include vinegar, lemons and baking soda. Some also call for dish liquid for extra grease busting powers.

You may also want cleaners for different areas. For instance, you’ll want a wood-safe cleaner for wood cabinets. An oil-based cleaner, like Murphy’s Oil Soap, helps condition the wood while cleaning. But, you’d use an all-purpose cleaner for your countertops.

Cleaning Different Finishes

The next step is to consider the differences in finishes. For painted cabinets, you don’t want to use anything too abrasive to clean or you might chip the paint. You definitely don’t want to discolor the cabinets either.

For wood and painted cabinets, let your cleaner sit on the stain for a few minutes before gently rubbing it away. With laminate finishes, you can scrub a little. With the other finishes, the stain may have soaked in deeper, hence the wait.

Dampen a cloth to use your cleaner or spray a light amount. When it comes to kitchen cabinet cleaning, less is definitely more. Use a small amount of cleaner, clean the area and then follow up with a dry towel as a finish. This creates a nice shine and doesn’t leave your cabinets wet, which can damage the finish.

Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning Schedule

One of the most important cleaning tips is to create a schedule. As a general rule, spot clean immediately when you notice a problem. This means wiping off the underside of the cabinets around your stove where grease splatters, drying areas after washing dishes, wiping down countertops after preparing food and so on.

Spot cleaning makes your job much easier later on. Of course, dust and grime build up everywhere. You might not even realize it until you clean a spot and notice the difference.

Every week, lightly spray the outsides of your cabinets with your chosen cleaner and wipe them off. This prevents thick grime buildup. Also, wipe over all cabinet hardware too. For metal, too much buildup may actually cause rust.

Depending on how heavily you use your kitchen, you may want to do a deep clean on your cabinets twice a year or more. This involves cleaning everything inside and out. Taking a section a day for a week makes this process less daunting.

Cleaning Out The Cabinets

Kitchen cabinet cleaning isn’t just for the outside surfaces. Food, cleaners and even water can leak inside your cabinets. A busted can or jar in the back of your cabinet can soak through, ruining the cabinets.

When cleaning, look inside for any issues. During your deep clean, take everything out of the cabinets, clean the insides and declutter a little. This helps you get more room and keeps the insides of your cabinets just as clean as the outside.

Ready for a kitchen remodel? Contact us today to start creating your dream kitchen, which you’ll love so much you may not mind regular cleaning.

Image: Crema Joe

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Edgewood Cabinetry cabinets

A Basic Guide for Keeping Your Kitchen Cabinets Clean

Proper maintenance of kitchen cabinets can save you a lot of money. It also gives the kitchen a good appearance boost. The kitchen is one of the essential rooms in the house. Clean, well- maintained kitchen cabinets could boost the value of the property. Here are a few simple steps that will keep those kitchen cabinets clean and glowing.

Basic Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning

Edgewood Cabinetry cabinetsStart by wiping the cabinets with a slightly damp, lint-free cotton cloth and use a second cloth to dry and buff cabinet finish. Use mild soap and water to remove daily spills, grease, and oil, then wipe with a soft cotton cloth. Avoid using a harsh detergent that might destroy the finishing. Don’t use soaps with dye, ammonia-based cleaners, self-polishing waxes, or abrasive cleaners. Using furniture polish on cabinets might seem smart, but it’s not recommended.

Clean Spills Immediately

Keeping the cabinets dry is vital to maintain them in good condition. Use a dry cloth to wipe spills immediately with a “blotting” motion. Areas where water is common such as around sinks and dishwashers, are prone to moisture. Wipe immediately and never allow detergents or water to dry on the cabinets.

Avoid Excess Moisture

Edgewood Cabinetry custom kitchen cabinetExcess moisture is the worst enemy of furniture finish. Wet towels shouldn’t be draped on the cabinet doors or surfaces. Towel racks shouldn’t be attached to cabinet door interiors, and tea and coffee makers shouldn’t be placed where the steam hits the cabinets directly. If you notice excess moisture when cooking, open the windows to help it dry off and wipe any remaining moisture.

Avoid Excess Heat

Don’t place cabinet appliances where heat is applied directly or directed on the cabinet surfaces. The wood’s stability and finish are heavily impacted by temperature.

Never Use Abrasives

Never use steel wool, scouring pads, or powdered cleaners to clean the cabinets. These cleaning methods penetrate the cabinet surface, allowing moisture to enter, therefore damaging the cabinets and the finish. If there are stains, use mild soap and warm water to clean but avoid scratching the cabinets.

The proper care practices recommended above extend the life and beauty of your kitchen cabinets. Remember, leaving water on the cabinet surface for a long time harms the finishing, and any warranties do not cover this. Wipe spills immediately and avoid using harsh detergents and scratching methods to clean the cabinets.

For more information on caring for your custom kitchen cabinets, contact Edgewood Cabinetry.  Call 919-339-7300.

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Homemade Furniture Polish

Why Some People Want To Make Homemade Furniture Polish

Take a stroll down the furniture care aisle and there’s no shortage of different commercial furniture polishes available.

With all the variety, should you consider a homemade furniture polish? It’s hard to deny that all-natural and homemade alternatives are popular right now.

If you’re pondering whether homemade or commercial is best for your furniture, stop to consider the pros and cons and why some people are opting to make their own furniture polish.

Why Choose Homemade Furniture Polish?

Let’s face it, commercial furniture polish does have its drawbacks, such as:

  • That “pleasant” fragrance that’s always tinged with a hint of chemicals
  • Chemicals that might not be safe on sensitive skin
  • A sticky residue while trying to use it
  • Chemicals that aren’t environmentally friendly
  • Ingredients most people can’t even pronounce
  • May damage the wood over time

Of course, this doesn’t mean the commercial products aren’t great. Honestly, how many of us grew up loving that light lemon scent of Pledge?

However, many people are opting for an alternative to traditional furniture polishes. A few reasons include:

  • Customize the scent
  • Keep all ingredients natural and safe (especially around kids)
  • Customize for different types of wood / furniture
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Sometimes cheaper (depending on ingredients used)

Does It Work Better?

The answer isn’t a definitive yes or no. Depending on the type of commercial furniture polish you use, the solvents can eat through any varnish and even damage the wood itself if used too often. Despite the stunning shine you get, cleaning frequently could lead to dull looking furniture down the road. However, they do clean effectively and eat through dirt and grime with ease.

With homemade furniture polish, it all depends on the recipe you use. For recipes calling for large amounts of oil, you likely won’t get the same level of clean and shine just because it’s difficult to get the excess oil off the furniture. For light-weight formulas, a little elbow grease can make them just as effective as commercial varieties.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Unless you’re using a chemical known to damage wood, there aren’t any real side effects to using homemade furniture polish. As with commercial polishes, you should consider spraying the polish directly on to a cloth versus on the furniture. Spraying directly on the furniture may cause discoloration if you don’t get the excess off.

However, if you’re trying something new, test the polish on a hidden area of the furniture first. Some oils may not react as well with different types of woods and stains.

Is It More Cost Effective?

In most cases, you probably already have the ingredients at home, such as vinegar. The two main expenses are buying a bottle to put it in, which typically costs around $2-$5. Some recipes call for essential oils and extracts, which vary in cost. However, you’ll usually only use a small amount at a time, such as a few drops per bottle of polish.

One thing to consider is whether you’ll use all the ingredients before they expire. Commercial products tend to have a much longer shelf life. Buy small amounts of ingredients if you only polish your furniture occasionally.

Some people would rather just buy everything already made up. Of course, all-natural commercial furniture polishes are available as alternatives, but they tend to cost more than making it yourself.

Is Homemade Furniture Polish Easy To Make?

This is a resounding yes. Most recipes only take 2-3 ingredients. Afraid you won’t still have that lemony fresh smell? Don’t worry. Some recipes call for lemon oil and squeezed lemons.

If you’re looking for recipes, try the following to make your own homemade furniture polish:

Just remember to try a small amount on a hidden area of the wood first. Wait overnight to ensure there isn’t any possible damage before polishing the entire piece of furniture.

Ready to care for solid wood furniture? Contact us today to start planning your custom wood cabinets.

Image: Daiga Ellaby

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