How to clean your kitchen cabinets
May 19, 2016
Keeping your kitchen cabinets clean is a simple way to freshen up your kitchen while extending the life of your cabinetry. Prolonged exposure to spills, including food, water or other liquids, can cause permanent discoloration or damage to your cabinet’s finish. The first rule of thumb is to treat your cabinets as you would any fine furniture. That means avoiding harsh detergents, abrasive cleaners and self-polishing waxes. All of these items can damage the protective finish of your cabinets and age them before their time.
Remember that excessive moisture is the enemy of your cabinets, causing the wood to expand and damage the finish. It is important to wipe spills immediately. Regular cleaning requires only wiping your cabinets with a damp cloth, then thoroughly drying. Never hang damp towels over cabinetry to dry.
To remove oil, grease or sticky food substances, use a fresh, mild solution of common dish soap and water, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Avoid using your dishcloth to clean or dry cabinets as it may contain remnants of detergents and grease. Use only a clean, soft, lint-free cloth, avoiding abrasive soap pads or steel wool. And never use cleaners that contain bleach, ammonia, paste wax or a polish that contains silicone, which will leave a residue that attracts dust. If you prefer a polished look, use only a high quality wood cleaner like Murphy’s Oil Soap.
To keep your cabinets’ hardware looking like new, periodically clean with a mild solution of dish soap and warm water, then dry and buff with a clean, soft cloth. Do not use brass and silver polishes as these contain harsh chemicals that can damage the hardware’s surface.
If your kitchen cabinets contain doors with glass inserts, clean with an ammonia-free glass cleaner and a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid spraying cleaner directly on the glass as overspray may damage the wood finish.
Keep your kitchen cabinets clean by treating them as you would fine furniture and they will reward you will long-lasting beauty. And if you have any questions about cleaning, repairing or replacing your cabinets, the professionals at Osburn Cabinets & Design are always happy to help. Just give us a call at 970-242-6899.