Spring Clean

With spring upon us, this is a great time to clean the cabinets in your home. The cabinets in your home may have been manufactured from quality hardwoods.  Like any other wood product or piece of fine furniture in your home, proper care, use, and maintenance of your cabinets is essential to maintain their beauty and function. The following is a list of maintenance steps and things to avoid. This list is not intended to be a complete list, but rather it is to be used as a guideline for general care.   Always follow the directions for any product that you buy.  When in doubt, common sense should always prevail.

A soft cotton cloth dampened with warm water is usually sufficient to clean your cabinets. If more thorough cleaning is required, use one of the following cleaning solutions.

     -A fresh solution of dishwashing liquid mixed with warm water

     -A mild all purpose cleaner. Make sure it does not contain ammonia or silicone.

             

Use the mildest cleaning solutions that will successfully clean your cabinets. Stronger products may damage or discolor your cabinet finish and are not recommended. After cleaning, wipe all surfaces with a clean, damp cloth. Dry immediately, using another soft, clean cloth. Cabinet interiors may have a water resistant topcoat, however, water or other liquids allowed to sit on the surface for extended periods of time may cause staining or bubbling.  Be sure dishes, glasses, etc. are dry before storing in the cabinets.

Clean spills and splatters immediately. Prolonged exposure to spills, including food, water or other liquids or to oil and grease splatters, can cause permanent discoloration or damage to your cabinet’s finish. Give special attention around sinks and the tops of doors and drawers in the sink area. Waxing is not required or recommended. Over time, waxing and polishing compounds may build up on the surface of your cabinets and cause a hazy, streaky or yellowed appearance.

Spray ammonia-free glass cleaner on a clean soft cloth or paper towel. Do not spray cleaner directly on the glass. Avoid excess glass cleaner running into the cabinet joints. Avoid draping damp clothes or dishtowels over cabinet doors. This moisture can cause permanent damage to the cabinets finish. Keep cabinet surfaces dry. Place coffee makers so that the steam is directed away from the cabinet surfaces. Avoid placing small kitchen appliances where the heat is directed onto cabinet surfaces.        

Avoid using the following cleaning products on your cabinets:

     -Harsh chemicals

     -Abrasive cleaning products such as tub and sink cleaners or steel wool.

     -Products that include ammonia

     -Products that include bleach

     -Silicone-based cleaning, waxing or polishing products.

Happy Spring cleaning! Questions? Email me at jessica@webbercoleman.com