Caring for your Custom Wooden Cabinetry

So you have acquired the cabinetry you have always desired for your home. Now your kitchen, bathroom, living room and the overall house looks like the dream house you wanted always. What now? Is there anything more left to do with the cabinets?

Yes, you need to care for the cabinets to increase their longevity, enhance their appearance so as to not lose their beauty and usefulness over time. Custom cabinets help us acquire the desired design we have envisioned or dreamt our whole life. (Information Credit: www.cabinetsanddesigns.net)

Things not to use on painted cabinets:

• Agents like powder, cleaners constituted of abrasive particle
• Harsh detergents or products having ammonia
• Silicone, petroleum products like spray polishes, wax, magic eraser
• Oil soap, citrus or orange cleaners with harsh scrubbing pads and sponges

There are several ways to care for your cabinets and following these practices will benefit the homeowner over time.

• Dusting the cabinets on a regular basis will keep away the accumulating dust. A soft, clean cloth is the best friend you can have.
• Spills and splatters ruin the cabinets very easily. The oils, grease, chemicals, or any kind of spills will permeate through the outer coating of the cabinets on prolonged exposure if not taken care as soon as possible.
• Glass inserts in the cabinet doors have been elegant and classy for a long period. But to keep them likewise, extra care is required. A clean cloth along with cleaner (free from ammonia) will drag its longevity. Some people directly spray the cleaners on the glass and the liquid drips down to seep into the wooden part of the cabinet to damage and discolor them.
• Polishing and waxing can turn the wood yellow, hazy and distorted. This residue build-up accumulated over time is very difficult to remove and cause an extra charge for service.
• Moisture and light damages are very common and cause an unwanted headache for the owner. People forget wet or damp cloths on the door handles of the cabinets that lead to dampening, discoloration, and peeling of the wood. High-intensity lights or sunlight directly on the cabinets will ruin them eventually, which can be neglected by installing low intensity, energy efficient LEDs on, in and near the cabinets. Using drapes to prevent direct sunlight will help prevent the natural light damage.
• Heat damages from direct fire, ovens, or bulbs are also a risk. Blistered and distorted wooden areas become visible after some time and the wholesome outlook of the cabinets is lost. Woods expand and contract due to weather changes, and high-quality coats are available to minimize this phenomenon.
• The metal products, screws, hinges, and nuts must be changed at regular intervals of time to prevent corrosion from metal that will also ruin the joints of the cabinet doors with the body.

These are some helpful precautions to be looked upon and followed while keeping your desired custom cabinets as they are for a long period of time.