So, you got new painted cabinetry and it looks amazing. What needs to be done to keep your cabinets looking great for years to come? Let’s take a look at some cleaning and maintenance you can do to keep your cabinets looking new, as well as a few things you can expect from painted cabinets in your home.
[Photo: Showplace Cabinetry Pendleton SP Doors | Moss Green Paint | Brushed Vintage Finish]
Cleaning & Mainenance of Painted Cabinets
So, how do you keep your painted cabinetry clean? Some simple maintenance, a little TLC, and proper cleaning can help your new cabinets looking great for years to come.
- Clean your cabinets as needed with a soft, lint-free cloth. Use mild detergent or soap and warm water. Dry surfaces with a soft cloth.
- Avoid using dishcloths or sponges they might contain remnants of grease or harsh detergents. Do not use products with bleach, ammonia, or abrasives. (Never use scouring pads, steel wool, or powdered cleaners.)
- Immediately wipe up any spills or water spots and keep your cabinets dry.
- Keep a safe and constant humidity level in your home. (Showplace Cabinetry recommends humidity levels between 30% and 55%.)
- Try to avoid dents and scratches.
- Avoid placing small kitchen appliances where they direct heat onto cabinet surfaces.
- Don’t drape damp towels over cabinet doors.
Be sure to touch up those inevitable scrapes and scratches with a touch-up kit. Kits are generally available from cabinet manufacturers and should have the exact shade of paint to match your cabinets. If you try to find your own touch up paint, make sure to try it on an inconspicuous place and let it fully dry to make sure you have a match you can live with.)
What Can Happen To Painted Cabinets
Painted cabinets are popular. They offer a very clean look. All paint colors bring a sleek and clean aesthetic look to your space. Paint is perfect for homeowners who don’t like the look of wood or prefer a smooth finish, as well as those who want a wide variety of color options.
It does takes some commitment from a homeowner to keep painted cabinets in pristine condition. They typically require a bit more maintenance than stained cabinetry. Here are a few common things that can happen to painted cabinets:
Paint Cracks On Door Joints
Changes in temperature and humidity, may cause wood to shrink or expand, causing paint to crack. These cracks can appear where the pieces of your doors or drawer fronts come together, where the center panel of a door, or drawer front, meets the stiles and rails, on the edges of the cabinets, or in corners where your cabinets are joined together. This thin paint cracks do not affect the integrity of your cabinets.
Surface Damage
Even an oven-baked topcoat of finished paint has little chance of standing up to sharp edges. Things likes pet claws, pots, pans, utensils, and other hard, sharp objects can damage paint. Paint can also be stained, chipped, scratched, or worn off over time. Using coasters, not sliding other objects over painted surfaces, and doing everything you can to keep sharp objects from gouging your paint is recommended.
Water Damage
Water and other liquids can damage painted surfaces. You might see abnormal wear on your painted cabinets around sinks, dishwashers, and trashcans. Steam, splatters and spills can lead to extra moisture affecting the cabinets in those areas.
Don’t have unrealistic expectations for your painted cabinetry, standing water left on them for a significant time will damage them.
ShowPlace Cabinetry
One of the brands we carry is Showplace Cabinetry, which is where many of these painted cabinet care tips came from. Showplace cabinetry is crafted to stand up to rigorous daily use. You can read their articles on caring for stained or painted cabinets, and things to know about painted cabinets.