subject: Cleaning And Preserving Your Kitchen Cabinets [print this page] If you've a kitchen, chances are good you've kitchen cabinets. Some people use shelves, but most kitchens have some sort of closed in storage space. You store many methods from your food to your plates, cups, glasses, and other kitchen needs there so that they are where you need them and in easy reach. Your cabinets won't last forever, however , you can do many things to look after them so that they last longer and won't have to be replaced normally. Some cabinets last for decades, so if you care for yours the correct way, yours can too while still looking great.
Most kitchen cabinets are made from some kind of wood. If yours are, you have to conserve the interior as well as the exterior. You should know that when you buy your cabinets, you must think about care. You have to choose a durable wood finish that is going to last and take the drips, spills, and grease splatters that will happen in any kitchen regardless of how careful you may be. If you go with the low end kitchen cabinets, the wood with which they were made may not stand up so well and may not clean off so easily either.
To clean most wood kitchen cabinets, you want to use some type of wood cleaner on occasion, but your usually kitchen cleaner will be needed for tough stains and spills. When selecting a wood cleaner, you want something that won't only clean off the wood, but also something that will be gentle and actually protect the wood from further damage. Get something like oil soap or a good dusting wax that can protect, clean, and also condition the wood. With time, wood will warp with too much moisture, so clean off moisture from spills and cleaners as soon as you can.
Do not forget about the inside of your wood kitchen cabinets. You may not have to clean out the inside as often as the out, but you should take some time to wipe the interior down at least once or twice a year - more often in the kitchen cabinets where you keep your food and spice items. If something spills or leaks and isn't wiped up, it could warp the shelves within over time. Some use contact paper to protect from spills. This isn't as easy to find as it use to be, but you can find it in many home and kitchen stores and in various spots online.
If you happen to have metal kitchen cabinets, you may not have to care for them in the same way. They will need to be wiped down, but you obviously would not use wood cleaner on them. Use a dish detergent and water to wipe them down inside and out once in a while, and then make sure you keep the exterior free from rust. When they start to rust, you may as well start planning on how to replace them. Look for metal cleaners and protectors for your kitchen cabinets.
