The New Year is upon us! The resolutions have been made and the goal sheets have been started. Many people start the year with cleaning, decluttering, and starting the year off fresh. One thing that seems to be skipped on the usual daily chores list is the cleaning of the cabinets. While it may sound self-explanatory there are many helpful hints to make this process easier for you and better for your cabinets.
Why should I clean my cabinets?
Cabinets, especially shaker-style, have many nooks and ledges that collect all sorts of schmutz throughout the year. Not to mention the little drip marks from counter spills and the not so glorious food crumbs. A simple Clorox wipe may do the trick in a pinch but the harshness of the chemicals may leave you with a stain or yellowing you were not going for.
Products to Use
Pine-Sol or Fabuloso are both products that are deemed safe for most varnishes and finishes! Both products should be diluted though! The key word here… Diluted! Dilute either product with warm water, and you have a perfect cabinet-cleaning solution. A microfiber cloth or rag is much better than a paper towel. The fibers of the paper towel can stick to every little rough spot and cause you more cleanup than what you started with.Â
Q-tips are your best friend when it comes to cabinet cleaning. You would never notice the grime hiding in the edges of the shaker cabinet door, but believe me: it is there! Dampen a q-tip and swipe down each edge, and you’ll be amazed at what is on your cabinets! This has been a go-to cleaning tip in my household, and my cabinets have never been cleaner! Q-tips also work to maneuver around difficult-to-clean hardware. Hands are always grabbing the knobs or pulls, grubby fingers or not, some dirt and grime is bound to have an effect. Grab your q-tip and get those edges.
Things to Avoid
Avoid using harsh abrasive cleaners, even on the tough stains. The harsh chemicals can change the paint color, they can bleach, alter, or tint the color of your cabinet and you do not want that! Certain chemicals may also begin to remove the varnish off of some cabinets as well so read the bottle before you go spraying it.
Another thing to avoid while tidying up is using abrasive rags or sponges on the cabinets. This can cause damage to the wood itself, the varnish, the paint, and much more. A microfiber cloth or other cleaning cloth is the way to go.
New Year, New You!
In comes the new year, and here comes the new-looking cabinets! Adopt these hints into your New Year cleaning and watch your cabinets sparkle! There is no better feeling than coming into a new phase of life with a deep-cleaned home. Will you be adding the cotton swabs to your kitchen cleanliness routine?
Any home project can start to feel overwhelming, whether its a new garage addition with built-in storage, or new custom cabinets for your kitchen. But at Latham we are here with you every step of the way! From start to finish our team will walk you through the design, build, and installation processes until project completion.
