Cabinet doors on your kitchen counter-tops tend to be of the highest traffic area in your house. As a result, they are exposed to moisture frequently during use, whether cooking or cleaning up. Water damage could eventually lead to ruined cabinets and wall finishes if left untreated. Tips for protecting kitchen cabinets from water damage can include ensuring your cabinet doors are clean, maintaining tight seals, and repairing any damages. Apply these tips and techniques to your home today.
People living in places with high humidity may be at risk of water damage to their kitchen cabinet doors. This is caused by the humidity, as well as hard water in the area. However, there are methods in which you can stop these cabinets from turning into a disaster after they have been affected. Cabinet doors in kitchens are often the most used part of your cabinets, taking a great deal of wear and tear from plates, cups and other kitchen items. While they need to be made sturdy, they also need to be protected from water damage in order to maintain their longevity.
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When Cleaning the Kitchen, Scrub in the Right Direction
When cleaning your kitchen, it’s important to make sure you’re scrubbing in the right direction. If you’re not paying attention, you can actually damage your kitchen cabinets by cleaning them.When you wipe down the surfaces of your wooden kitchen cabinets, be sure to scrub in the direction of the grain. Scrubbing with the grain will protect your wooden cabinets from getting scratched or water damaged.
If you buff against the grain, you risk leaving scratches and potentially water damage on your cabinet finish. The last thing you want is to have to re-stain them because they’re damaged.
Clean Up Messes on Cabinet Doors Quickly
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of water damage in your kitchen, you know how devastating it can be. Water can destroy your floors, cabinets and walls. It can cause mold and mildew to grow and create an unhealthy environment for your family.When you are cleaning your kitchen, take extra care to clean up spills on and around your cabinets as soon as they happen. You also want to make sure that you don’t leave any standing water in or around the cabinets. This will prevent any warping or molding of the wood over time.You can prevent water damage to your cabinet doors by wiping up spills quickly and removing standing water from countertops, sinks and surrounding areas immediately.
Properly Dry Off Water Spills on the Door
It’s easy to wipe off a small water spill on the door. However, if you don’t dry it off properly, it can lead to permanent water damage. If your cabinet doors are made of wood, this is particularly important.
Here’s how to prevent water damage after a kitchen spill:
- Get a clean and soft microfiber cloth. You can also use paper towels if you don’t have one yet.
- Get a clean and dry towel or rag to completely dry the area where the spill occurred.
- Rub the area with the microfiber cloth until it’s completely dry, then place a dry towel over it to avoid moisture build-up.
Pick the Right Kind of Cloth
Use a microfiber cloth or other soft cloth when cleaning your kitchen cabinets. Microfiber cloths are particularly good because they lift dirt and dust instead of rubbing it around. Although these cloths are often advertised as lint-free, they may leave streaks on cabinet doors that have a glossy or polished finish. In that case, use a different type of soft cloth. Avoid using abrasive sponges, scrub pads and rough paper towels because they may scratch your cabinet doors.
Apply a Protective Coating to your Cabinet Doors
The most important thing that you should keep in mind is to make sure that your cabinet doors are protected against water-related damage.It is a common practice to use a protective coating to protect the cabinet doors. Most of the protective coatings available in the market today are designed specifically for wood and wood products.
The coatings are made of various ingredients including epoxy, urethane, acrylic, and polyurethane resins. These resins are used because they offer good protection from water and moisture. They also provide a smooth finish that does not show any visible signs of damage.To get the most out of your protective coating, you need to apply it to your cabinet doors as soon as possible after installation. This way, you will give it enough time to set properly before you begin using it on your cabinets. If you wait until after installation, you may find that there is already some sort of damage on the woodwork.
Conclusion
It is crucial that you seek advice from a professional to ensure that you have done your best to prevent kitchen cabinet door water damage. As we have said, there are numerous ways to do so with varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the severity of your situation. That said, it is important to protect your kitchen cabinet doors as thoroughly as possible. Preventing water damage is always better than attempting to repair it.
In order to protect your doors from water damage, you should invest in a good set of cabinet doors. They are sturdy and well-built, which makes them last longer than other types of doors. They also provide an aesthetic appeal for your kitchen’s interiors.
With these in place, you can ensure that your cabinet door, especially the wood parts, will be protected all throughout the years. You can keep on using them as long as they are needed and will not have to spend on unnecessary maintenance costs in the future.