It’s the busiest room in the home, and it’s no surprise it’s also the messiest. Yup, we’re talking about the kitchen, the area that requires the most frequent cleaning. That’s where most of the dirt gathers, spills occur, splatters happen, crumbs make themselves at home, and accidents wait their turn.
Save Time With Cabinets That Need Little Attention
Your cabinets are just as prone to abuse as any other kitchen surface. But it’s nothing a few preventive measures can’t fight…
For instance, glass loves to attract smudges and dirt, right? And using a generic-brand window cleaner is annoying because now you’ve got streaks!
The solution is not to pick cabinet doors that have glass fronts. It’s just an extra surface to clean. Perhaps it’s the ‘open’ appeal of glass that you don’t want to sacrifice?
It’s so inviting, you think. You may maintain that cordial vibe using a lighter stain on the cabinets. It’s just a matter of priority – to loosen the workload and ditch the glass.
On the other hand, if you prefer a darker stain, select a wood like oak, hickory, or any that features grain patterns. Why? Scratches on grain aren’t likely to be noticed.
Blemishes and crackles aren’t as visible as they appear on a cleaner wood species like maple. And if you ‘touch-up’ the stain at some point, it blends anonymously.
With all this talk of wood stains, you may happen to prefer it over paint. Paint is prone to ‘showing’ dirt stains and splatters. In fact, they become quite apparent.
Stains are even easier to touch up – you might even use a permanent marker! When it comes to paint touch-ups, you’ll probably need a kit from the manufacturer. The fact is, paint doesn’t respond as favorably to touch-ups as a stain does.
You can also minimize your cleaning areas by removing the trimmings on your doors. Design details such as molding, corbels, and other decorative flourishes may look nice but are ultimately unnecessary. They create more surfaces, nooks, and crannies that need cleaning.
To compensate for the absence of frills, be proactive by using colorful paint, wild lighting, or colored bar stools. This way, you will maintain the level of hype while reducing the need to clean.
Continue the minimalist approach to detail by selecting cabinet doors that aren’t busy. Pass on the raised panels with the ever-beloved shaker and slab door fronts.
Select a stain or paint with a glaze if you need that sense of pizzazz that only a decorative door style can provide. The thicker the glaze, the better, as it dulls the cracks and corners (allowing for easier clean-off) and hides dust and dirt more effectively.
When selecting cabinets, you’ll notice that you generally have two options for ‘finishing ends’—flush or matching. Flush ends are made of plywood and match the color of the cabs. Their smooth surface makes cleaning as easy as a swipe or two.
The matching ends, on the other hand, contribute to extra cleaning as they incorporate raised panels.
It may be obvious that your hardware choices will also make a difference. For instance, using knobs and door pulls will reduce wear and tear to the surface as well as limit the inherent handprints and smudges. This is the same reason you should avoid stainless steel and chrome hardware.
Fingerprints are highly visible, and water spots are difficult to remove. There are particular metals that lend themselves to easy maintenance, such as polished nickel and satin bronze… obviously, you can’t go wrong with plastic or porcelain hardware for easy cleaning.
Nobody likes to dust shelves, especially if you must remove one thing after another to expose the surface. Determine if they’re even necessary. If there’s ample space elsewhere, place that shelf décor on dining surfaces and say goodbye to the extra dusting work.
Protecting the sink cabinet from moisture is another preventive measure that will help you avoid headaches. It can become pretty gross down there, so you want to be aggressive.
Purchasing a plywood cabinet will save you some trouble, as it is less permeable to water. A cabinet mat is also effective. It’s actually a tray underneath the sink that captures spills or water leakage.
So, there are a few ways to ensure your cabinets won’t need to monopolize much of your energy or time. You can apply the same ideas to other house rooms, freeing you to concentrate on important matters such as lounging, watching TV, or eating!
