Professionally crafted cabinets should last for many years, but certain factors can make them degrade quickly. Environmental factors and maintenance tasks can all affect your kitchen cabinet quality, especially if you neglect proper cabinet care. Taking proper care of wood cabinets is the only way they will stay pristine and withstand heavy items. In this blog, we will discuss factors that degrade kitchen cabinets and how you can avoid them.
1- Moisture And Humidity
In the kitchen, humidity can lead to the deterioration of your cabinets. Excessive moisture over time will cause wood to warp and cause mold growth. While wood is the most susceptible to moisture damage, metal or other materials can see wear from moisture.
If you want to avoid degradation of your kitchen cabinets, ensure that your kitchen is properly ventilated. Consider using dehumidifiers if your home is prone to high humidity. Wipe up spills promptly and prevent tracking in water that could seep into cabinets.
2- Grease
The kitchen can get extremely messy from cooking or other family activities. Grease splatters are common when cooking delicious meals, but they can cause major damage to your cabinets. Oil and grease can leave stains and discoloration on cabinets, which not only is an eyesore but can cause the cabinet material to weaken.
Cleaning your kitchen regularly will help you avoid the buildup of grease and food debris. Wiping them down after cooking a meal and then deep cleaning them at least once a month will help reduce the risk of your cabinets degrading. Use mild cleaning solutions and avoid using rags or scrubbers that can cause scratches in the material.
3- Ignoring Repairs And Neglecting Maintenance
Many parts make cabinets function including hinges, hardware, doors, and shelves. Screws tend to loosen as you use your cabinets, the doors may become dinged or worn, hinges may need to be greased, and shelving may need to be repaired. It is crucial to make repairs promptly if you want your cabinets to stay durable. Making repairs may be time-consuming at the moment, but it will save you from complete cabinet replacement down the road.
When you have your cabinets installed by a professional, they can often help with repairs or part replacement when needed. Rasmussen has resources on our website to help you take proper care of your cabinets, but we can also make major repairs to your kitchen cabinets or fix problems that occurred during installation.
4- Insects Or Other Household Pests
No one wants to deal with pests in their home, but they do occur and can impact the effectiveness of your cabinets. Insects are especially attracted to wood and can eat away at your natural wood cabinets. Roaches are attracted to grease, so if your kitchen has a build-up of grease, you have a higher risk of them damaging your kitchen. Termites eat away at wood quickly, so neglecting the problem for too long leads to severely weakened cabinets.
It is crucial to have your cabinets inspected regularly and take measures to clean your kitchen properly if you want to avoid degradation to your kitchen cabinets.
5- Heavy Use
The kitchen is one of the most frequented rooms in your home so the elements in this space see a lot of use. Cabinets, appliances, chairs, and flooring all wear down faster in a kitchen that sees heavy traffic. Opening and closing cabinets every day can cause wear and tear on all elements. To minimize wear on your kitchen cabinets, try to limit heavy items inside of them, close the cabinets too hard, and maintain the hinges and handles.
Installing soft close hinges can help extend the lifespan of cabinets. Periodically inspect the way your cabinets are wearing and consider what you can do it slow down the deterioration.
Durable Cabinets From Rasmussen Custom Cabinetry
Rasmussen prides itself on providing the most durable cabinets for homeowners in Utah. The last thing we want our clients to stress about it the degradation of their cabinets. Wood cabinets may seem more prone to damage, but when they are crafted by our professional team, you will have peace of mind about the lifespan of your kitchen cabinets.
Our team knows that the kitchen is a popular area in your home. Having durable cabinets that are also visually appealing is something you should be willing to invest in. Proper cabinets make it possible to thrive in your home rather than just live there. No matter what cabinet design or feel you are trying to achieve, RCC has the options for you! Contact our team to sit down with our designers and begin creating your dream kitchen today.