How to Care for Oak Cabinets
If taken care of properly, oak cabinets can last for many years. Cleaning your cabinets regularly is the best measure you can take when caring for your cabinets. Regular cleaning will ensure your cabinets last for a long time but also keeps them just as beautiful as the first day they were placed in your home.
Things You'll Need:
- Polishing rag
- Wood polish
- Dish soap
- Cotton rag
- Cotton towel
- Using a dampened polishing rag, wipe your cabinets down with warm water. This should be done for a couple of months after installing your cabinets to remove any of the tannins seeping out of the wood. If your cabinets haven’t been recently installed, skip to step 2.
- Prevent dust and dirt build-up from accumulating on your cabinets by dusting once a week. Microfiber polishing cloths work best. Dusting once a week will keep dirt from accumulating in the cracks of the wood.
- Use dish soap and a warm water solution to clean cabinets with once a month; especially the cabinets near cooking areas that may collect grease and oils. Wash cabinets using a circular motion; wipe any remaining soap from the cabinets using a damp rag and dry cleaned cabinets with a cotton towel. Avoid cleaning cabinets with coarse brushes especially soap pads as they will cause scratches and dull the wood's finish. You can also choose to use an oil soap cleaner made for cleaning wood items. Do not clean cabinets with abrasive chemicals or paint thinners. This can strip varnish and damage the wood.
- Polish oak cabinets after cleaning with a polish that is formulated for wood furniture. Silicon and wax polishes are not recommended. Buildup from wax polish can cause your cabinets to yellow and silicone polishes show fingerprints and smudges. Both of these polishes can take extreme measures to remove if significant build up occurs.
- Wipe any spills on cabinet surfaces as soon as they occur. Not cleaning up spills, over time, can damage the oak wood and will need to be replaced.