Few materials come as close as wood when it comes to the durability, strength, and aspect of kitchen furniture, which is why the furniture industry is so reliant on this element. Because they have emerged as favorite choices after white in terms of kitchen colors for 2022 homeowners, these keep making ravishes and encouraging home proprietors to employ them in their cooking rooms. Their timeless appeal, natural look, and color possibilities are just a few of the compelling reasons you’d also want wooden kitchen elements.
Understandably, the battle is between this fine material and low-maintenance, affordable alternatives that last a lifetime.
Don’t sleep on the idea of employing what’s considered by home design experts to be one of the most versatile and good-looking materials, wood, because caring for it implies a few protective measures.
Your efforts will pay off if you use and implement some of the easy, affordable, and effective solutions described below for keeping wooden elements and furniture in the best shape for years.
Secure Them Long-Term with Some Layers of Protective Worktop Oil
Wood naturally rots when water touches its surface, and it becomes damp. This is one of the most aware homeowners’ main issues with wooden elements, especially when it comes to heavily used worktops that come in contact with steam, water splashes, juice from foods, spillages, and more liquids on a daily basis, regardless of how much attention is offered to the furniture.
Wooden kitchen worktops, however, only need the proper maintenance, and they can be easily and assuredly kept in fine fettle afterward.
Something as insignificant as sealing them with several protective oil layers and following attentive practices will prolong their lives. You can cook and clean without a care in the world regarding the water, humidity, and spillages that could touch them, keeping discoloration, rotting, swelling, and other related issues away. And as if these advantages weren’t enough, not only will the protective oil coats safeguard the texture and looks of your kitchen furniture intact, but they improve it, unlike vanishes and varnishes, which can make it look kitschy. The drops designed to fill the gaps to create a waterproof layer are also improving the natural colors of your wooden worktops, and so can any piece of wooden furniture around or out of your home, unless you’re into the numerous modern wooden kitchens already designed to resist wear and tear through high-end protection layers.
Chemicals are Easily Avoidable; Keep Them Away
Cleaning sprays, solutions, and formulas often contain chemicals, some of which are unnecessary to clean the surface of items. Without getting too sciencey, the better part of cleaning sprays consists of sodium hypochlorite, a substance resulting from mixing particular sodium hydroxide with chlorine. Often known as bleach, it’s a great antimicrobial agent and disinfectant, but at no cost should it be used on wooden furniture. Just like acetone and ammonia, among other substances, they may produce dullness or destroy the wooden furniture’s finish.
Instead, you’re encouraged to do the job with a warm cloth and cleaners made of essential ingredients—simple products such as mild dish soap or vinegar assist in disintegrating dirt accumulations and grime. And after you’re done with the cleaning, ensure you use a dry cloth after dragging the wet one across the wooden surface in order to remove any moisture left and prevent the wood from potential consequent issues. As you’ll see once you employ the methods mentioned above, taking care of wooden kitchen furniture has never been easier, cheaper, or healthier for your respiratory system. Chemicals and VOCs don’t only harm your household items; studies show they can trigger respiratory issues, headaches, and allergic problems.
Apply Protective Finishes When You Can
If taking around an hour every six or more months for a task that will breathe new life into your beloved furniture seems like a minor price to pay for such a gain, then you’re right. Wax, oil, or sealant are all your wooden furniture’s best allies for maintaining their surfaces and functionality in tip-top shape for as long as possible, and they’re as easy as ABC to use. Cabinets and other wood elements are professionally recommended to be covered in such protective layers that you can easily order online or buy from the closest furniture shop.
After all, your wooden cabinetry’s material, coat, and finish establish how long they’ll look intact and perform their best. Just make sure to conduct some research beforehand or talk to in-shop experts and assistants so you can rest assured knowing you’ve gotten the right product for your specific wooden kitchen element. Your door knobs and your table’s surface may sometimes need different protective oils or waxes.
Things as Small as Handling Them Gently Will Do
It’s easy to experience a breakdown or have a bad day and feel like taking it out on your furniture will help you blow some steam off, closing your door violently or dropping heavy items on your furniture instead of placing them with care. However, whatever you do, you must remember that your furniture is anything but at fault for wrongdoings and mishaps and that you can only do yourself a favor if you learn new ways of alleviating stress. Throwing some pillows, attacking weeds in your garden, or blasting music out loud will help take all that pent-up energy out and declutter your mind.
Remember that the simple act of slamming doors closed can break your furniture down in time or, worse, chip or ding its interior. Preferably, get furniture with soft-closing features or install handles to keep utilizers from smashing them shut. Suppose you’re into an overhaul of your kitchen; you’ll see that many cabinet pieces nowadays come with soft-close hinges that prevent slamming doors shut.
Avoid Heat and Direct Cutting
Something as innocent as allowing heat near your wooden countertops or using the knife without a chopping board can have tremendous consequences for your cabinetry. Avoid doing these things, or choose sanding or oiling if cuts and scratches inevitably appear, restoring their look and removing potential bacteria.
With proper maintenance, there’s no reason to worry about your kitchen’s wooden elements’ longevity and aspect.
So, are you ready to enjoy all the benefits of wood at the small cost of preventing perils from reaching them and using the right cleaning and protective products?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nurlana Alasgarli
Content Specialist
Nurlana Alasgarli is a professional copywriter with more than 6 years of creative writing experience. Having lived and experienced all over the world, there are many writing genres that Nurlana follows, including nature, arts and crafts and the outdoors. Nurlana brings life to content creation, captivating her readers.
