Unusual, bright and stylish - glossy kitchens firmly “stand” on the pedestal of the most popular kitchen sets. What is the secret of this furniture? It's simple - brilliant gloss with its very presence transforms the room and becomes the main accent.
Even classic white gloss will not look standard, and dark shades of facades are also chosen for small rooms, because the mirror effect visually “pushes” the walls and raises the ceilings. True, glossy furniture also has its own requirements - it “loves” delicate care. What do owners of such beautiful facades need to know to maintain the shine of their kitchen furniture?
Types and features of coatings
The kitchen interior has a wide range of coatings. Different materials create different atmospheres in the kitchen. As is their color.
The material and color of the set directly affects the atmosphere of the kitchen. I often order kitchens from workshops made from the following materials:
- The plastic kitchen set is so named because it is covered with slabs of either chipboard or MDF. Among its advantages are: resistance to mechanical damage, resistance to exposure and temperature changes, resistance to moisture. And affordable price. Disadvantages: special type of care, especially if a matte surface is chosen.
- Dye. Perfect for updating and changing the appearance of almost all products. Large selection of colors. Initially, color is applied, and then it is opened with varnish. Varnish will give a brighter shine to the item. The disadvantage is that soft varnish will scratch easily. But the advantage of this process is that scratches can be removed by simple polishing. The cost of such furniture is high, since it takes a lot of time to create it.
- PVC film. Pros: resistance to cleaning agents, affordable cost, long service life and affordability. In case of a significant scratch, the film is easily removed and the item is covered with new polyvinyl chloride. One of the disadvantages is that the color may fade when exposed to sunlight. PVC film is not recommended for use in the washing area, since its resistance to moisture and heat is not so high.
- Acrylic. The characteristic type of coating is a glossy shine that attracts the eye. Other advantages include: resistance to sunlight, resistance to deformation, environmentally friendly material. Small scratches can be removed with your own hands and decorative polish. Before choosing, pay attention to the negative aspects: fingerprints remain on the material, the degree of reflection is high, acrylic facades are dull.
- Painted MDF with varnish. A huge range of colors has become the advantage of this coating. Other positive aspects include: environmental friendliness, resistance to sunlight, no reaction to aggressive chemicals, maintainability at a high level. The disadvantages centered on the high cost and the recommendation to use a washing gel with a “soft” effect.
Glossy kitchens are made from various materials. Each of the materials has its own advantages and disadvantages, where would we be without them. Make your choice on the material that you can take care of and that will be less damaged. This will preserve its glossy shine.
You should give preference to materials that will be easy for you to care for.
Products not recommended for use
It is worth not only knowing how to clean a glossy kitchen, but also important, which products are not recommended for use.
It is worth remembering that lacquered furniture is usually made of MDF, which is coated with high-quality coloring varnish. Furniture finished in this way is more resistant to moisture and water vapor. But if damaged, this can cause serious problems.
In order not to spoil painted surfaces, you need to know how to clean glossy kitchen facades. You should never use:
- cleaning lotions;
- acetone;
- ammonia;
- products containing alcohol.
They also forget about all types of abrasive powders and pastes. Also do not use sharp sponges, hard sponges and hard brushes.
Before buying glossy kitchen furniture, it is recommended to study the care instructions in detail and understand how to wash a glossy kitchen. The main thing is to use everything necessary above correctly. Cooking in a clean kitchen tastes much better.
Causes of pollution
Not a single type of kitchen furniture remains free of contamination if they cook there and actively use it. During the cooking process, it is quite difficult to avoid contamination. Most often these are fingerprints, traces of food (grease, water, etc.), the influence of humidity, fumes from the stove and elevated temperature.
There can be many reasons for kitchen furniture to become dirty.
Fever
The glossy surface of furniture is susceptible to temperature exposure if it is located near a stove or column. This has a negative impact on the coverage. Although some manufacturers claim that the material is resistant to elevated temperatures or temperature fluctuations, over time this factor still has an impact on the headset.
Due to constant cooking, the temperature in the kitchen may be too high.
Humidity
This does not mean at all that you cannot do wet cleaning. This means that when wet cleaning, care must be taken in terms of the amount of water. No need to overdo it.
High humidity in the kitchen can have a critical effect on glossy furniture.
Food fumes
Near the stove, liquid evaporates during cooking, creating steam. It will settle on the surface of the glossy material and form condensation, which is excess moisture. Steam traces should be avoided or wiped dry.
Steam from cooking can also damage your kitchen appliances.
Touching fingers
Your fingers have their own sebaceous glands, and when you touch a glossy surface with them, you will leave your imprint there. They can be easily wiped with a damp, alcohol-free cloth and they will disappear. On some surfaces they are very noticeable.
Such fingerprints often remain on any furniture.
Fingerprints
Fingerprints are easily removed and at first glance are completely harmless. But if there is grease on these fingers from cooking or eating food, it will also be on the surface of the kitchen surface.
Finger or palm marks often remain on the surface of all kitchen furniture. Each type of contamination can be removed with a light movement of a napkin or sponge. The main thing in every cleaning is to prevent the formation of old stains, especially greasy ones.
Most stains in the kitchen can be easily removed with a sponge or rag.
Methods and rules of care
Although high-gloss lacquered furniture is resistant to water and moisture, it should not be exposed to excessive bathtubs. It is worth remembering that MDF is a wood material.
Special protection should be given to the edges of furniture, which are sometimes subject to microdamage. If such a surface is exposed to excessive amounts of water or steam, the varnish may deteriorate and the edge of the furniture may bulge. Therefore, it is necessary to remember that if you set out to wash the glossy facades of the kitchen, then after cleaning, the surface is always thoroughly wiped with a microfiber cloth.
In addition, pay special attention to door hinges. If something is loose, be sure to fix it. Otherwise, a loose door can rub the rest of the door and cause irreparable damage to the paint.
The same applies to loose handles attached to the door.
Lacquered furniture facades not only do not like excessive water treatments. Too high a temperature damages them. Areas near the oven or hob are particularly susceptible to damage. Therefore, before opening the oven, you need to make sure that the intensive baking program (eg hot air) has been completed. In addition, you should never forget to turn on the hood.
The enemy of lacquered furniture is also strong and persistent ultraviolet rays. Therefore, despite the fact that varnish manufacturers use ultraviolet filters of the highest quality, varnished facades undergo natural aging processes. Therefore, it is very important to know how to clean glossy kitchen facades from grease. It is also important not to expose furniture to strong halogen light, which emits very high temperatures.
When caring for high-gloss lacquered furniture, it is very important to remove all dirt immediately. Do not dry it. Of course, if possible. This occurs because some products cause discoloration of varnished surfaces.
Avoid vigorous cleaning and excessive polishing. This can effectively tarnish the furniture.
How to wash a glossy kitchen without streaks? To do this, it is recommended to use a soft cloth with the addition of dishwashing liquid or special cleaning agents for varnished surfaces. Some recommend applying a special protective or car wax.
Applying and polishing wax will strengthen and protect the polish from scratches. In addition to this, you can forget about the ubiquitous dust forever. The only thing you need to ensure is a “book” month. When the furniture should not be subjected to any maintenance (varnish curing).
Rules for caring for furniture
The more careful we are with the furniture, the better and longer it will look beautiful. Dirt can be cleaned, including old marks, but it is unlikely to have its original appearance. Each care involves a specific set of products. In the case of glossy surfaces, arm yourself with the right tools and products.
To care for glossy furniture you will need certain equipment.
How to choose inventory
Choose the following types of instruments for careful care:
- Microfiber cloths or soft flannel cloths.
- Wet wipes. There are special wet wipes for polishing cars and they are also suitable for glossy surfaces.
Prepare wet wipes and soft cloths. Now you know how to clean the glossy surface of a kitchen set. The main thing is not to deviate from the recommendations.
To properly clean the headset, you need to follow simple recommendations.
How to wipe properly
As already reported, there is no need to be zealous with the amount of moisture, this will harm the coating. Moderate amount of moisture and wipe with a damp sponge or cloth. After which, it is important to wipe the surfaces with a dry cloth or napkin so that no water stains remain.
When wiping the headset, do not overdo it with moisture.
What tools to use
How to clean a glossy kitchen set without making it worse?
There are many products that can help care for glossy furniture. The answer lies in the list with available home remedies and special ones.
- Glass cleaners are something that will not be difficult to wash a kitchen set that is glossy from grease. They allow you to wipe away dirt and not leave streaks after the process.
- Special cleaning products for glossy surfaces.
- Polish with wax. Has an antistatic effect, enhances the shine of the coating. It is better to use it after wiping the furniture with a dry cloth and applying polish on top.
- Shampoo, dishwashing detergent (mostly gel), hand wash. They can be foamed, applied to cabinets or other glossy surfaces and quickly removed with a damp cloth. Finally, wipe it dry with a napkin. Great for cleaning up greasy food marks and splashes.
You can use glass cleaners, polishes, and dishwashing detergents. Light furniture with a glossy finish does not show much marks. The same cannot be said about dark and black glossy furniture.
On such black glossy facades, all traces will be much more noticeable than on light ones.
What not to do
There are products that are strictly prohibited to use - anything that can harm the coating. These are hard and abrasive materials: brushes, metal sponges, aggressive detergents. That is why the recommendations include soft cloths and wet wipes.
Similar hard brushes are not suitable for cleaning glossy furniture. Wash with moisture as carefully as possible. Exceeding the amount of water will cause the gloss to peel off.
If there is too much moisture, the gloss may simply peel off from the surface. Pay attention to the composition of the products you use to clean glossy kitchen units. If they contain these components, you do not need to use:
- Acetone.
- Alcohol.
- Turpentine.
- Synthetic resin.
- Chlorine.
- Nitroglycerine.
- Chemical solvent.
If the product contains the components listed above, it is better to avoid using them on gloss. By taking precautions, the moment of repair or complete replacement is postponed indefinitely. Cleaning can be done daily, wiped with damp wipes, this will save time and effort during general cleaning.
To make your task easier, you can simply wipe your kitchen set with a damp cloth or cloth every day.
Features of a glossy kitchen
Lately, glossy furniture has become a real hit. Therefore, the question of how to clean a glossy kitchen from grease comes up more and more often.
Glossy kitchen furniture can be made from many materials, from MDF to glass, steel and wood. Along with the popularity of lacquered furniture, many products have appeared on the market that make it easier to care for and clean such furniture. This is good news for those who love shiny surfaces. Because just a few years ago, lacquered furniture was considered impractical and functional. Precisely because its surfaces were difficult to clean.
The main feature of glossy kitchens is versatility. Gloss looks good in both large and small rooms. In a room with rather limited dimensions, glossy surfaces of facades can visually expand the room.
How to keep shine for a long time
To keep the furniture shiny for a long time, clean it on time and carefully select detergents. If you bought a new product or decided to use one of the folk remedies (for example, a soap solution made from laundry soap), you do not need to apply it immediately over the entire surface. Select a small place and check locally whether the product works or not.
To maintain the shine of a glossy kitchen, try to clean it regularly. Do not break the sequence:
- Detergent.
- Dry cloth or napkin.
- Antistatic or wax polish.
Chic, shine, beauty: do you need to polish?
To ensure that glossy facades continue to shine, polish their surfaces after cleaning .
Choose wax-free polishes. Pay attention to those that contain antistatic agents. Thanks to it you will protect the surface from the accumulation of static electricity. With such a film, dust will be less likely to settle on the headset. Cinderella polishes receive good reviews ; buyers note their high quality and low price.
Products from the brands “Pronto”, “Homestar”, “Mebelux” are popular. The selected product is applied to a pre-cleaned surface with a clean cotton or microfiber cloth. Then they wait for it to dry and carefully rub it in until the shine appears and the streaks disappear.
To polish or not is up to you to decide.
What to do if scratches appear
If you do not treat the furniture with care, scratches may occur. They come in 3 main types:
- Small ones.
- Average.
- Large (deep).
You can try to erase the first ones with a folk remedy. Take a cotton pad, moisten it with sunflower oil and wipe the surface with it. For the latter, there are 2 options for the development of events: wax polish or a special varnish spray. Polish is easier to find and its use is as follows: you need to rub it on the damage until it disappears.
You can try to get rid of small scratches by rubbing them with wax polish. But spray varnish must be purchased in special stores. It should be halo-free, with a one-component acrylic base. Terms of use are in the instructions for use.
The third type of scratches is the most difficult. There are several options for the development of events:
- Marker for laminate and varnish coatings. It is important to choose the right color for you. And this is much easier to do than with the following method.
- Hard wax pencil. You can pick it up at a hardware store. It is important to choose your color. Initially, you need to melt the pencil and rub it into the dent so that it fills with it. After the wax hardens, it must be removed. This can be done with a spatula or blade. Next comes the grinding stage, using a sanding machine or sandpaper. A non-halo varnish is applied on top of everything.
You can fix deep scratches on furniture using a laminate marker or a furniture wax pencil. Careful and timely care extends the life of all things, including furniture. Properly selected care products may not restore the original beauty and condition, but they definitely cannot make it worse.
Shine - yes, streaks - no: how to wash a glossy kitchen set so that there are no streaks
Window and dishwashing detergents will help you clean your kitchen and avoid stains. Lather, apply to facades, then rinse thoroughly.
There are also homemade, simple but effective remedies :
- Make mustard paste. Apply it to the furniture and leave for a few minutes. Then wash it off along with the stains.
- Grate a piece of laundry soap and dissolve it in a small amount of water. Wash the facades with smooth, careful movements.
- For quick cleaning, the cheapest wet wipes are suitable. Walk them over a dirty surface and you will see that they cope perfectly with fresh stains.
- Many housewives like microfiber cloths. Thanks to the properties of microfiber, they easily remove both fat films and even old drops of fat. The wipes are moistened before use - then dirt and grease are quickly absorbed between the finest fibers of the material.
