Kitchen Cabinets


Those beautiful, high-quality cabinets were specially designed to meet your functional storage needs in the kitchen. Stained, painted and glazed wood cabinets as well as decorative laminate cabinets should be maintained to help keep their natural luster. Whatever cabinet type you have, a soft cloth dampened will help keep your kitchen as beautiful as the day you moved in.

Your home has attractive, high-quality cabinets that are designed to meet your needs for functional storage.

Your home may have wood cabinets, plastic laminate cabinets, or both.

Wood Cabinets

In wood cabinetry, the grains and color of the wood vary, lending a unique beauty to each piece. Your cabinet doors have been stained and varnished to protect the surface from household chemicals and other agents, as well as to enhance the natural artistry of the wood grain.

Plastic Laminate Cabinets

Plastic laminate cabinetry has a very durable surface that requires only a minimum amount of maintenance. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

Care and Maintenance

Follow these care and maintenance suggestions for your home’s cabinets.

General Maintenance

Check the caulking around sinks and backsplashes to prevent water damage to the cabinets. Use silicone spray lubricant periodically on drawers and hinges to improve operation.

Wood Cabinets

Wash and polish the cabinets once or twice a year. Use a light coat of high-quality furniture polish.

Clean spills immediately. Use a clean cloth and soapy water. Wipe the cabinets dry after cleaning.

Avoid excessive moisture on wood cabinets.

Use a mild soap and warm water to clean cabinet hardware, such as doorknobs and drawer pulls. Dry hardware with a soft cloth.

Don’t use detergents, soap pads, steel wool, paste wax, or polishes that contain silicone on your wood cabinets.

Furniture polish can hide minor nicks and scratches that occur over time on wood cabinetry.

Plastic Laminate Cabinets

Clean the cabinets with a damp cloth and a mild cleanser, such as Formula 409®* or Simple Green.®** Wipe them dry after cleaning.

*Formula 409® is a registered trademark of The Clorox Company.

**Simple Green® is a registered trademark of Sunshine Makers, Inc.

Apply a light coat of self-cleaning wax to the plastic laminate surface once or twice a year.

Keep water and moisture from soaking under the laminate.

Dry all cups, glasses, plates, and silverware before putting them in the cabinets, as standing water might damage the inside of cabinets, drawers, and shelves.

Don’t hang wet dish towels on the edges of the countertops or on the tops of cabinet doors and drawers.

Use caution when cooking with kitchen appliances such as electric frying pans and griddles, or when using appliances that produce steam, such as coffeemakers. The high levels of heat may damage the laminate surface when used directly underneath or near your cabinets and cabinet doors.

Never clean the cabinets with harsh abrasives. They can scratch and dull the surface.

If a cabinet door doesn’t close flush with the cabinet face frame, either the hinge has twisted or the door has warped. See your owner’s manual on how to adjust the hinge. See your warped door policy on how to repair the door.

For more information about cabinets, visit the manufacturer’s website.