Wood Care Tips

Thank you for choosing Kitchen Tune-Up. We want to make sure your wood cabinets (and all wood in your home) are well-maintained. In order to extend the life of the wood products and keep them looking the best, we have provided you with these complimentary tips:

1. Clean all food spills from wood surfaces immediately and thoroughly. Most foods can damage wood finishes eventually, particularly high acid foods such as orange juice, coffee, tea, mustard, etc. But, don’t wipe up spills with a wash rag or dish sponge as detergents are also damaging to wood surfaces.

2. When cleaning off wood, use mild soap and water with a clean, lint-free rag. Use water sparingly and towel dry any excess.  Water could permanently raise the graining of the wood if allowed to penetrate through the finish.

3. Dirt and dust should be removed from wood regularly, using a soft cloth.

4. Polish rather than wax wood; we recommend the Kitchen Tune-Up cream polish. Be cautious of over the counter sprays and “cleaners” as they may contain silicone or wax products (to make them shine). Wax attracts dust, dirt and grease that will build up under multiple layers of wax.

5. Never apply polishes over dirty wood. Before polishing, wipe away all dirt, dust or spills. Applying over dirty wood only makes the problem worse (scratches, etc).

6. Open your home often to fresh air, allowing wood to breathe. Natural humidity is good for wood. Conversely, a controlled environment can dry out wood quickly; causing premature cracking and splitting if not cared for on a regular basis.

7. Go with the grain. Any work performed on wood, involving any type of physical or mechanical action, should always be performed in the direction of the grain.

8. Use a ventilating fan when cooking. It removes the majority of airborne smoke and grease which otherwise would be absorbed by wood cabinetry.

9. Whenever possible, do not expose wood surfaces to direct sunlight. The sun not only accelerates drying, it also tends to bleach wood. In turn, stain pigments become discolored and new pigments are prevented from penetrating the wood, thus yielding a washed-out effect.

10. Do not set synthetics, rubber or plastics on the wood finish as the chemicals may damage the finish.