How to Preserve Your Vintage Cabinet Like a Professional?
Vintage kitchen cabinets can be maintained for years of use, provided you take proper care. The first step is to care for them is to learn and eliminate or minimize conditions that can lead to damage. But the next step is to follow the guidelines to care, clean, and handle the cabinets.
So, let’s dive in to learn more.
Causes of Damage and Guidelines for Care
Most vintage cabinet owners would find both using their collections and preserving them a formidable challenge. However, these are two opposing objectives. If you don’t handle it the right way or don’t clean it properly, it can cause damage to the cabinets.
a. Handling
The primary reason behind the damage to vintage kitchen cabinets is careless use and handling. When you move around the cabinets, make sure that you remove your personal buckles, belts, and jewelry that might scratch its surface.
Make sure that you protect its surface. Glass tabletops and drink coasters can help in prolonging the left of finishes on tables, which are used routinely.
b. Temperature and Humidity
As wood is a porous material, it can easily absorb water if the humidity levels are high. It can cause the wood to swell. On the other hand, wood can shrink if you keep it in a dry environment. Shrinkage can lead to structural cracks or gaps in the joints. Rise and fall in temperature levels and humidity might lead to similar damage. So, you need precise control of humidity and temperature. But it is not a practical option. At least make sure that you are keeping vintage white kitchen cabinets away from extreme temperatures. Global Top Trend
c. Light Levels
Stains, wood finishes, and some paints tend to be susceptible to fading and darkening from exposure to higher light levels. This is the reason the vintage cabinets need to be stored and exhibited in a dim area where they are not exposed to bright light. Too much light can also speed up the degradation and aging of the finishes, which can result in cracks.
How to Clean the Vintage Cabinets?
Too much cleaning of darkened finishes and several damaged discount kitchen cabinets should be done by a professional conservator. Unfinished and porous wood needs to be left to a professional. As the owner of vintage cabinets, you need to maintain their original finish.
Here are a few suggestions that will help in increasing the longevity of the cabinet. The processes we are recommending are for objects on which finishes are in top condition and for items that don’t have damaged veneer.
- The first step is to clean the wholesale kitchen cabinet is to remove the dust. Make sure you are using a vacuum cleaner that have a soft brush attachment or a soft brush to clean the dust. It is for particular objects that have unfinished or rough, which can be snagged by dusting with the help of a cloth. Never clean unfinished wood with a wet cloth.
- In case you have to wet clean and has a finish in good condition, the best cleaning method is to use dilute detergent. It is important that you dilute the detergent to a concentration of about 1% in water. Thereafter, use soft cloth diapers or cotton balls to apply them to the surface. After you are done cleaning, you should remove the residual detergent has to be removed by rinsing it with distilled water. When the surface is completely dry, apply high-quality wax.
- You will come across many commercial polishes and cleaners for vintage cabinets. Some of these products might be safe to use but you might not know the long-term effects of these on the cabinets.
Structural Repairs of Vintage Cabinets
Repairing the vintage cabinet should be an unobtrusive process. Liquid can hide glue is better than modern commercial products to adhere to loose veneer and fragments. Make sure that you do not use metal attachments, such as mending plates and screws as they can constrict wood’s movement and might lead to cracking.
Pest Damage to Vintage Cabinets
Insects might cause damage to your furniture, including powder post beetles and carpet beetles. Carpet beetles usually survive on protein-based materials, which present as adhesive. These are usually found in drawers and joinery. The presence of small worms, beetles, or furry carcasses is proof of infestation.
Powder post beetles can make small holes in wooden kitchen cabinets. The holes are visible proof of infestation. Your vintage cabinets need to be moved and examined for them. The underside of the drawers and legs needs to be inspected as the insects hide in scrupulous places. In case of proof of infestation is found, the object has to hot be placed in a plastic bag and keep it separated until it is examined by a professional.
With the help of these tips, you will be able to maintain your vintage kitchen cabinets so that it keeps looking new for a longer time. Trending Update News
Also, read about the Painters in Maitland & Cessnock.