How to keep your kitchen looking brand new!

So you’ve just had a brand new kitchen and you’re delighted with it!

You spend ages in there just admiring how it looks and how fresh and clean it all is.  But how on earth are you going to keep it looking like that?  Here are our Top Ten Tips for keeping your kitchen looking brand new.

• Clean constantly

That may sound obsessive, but the only way you are going to keep your kitchen in tip top condition is to clean it every time you use it.  This does not have to take hours, but just get into the habit of cleaning as you go.   When you think about it, there is a lot of “dead time” when you are doing things in the kitchen.  Whether it’s waiting for the kettle to boil, the microwave to ping, or the washing machine door to unlock – there are odd minutes here and there that can be put to good use.  Why not use that time to give the sink a quick clean or run a cloth over any other area in need!

• Declutter

Regular readers will know that at DIY Homefit we love the concept of decluttering – and have the storage solutions to help!  But nothing can spoil the shiny newness of a kitchen as much as piles of “stuff” – be it post, children’s homework and school letters, items of laundry or anything else.  So why not make it a new rule to ban clutter from the kitchen?  Put it away now where it needs to go rather than letting it pile up.

• Wipe your worktops

Laminate worktops are easy to keep clean.  They have good stain resistance and generally a soft cloth and warm soapy water is all that you need to use.   Do make sure you dry thoroughly around the sink and over any joints to avoid water penetrating the seals.   Wipe up any spills immediately, especially those from highly coloured food and drink such as curry, beetroot, blackcurrant juice or red wine.  Residual stains can usually be removed by cleaning with a mild bleach solution but never resort to aggressive cleaners or abrasive scouring pads as these will damage the surface.

• Avoid heat damage

Nothing looks worse on a brand new worktop than the tell tale heat ring!   So make sure you protect your new worktops by using either heat resistant trivets or surface protectors and never putting anything from the oven or hob directly onto the surface of the worktop.   Boiling water and cooking splashes will not harm your worktops, but should be wiped off as soon as possible.   Similarly,  never use an appliance that generates high levels of heat or concentrated steam directly under or adjacent to a door or panel as this can also cause damage.

• Dust your doors

Door surfaces can often get neglected in the kitchen cleaning process but will look dull if they are not kept in good condition.   To clean vinyl or acrylic doors just use a soft damp cloth and dry off with a soft dry cloth.  Do not use harsh cleaning products or abrasive items such as scouring pads.   

For high gloss doors we recommend that you use mild non-abrasive, dishwashing detergent diluted in warm water. The mix should be 1 part detergent to 99 parts warm water. You should never use any vinegar-based detergents, solvents, abrasive detergents, white spirit or furniture polish.    Finish them off perfectly by using with VuPlex polish with a micro anti-scratch cloth:  we supply these products in our DIY Homefit Door Care Kit.

• Clean appliances as you go

Do you dare look in your oven?!  Or your microwave come to that.  It is so easy to let oil and grime build up in kitchen appliances and only start doing something about them when they look truly disgusting.  The only answer is to clean as you go.  Different appliances have different requirements so check the manual and the manufacturer’s instructions.  But if you get into the habit from now on of clearing spills and crumbs immediately, then wiping the appliance inside and out (where applicable) it will become much easier.

• Audit your fridge

The fridge is another area that can soon look pretty dreadful!  Make sure that you wipe up any spills immediately otherwise they can set and be very difficult to remove.   Also clean the shelves and door containers regularly to keep your fridge nice and fresh.   Keep on top of what is in there so that you don’t end up hoarding – then throwing out – food that has long exceeded its use-by date.  If you have a free-standing fridge, remember to clean the outside doors and top of it regularly, otherwise it will become dusty and lose its shine.  Also clean behind the fridge – especially round the radiator as it becomes very dusty.

• Fight the fat!

Fat can so easily build up in your kitchen and really cause it to look dull.   So use the extractor fan whenever you use the hob, especially when frying  (when you can also use a splashguard).    Wipe up any spills as they occur otherwise they can become baked on.

• Look up!

The tops of kitchen units gather an awful lot of dust, but because its not visible on a daily basis we can overlook it.  Every now and then get up there with either a duster or handheld vacuum cleaner to remove it.   Not only is it a potential health hazard, but it can gradually disperse round the rest of your kitchen without you realising where it is coming from.

• Fabulous floors

Try to get in the habit of doing a quick vacuum or sweep of the kitchen floor once a day.   This stops dust and grime building up on the floor or getting trodden through the rest of the house.  It can also protect surfaces from being damaged by grit.  Then once a week or so, give the floor a quick wash just to remove any more stubborn grime and keep your kitchen looking sparkling.

Enjoy your new kitchen and we hope that these tips help you to make it look new for longer.   If you do not have a new kitchen but would like one then why not browse through our range of kitchen pictures and replacement kitchen doors?  We have such a wide range that there is bound to be the perfect product for you.  Soon you could be enjoying that new kitchen and using the above tips to keeping it looking brand new!