[It will be clean!] How to care for glossy furniture?

Glossy surfaces add a touch of chic to the interior and visually expand the space. But along with the beauty of glossy facades, the housewife’s daily life comes with concerns about how to preserve the shine and beauty of the gloss.

By carefully studying the information on how to care for glossy furniture, you can significantly reduce the time spent on cleaning

Necessary care products for glossy furniture

The following tools will help you quickly bring glossy furniture facades to perfect condition:

glass cleaning spray (effective in removing grease stains);
spray for glossy surfaces (helps eliminate hand marks);
liquid dishwashing detergent (will help remove old grease stains);
wet wipes without alcohol (remove dust, remove stains);
microfiber cloth (quickly absorbs moisture and rubs the glossy facade to a shine);
wax-free polish (increases the shine of the gloss, removes static tension that attracts dust).

How to wash a glossy kitchen set

You can wash a kitchen set with mirrored facades without streaks using professional or folk remedies that are suitable for such furniture.

Professional compositions

Products that are produced specifically for glossy kitchen facades fight grease, dirt, and also cover the set with a special film that protects from scratches and keeps it clean for a long time. They are made in the form of gel, liquid, paste. The composition is applied to the surface, left for the time specified in the instructions, and washed off with a small amount of water. After washing, wipe with a dry cloth or paper napkins.

The most popular products for cleaning gloss on kitchen facades:

“Meine liebe” is a hypoallergenic, biodegradable, environmentally friendly spray with a pleasant aroma. Removes gloss well from grease, fingerprints, stains;

“De la Marc” is an environmentally friendly, effective liquid with low consumption, suitable for any surface - PVC film, plastic, acrylic;

"Sanita" is a concentrated liquid with many active substances in its composition. It works quickly, gently cleaning the kitchen and removing grease. Does not have a pungent odor;

“Clean house” is a hypoallergenic, healthy composition that removes gloss well and has no pungent odor.

Before using any product, you should test it on an inconspicuous area. Concentrated formulations are diluted with water.

Glass cleaning liquid

Glass cleaning liquid removes gloss perfectly. The composition should not contain ammonia, as it harms the coating. The liquid is applied to a soft microfiber cloth, which is used to wipe the kitchen surface.

Dishwashing liquid

You can wash your glossy kitchen with any dishwashing liquid. It copes with stains, fingerprints, greasy deposits, and dried splashes. Apply the product to a soft cloth, foam, wipe the set, then rinse with clean water and wipe dry with paper towels.

Wet wipes

If you don’t have time to thoroughly clean your glossy kitchen set, simple wet wipes will come to the rescue. It is better to use special household products that quickly wash away greasy stains, dried drops, fingerprints and do not leave behind streaks. The composition of disposable napkins should not contain ethyl alcohol or synthetic resins, since the components deprive the gloss of the shine, making the kitchen furniture matte.

Soft napkins

Microfiber cloths easily remove grease and old spills from a glossy kitchen. Before use, the wipes are moistened so that greasy deposits and dirt are quickly absorbed between the thin fibers of the material. You can use a rag to collect any remaining moisture; microfiber absorbs it well.

Folk recipes

There are many simple, homemade, but effective recipes to wash a glossy kitchen set:

A paste of mustard powder with water is applied to the kitchen facades, left for 3-5 minutes, washed off along with stains and grease;

Laundry soap is grated on a coarse grater, dissolved in 250 ml of water, the glossy kitchen facades are washed with smooth movements, and the residue is washed off with clean water. A mild soap solution is safe for allergy sufferers;

Baking soda removes complex grease and dirt on glossy kitchen facades. It is applied to a damp cloth, washing away the stains until they disappear. Then the surface is washed with clean water and wiped with a dry cloth;

Vinegar effectively cleans any dirt on the glossy surface of the kitchen set. Mix a glass of white acetic acid with warm water, soak a rag in the solution, rub the furniture clean, and dry it. To eliminate the pungent odor, you can add a couple of drops of any essential oil. MDF and wood are cleaned with the prepared solution.

Sometimes several methods of care are used at once. Incorrectly chosen compositions can cause dulling of the gloss and loss of the original shine.

What to avoid when caring for glossy surfaces

When choosing care products for glossy furniture, you should remember that aggressive chemical and abrasive components can permanently ruin shiny surfaces.

Before purchasing a furniture care spray or liquid, you must make sure that the product does not contain:

chemical aggressive elements;
solvents and alcohol;
turpentine;
synthetic resins;
ammonia;
chlorine and acetone.

Dry sponges, hard brushes, and melamine sponges are strictly prohibited for cleaning glossy surfaces. Do not wipe glossy furniture with aggressive chemicals for microwave ovens, bathtubs or stoves.

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Attention: before using a new cleaning product, it must first be tested on an inconspicuous area of the glossy furniture facade.

What not to wash a glossy kitchen

You need to take care of a glossy kitchen very carefully so as not to scratch or spoil the surface. It is forbidden:

Wash facades with plain water. Especially if the furniture is made of MDF or chipboard and covered with thin plastic or PVC film. When exposed to moisture, materials may delaminate. After cleaning, the surface must be wiped with a dry cloth;
Clean with hard brushes and abrasive sponges, as they will scratch the glossy finish. It is better to use only soft materials, prevent dirt from drying out, and clean regularly so that you do not have to forcefully scrub off the layer of grease;
Use household chemicals that contain abrasive particles. For example, powders leave scratches and indentations, which in the future will become a place for fat accumulation;
Use products that contain chlorine, alcohol, acetone, ammonia, as they leave cloudy white stains. Nitroglycerin does not wash away stains well, leaving streaks; alcohol discolors the coating;
Wash the gloss with a melamine sponge, as it removes the shine from the set, making it faded. You should also not use a steam cleaner;
Use some household chemicals - Pemolux, Comet, as they contribute to clouding and yellowing.

To wash a glossy kitchen, you can use a suede car rag - it does not leave marks, streaks, and absorbs moisture well. The wipes are made from synthetic materials, but their properties resemble leather. The rag is stored in a special container or in water to prevent it from drying out. Facades are wiped without using chemicals.

Basic rules for caring for glossy furniture

When displaying the set, you need to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on the glossy facades. Otherwise, there is a high risk of the gloss changing color.
A steam cleaner is prohibited when cleaning glossy surfaces. Hot steam is the cause of facade finishing peeling.
Do not rub the gloss with wax. It is absorbed only into wooden surfaces. On a glossy surface, wax forms a sticky surface to which dirt sticks even more strongly.
During the cleaning process, use only clean, soft cloth napkins and sponges.

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).

How to rub glossy facades without streaks

A glass cleaner can quickly make glossy furniture shine. It is sprayed onto the surface, and then the gloss is rubbed with gentle movements until it shines with microfiber cloths.

Special wipes are ideal for daily care . Velvety, slightly moisturized, they perfectly remove dust particles and erase fingerprints.

Once a week, it is recommended to polish glossy facades with polish. It will not only restore shine, but also prevent dust from settling quickly (relieve static tension).

How to wash

There are quite a few ways to clean the surfaces of kitchen facades with detergents: ready-made, factory-made or homemade. Each of them is focused on a specific type of surface.

Soap solution

The simplest but effective method of cleaning a kitchen cabinet with soapy water. Finely planed laundry soap dissolved in water will help wash plastic facades.

Mustard

Mustard powder will help remove grease from kitchen utensils. It is enough to sprinkle dry mustard on the contaminated area, after moistening it with water, and then wipe it off. The cleaned surface is wiped with a dry soft cloth.

Steaming

A special device - a steam cleaner - will solve problems with drops of grease that have accumulated even in hard-to-reach places (on the top shelves, high cabinets). It works effectively not only against dirt, but also as a disinfectant.

Special means

A separate category consists of products containing chemicals, special solvents, and components to add shine. Many of them are in the house or present on the shelves of hardware stores.

Window Cleaner

Glass cleaners in convenient containers with a spray bottle will help get rid of dirty stains and restore shine to the surfaces of furniture facades. They contain special components to clean the most difficult stains and add shine. Read more here.

Spray for glossy coatings

This composition is intended for polishing and removing small scratches from the surface of varnished coatings. In combination with a gentle material, a napkin that does not scratch the surface will help restore lost shine.

Liquid soap

Modern hand washes include effective grease solvents as well as skin softening additives. A diluted soap solution for cleaning the kitchen is what is required.

Wet wipes

Wipes made of polyester and impregnated with special, mild solvents will be an excellent alternative to other products. They won't cause any harm and will help with cleaning. An important condition is that no water is used when using them.

Microfiber cloth to wipe dry

The final chord in the symphony of cleaning is a thorough wiping of the facades with a dry cloth. This is necessary to remove any remaining liquid or cleaning product from the surface of the furniture. Modern synthetic wipes are created in such a way that they are recommended even for washing cars, where one of the main conditions is the absence of an abrasive effect on the paintwork. It wouldn’t hurt to have similar ones at home for cleaning the kitchen.

Polish with wax to add shine

Compositions with wax may leave sticky streaks and are not suitable for all materials. You can learn about the use of products in relation to a specific case from the instructions indicated on the packaging. They are definitely not suitable for plastic panels, but you can try with varnished ones.

How to remove grease stains from glossy furniture

You won't be able to avoid stains from greasy hands or food marks on the surface of furniture. But several secrets will help reduce the time of labor-intensive cleaning:

Prepare paper towels. You can wipe the surface of glossy furniture on which a stain has just appeared with paper towels or napkins. It is enough to blot the greasy stain and not a trace will remain of it.
We use warm water. There is no need to rush to use more aggressive chemical cleaning products. In a situation where a stain has just appeared on the gloss, a sponge or cloth moistened with warm water can eliminate the problem.
We use soda. Difficult, old stains from a glossy surface can be removed with baking soda. The powder is mixed with water to form a paste and gently applied to the stain.

Important: do not rub soda over the surface under any circumstances.

After ten minutes, the soda slurry is carefully removed with a paper napkin.

Tip: Regular wet cleaning prevents stains from appearing and old grease from drying out.

Taking into account all the recommendations for glossy surfaces, the cleaning process will go faster, and the furniture will retain its shiny appearance longer.

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Kitchen Cleaning: How to Clean Glossy and MDF Facades (1 video)

Types of glossy coatings and their properties

Before cleaning the glossy surface of a kitchen unit, it is useful to know the capabilities of the material from which it is made. The choice of detergent and the method of working with it will depend on this.

When buying glossy kitchen furniture, it is important to choose the right shade of the coating. On a smooth, dark-colored surface, small stains and fingerprints are most noticeable

Light colors hide these defects.

Plastic sheets

The glossy surface of plastic sheets is the easiest to clean

All external surfaces of furniture are covered with decorative plastic of various shades. This coating has a bright color, is resistant to mechanical stress and is completely waterproof. It is easiest to clean a glossy kitchen protected with plastic gloss.

But it also has its drawbacks:

It fades and loses color when exposed to sunlight and when treated with chemically active substances;
Sheets can peel off from furniture boards at high temperatures and high humidity;
Scratches and dents formed on it are almost impossible to retouch.

Painting and varnishing

Furniture boards are treated with moisture-resistant compounds of the desired color. And to give a glossy effect, several layers of varnish are applied over the paint. This coating will shine the brightest. But the technology for its creation is labor-intensive, which is why the cost of painted furniture is high.

PVC film

VVC film is the least resistant to damage

A glossy shiny surface is formed when it is glued under a vacuum press. This budget option gives good results, but is also the least maintenance-resistant.

It is necessary to wash off stains on kitchen furniture with applied film in a gentle manner and without a large amount of moisture. Under its influence, the film coating warps and peels off from the surface of the slab.

PVC does not withstand high and low temperatures well. Does not tolerate prolonged exposure to sunlight.

Acrylic coating

Sheets of this polymer material are glued to furniture boards, forming a smooth, shiny surface. The application method is no different from gluing conventional plastic. But acrylic itself has advantages. It is resistant to moisture and does not fade under sunlight.

You can wipe off dirty stains that have formed on the polymer coating using any cleaning products recommended for glossy surfaces.

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.

Wood protective coating

A high-quality coating will protect the wooden tabletop from moisture penetration, scratches and stubborn stains. The tree is covered with:

Oil and wax. The oil-wax mixture penetrates the wood structure and makes the countertop moisture resistant. The ideal option is bio-impregnation with beeswax and vegetable oil. Mineral and synthetic oils are also used.
Water-dispersed compositions and varnish. The wood is covered with stain or colored glaze, and then varnished. It is important that the varnish is moisture resistant. It is applied in 2-3 layers. A durable film is formed on the surface, protecting the wood from damage.
Polyurethane varnishes. Unlike conventional varnishes, they create an elastic film on the surface. She is not afraid of hot objects, does not chip, does not scratch. It comes in glossy, matte and semi-matte. Its only drawback is the high price.

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Questions and answers

Question: What to do if the countertop is swollen?

Answer: It would be correct to replace it, completely or partially. If the swelling is small, you can try to resort to restoration: straighten the canvas by squeezing it with a clamp through plywood or another gasket, pick out the swollen sawdust, dry everything thoroughly and fill the excavated cavity with epoxy resin.

Question: Which countertop is the best to maintain?

Answer: Different countertops have their own care requirements. Caring for artificial stone and laminated countertops is approximately the same. Natural wood and stone are more demanding. Mirror stainless steel will also require a lot of attention - it will leave noticeable handprints and water stains.

The durability of a countertop depends on many factors. First of all, this is the quality of the material and the correct assembly of the set (installation of the sink, installation of the dishwasher). The next point is proper care. It is important to understand the characteristics of the material and not to use dubious means. The best choice is special chemistry and impregnations. Don't forget about cutting boards and hot pads. Then the countertop will serve faithfully for many years!

How to clean the kitchen from grease and dirt - 11 recipes for different surfaces

Cleaning the kitchen is serious business. Prepare your rubber gloves and enthusiasm - in this article we will tell you how to clean the kitchen at home easily and safely for finishing facades, countertops and aprons (including wooden ones!).

But, before you start choosing a recipe, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the following universal rules and recommendations, which are relevant for both painted/unpainted wooden kitchens and laminated, varnished, plastic facades made of MDF and chipboard.

For those in a hurry, we advise you to go straight to the recipes using the quick navigation (at the beginning of the article).