Cleaning
How To Clean High Gloss Kitchen Units
Anybody who knows me knows that I like shiny surfaces and high gloss kitchens. So, when we renovated our kitchen, it was a perfect opportunity to choose some new kitchen units. We went for white, high gloss surfaces. And for our island, we decided on anthracite grey high gloss cabinets and surround. The age-old question of how to clean high gloss kitchen units soon reared its ugly head, it’s not as difficult as you may think, and you don’t need any fancy cleaning products!
Are gloss kitchen cabinets easy to keep clean?
High gloss kitchen cabinets aren’t too difficult to keep clean if you clean regularly. However, they are prone to fingerprints and show up spillages more than the average kitchen cabinet. Regular maintenance of high gloss kitchen cabinets is crucial to keep the shiny appearance. A simple wipe down with a soft cloth is easy enough to do when you have time, but there are some rules to follow!
You’ve got to be careful when cleaning high gloss surfaces. We all know that I like to clean with Bleach, but you can’t use Bleach on high gloss surfaces. Put the Bleach back in your cupboard and save it for use in the toilet or your sink.
High gloss kitchen cabinets have a coating on them called a lacquer that you can damage if you don’t use the correct cleaning technique. The lacquer is almost like nail varnish. Think of it as if you had just gone into the nail salon and had a fresh set of acrylics. You would use gloves when you’re washing up and cleaning gunk. If you didn’t protect your new nails, the acrylics would start coming off after a while. The same applies when cleaning high gloss kitchen units, don’t use harsh chemicals or anything abrasive. To learn more about what high gloss and ultra gloss kitchen cabinets are made from read this post.
When cleaning any surfaces, I prefer to rid of germs and bacteria first. To do this, you need to clean the high gloss units with anti-bacterial washing-up liquid.
Make sure that you use a soft microfiber cloth to avoid abrasions. Treat high gloss like you would if you were cleaning your car, avoiding abrasive cloths or sponges because they will scratch the glossy surface after a while.
That is all you need to do to keep your high gloss units looking squeaky clean.
The first tip is to spot clean.
Every time you see a mark or a spillage. On the surface of your high gloss cabinets, You need to wipe it down straight away. It’s easier to spot clean a small surface area than wipe down the whole door. So, any dribbles from the dishwasher, washing up, or you should deal with cooking immediately.
The second tip is avoid abrasives
When cleaning high glass cabinet doors, It is imperative not to use anything abrasive or any harsh chemicals. Over time this can ruin the finish of your cabinet doors. Avoid using Scouring Pads, Scouring sponges, magic erasers, Bleach, and harsh chemicals. The best thing to use is hot soapy water and a damp cloth. This should keep your cabinets looking sparkly clean for a very long time.
This post contains affiliate links, and The Organizer UK may earn commissions for purchases made through the links in this post. For more details, see here. Thank you so much for your support!
How to clean high gloss kitchen units without streaks.
- Method one
✔️ Fill a bowl with very hot soapy water, as hot as you can stand it. Do not use lukewarm water, as this will cause water spots to form. Super-hot water evaporates quickly and prevents streaking.
✔️ Add a capful of disinfectant. I love Dettol or any of the Fabulosa brands.
✔️ Use a microfibre cloth and ring it out until the cloth is almost dry. Streaks appear when liquid dries too quickly. You can prevent this by making sure that your cloth is almost dry before you wipe down the surface of the cabinet. Clean from side to side, from the top to the bottom of the cupboard doors.
✔️ Using a glass cloth like this one is the most critical step for polishing high gloss kitchen doors. Dry the cupboard door from side to side and top to bottom, buffing it into a beautiful shine. - Method 2
✔️ Use furniture polish and polish with a soft cloth
✔️ Polish should only be used ocassionally not every day, as the cabinets don’t need to be polished each time you clean and it may cause a build up to form. - Method 3
✔️ Using a glass cleaner, spray a liberal amount onto the surface of the high gloss door.
✔️ Then buff to a polish with a glass cloth like this one
✔️ Glass cleaner should be used with caution Please be aware that after time, some cleaners may affect the surface of your high glass cabinet. So, this method is best to be used only occasionally alongside the soapy
FAQ
✔️ First, try to remove the scuff marks with a microfibre cloth and warm soapy water.
✔️ If this is unsuccessful, try using neat dishwashing liquid and rub at the scuff mark.
✔️ If the stains are still very stubborn, try using a paste, like The Pink Stuff Paste , Scrub Daddy Power Paste or Barkeepers Friend. But please be aware, these are abrasives and may damage the glossy surfaces of your high gloss cabinets over the years, so please test in an unseen area first. The same warning applies to Magic Erasers as these are highly abrasive too and may cause damage.
It is best to get a professional to repair any scratches on high gloss furniture and high gloss doors. However, you can get high gloss kitchen repair kits if you want to do it yourself but proceed with caution.
I would avoid steam cleaning high gloss kitchen units as it is better not to over-wet the cabinets which may cause the surface to peel and the wood below to warp. A gentle wipe down with warm soapy water and Microfibre cloth, then polish with a glass cloth is all that is needed.
Sometimes cleaning products and Bleach can make a white surface turn yellow. Painted white surfaces can turn yellow through harsh cleaning chemicals or nicotine smoke.
Vinegar is an acid that may erode the lacquer over time, so I would say proceed with caution but better still, keep it for cleaning bathrooms and plugholes!
Knowing how to clean high gloss kitchen units can be a minefield with all the advice flying around. Most people think you can use Bleach everywhere, but I prefer to keep it to toilets and drains. As outlined above, the best cleaner for high gloss kitchen cabinets is soapy water and a damp cloth.
To read how to clean kitchen grease from wood cabinet doors in your home, Read this post.
I hope you enjoyed how to clean high gloss kitchen doors. If you have a favorite high gloss cleaner, let us know in the comments!