Caring For Your Antique Cabinetry
Taking proper care of your antique cabinetry? Learn how. Proper care will ensure lasting beauty. Improper care or chemical damage from cleaning solvents, however, is usually uncorrectable. So make sure that you are taking good care of your valuable and cherished cabinetry.
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Taking proper care of antique cabinetry goes far beyond cleaning and dusting.
Wood cabinetry reacts to indoor environmental changes. Moisture, grease, temperature and sunlight all play havoc on wood. Below are a few helpful tips on how to preserve your antique cabinetry and keep it looking beautiful. These tips apply not only to installed kitchen cabinetry but also to the favorite of true antique cabinet lovers, the Hoosier cabinet.
The sun is a real culprit. It can have extremely detrimental effects on wood and wood finishes. Its ultraviolet rays can destroy a cabinet or piece of furniture in as little as a few weeks. How does it happen? The ultraviolet rays quickly penetrate the molecular structure of the finish, the color, and even the wood itself. What you will notice is that the color will change rapidly. Also, the finish will begin to crack or separate from the wood, often looking like hairline splits or alligator skin. The best thing to do is to keep wood away from direct sunlight. Since you can't move kitchen cabinets or bathroom cabinets, use blinds, shades, or UV window protection to keep the sun from directly shining on them.
Both temperature and humidity can have harmful effects on cabinets
The fact is that wood, finished or not, absorbs everything in its surroundings. Dryness will shrink wood, eventually causing it to split from lack of moisture. On the other hand, too much moisture, can swell wood and cause it to crack and or split from stress. But don't panic, as a general rule of thumb, if you are comfortable in your surroundings, your cabinets are comfortable too. You may notice in the winter that those hard-to-open drawers suddenly loosen up. This is simply the wood shrinking because of decreased humidity in the air, allowing more freedom of movement. Because of this, it is important to keep an even temperature and humidity level in your home.
How you should clean your antique cabinets depends on the finish they have. An oil finish requires only dusting and a re-application of oil. Older finishes that are just beginning to show their age should be cleaned with a polish with lemon oil. For newer finishes, you should dust or clean with a mild soap and soft cloth before polishing
What polish should you buy for your antique cabinetry? Most polishes today are quite similar, but some are better than others. One that receives high ratings from antique dealers is Old English Lemon Cream in the aerosol can. It freshens up the look of wood cabinets and has a very mild abrasive in it to remove some of the old wax previously applied. It leaves a smooth look and is not greasy.
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