Most kitchen revamping advice you’ll find online focuses either on expensive renovation or temporary decorative additions. The secret to a great-looking, well-maintained and efficient kitchen lies in regular maintenance of its permanent elements. If you’re looking to give your kitchen a facelift without spending megabucks, use the following tips to recreate a kitchen you’d love to show off to your guests.
Revitalize your countertops and other stone surfaces
Clean and clutter-free countertops are the hallmarks of a happy kitchen. So the first step in your DIY kitchen upgrade is to clear the clutter by reorganizing your storage space. Once this is done, inspect the countertops. If you haven’t cleaned regularly or have been using the wrong cleaning product, you’ll find that the stone has lost its natural luster and has become dull or stained over time.
An easy way to renew your kitchen is to first clean the visible surfaces with a non-abrasive gentle product. For countertops, use a stone-safe granite cleaner that will remove grime and dirt without stripping away the sealer. This should be done at least once a week. While the cleaning solution will remove any dirt, a fresh application of granite polish once every month will bring back the sparkle of your natural stone surfaces. Lastly, the surface should be sealed with a stone sealer to prevent moisture from seeping in.
Pay attention to breakdowns, chips, and cracks
Any chips or cracks in your stone countertops, wooden cabinets or metal fixtures should be repaired as soon as possible. A run-down kitchen with damaged surfaces chipped paint or broken appliances is an uninviting space where no one wants to hang out for more than a few minutes.
Not only this, cracks in your granite countertops or flooring can create a health hazard by allowing water and bacteria to infiltrate the surface. A good polishing product will fill hairline cracks in the stone, protecting it from further damage. For more prominent chips or cracks, you might want to use a professional repair service.
The same golden rule applies to kitchen appliances and cooking utensils—don’t wait to fix things that don’t work. Have them repaired or replaced at the earliest to restore your kitchen to its original glory.
Avoid using harsh or abrasive cleaning substances
If you’re on a mission to revamp a neglected kitchen, choosing the right cleaning products and tools is important to avoid further damage. Your kitchen deserves gentle care and proper cleaning. For best results—and zero regrets—avoid using abrasive cleaning materials such as bleach, vinegar, ammonia, toilet cleaner, tile cleaner, glass cleaner or disinfectant to clean the floor, countertops, cabinets or appliances.
Each material used in your kitchen should be cleaned with a product appropriate for use on that surface so that you won’t damage the top layer while scrubbing away the grease. Doing so could lead to unwanted repair or replacement costs.
Don’t ignore the flooring
Regardless of the material of your kitchen floor, it needs regular maintenance and daily cleaning to keep it in good shape and avoid expensive replacements. If you have marble flooring that has gone dull over time, invest in a good cleaning product that will restore its lost shine. Avoid using just any cleaner on your expensive floor, no matter how bad it looks. Get a quality cleaning product made especially for natural stone surfaces. Mopping the kitchen floor with a marble-safe cleaner will prevent dirt from building up and causing invisible scratches.
As a rule, make sure to wipe spills immediately and avoid using a vacuum or harsh scrubber to clean the floor. Instead, use a dry soft mop to remove dirt and debris and then a wet mop soaked in a mix of natural stone cleaner and water.
Deep clean once every month
Keeping your kitchen clean from the inside out is a surefire way to keep it looking great for years. Deep cleaning ensures that grime, food particles are removed from every corner, and it helps discover any seepage, breakage, pest infestation or mold formation in the concealed or hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Clean the tiles and grout fortnightly to remove any oil or dirt deposits.
If you don’t have time for a thorough cleaning, hire a professional cleaning service to ensure your kitchen is in top condition regardless of how busy you are.
To sum up, the best way to have a beautiful and inviting cooking space is to ensure that it’s well cared for so that you won’t have to waste time or money on expensive repair work.
