by Charlene

Created on: November 22, 2008

If your kitchen cabinets are structurally sound, but appear worn and drab, you don't have to replace them. You can give them a " face-lift " quite inexpensively, giving your kitchen a fresh, clean appearance.

Kitchen cabinets collect more grease, food spills, moisture , and grime builds up around the handles and drawers than anywhere else in your home. I would suggest that you start by giving them a good old fashioned " elbow grease" cleaning. Begin by removing all hardware, including knobs and hinges. Place the hardware in a bath of warm sudsy water and allow to soak while you tackle the cabinets themselves. To cut through the grease and grime, I recommend using equal amounts of household ammonia and water. Rinse with clean water and allow to dry completely.

While your cabinets dry, using a soft brush, clean your hardware that has been soaking. Making sure to pay attention to crevices where food and other grime have collected. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

If your hardware still looks dingy after a thorough cleaning, think about replacing them. When choosing the finish for your hardware, think about the style will look best in your home

If the rest of your home has a traditional decor, brushed finishes are recommended and if your home has a contemporary decor, enameled or high gloss metal shine will blend in with the over all look.

If you decide that cleaning your cabinets just won't " cut it," and you want to make your stained wood lighter, you can try bleaching them. To accomplish this, you should mix one part of laundry bleach to 10 parts of water. Apply the mixture to your cabinets and allow to stand for a few minutes and then rinse completely with plenty of water.

Another way to freshen up your cabinets quite inexpensively is to paint them. After cleaning up thoroughly and they are completely dried, it's not a bad idea to lightly sand them. Sanding them will allow the primer to bind and adhere to the cabinet surface increasing longevity. Apply an oil based primer to seal porous surfaces and protect from kitchen moisture. After you have allowed the primer to dry ( about an hour) you can paint your cabinets. It is recommended that you use oil based paints which form a harder more durable paint film and level out to a smoother finish. The key to achieving a professional finish is to use very thin coats. The best and most durable paint jobs are built up by thin layers of paint.

Refacing your cabinets is another option. When you reface your kitchen cabinets, you will replace cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware. You then can use laminate veneer to resurface any expose cabinet frame work. What is unique about refacing is that you can include appliances, such as refrigerators, stove hoods and dishwashers to complete the look.

To create even a more dramatic change, cut out the center panel of your kitchen cabinets and replace with clear, stained, or frosted glass.

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