Clean painted cabinets with a soft damp cloth (a microfiber cloth is great) and dry with a soft towel. Avoid over-wetting cabinets. Clean one small area at a time, using a circular motion. For stubborn spots, use a mild, paint-safe cleaning solution.
To prolong the lifespan of your cabinet paint job, then, finish the job by sealing your cabinets with a transparent top-coat. These sealing options include varnishes composed of polyurethane, polycrylic, spar urethane, nitrocellulose, waterborne acrylic, and more.
With proper care for your cabinets, you can expect them to last 8-10 years. However, there are a few things that can drastically shorten this timeframe, leaving you needing them repainted 3-4 years later.
Buy cabinet door bumper pads and stick them to the corners of doors and drawers to prevent paint chipping when the doors bump onto the frames. These are small cork, vinyl or felt pads and available at hardware stores.
My favorite sealer for painted furniture is General Finishes High Performance Top Coat and this would also be my first choice for sealing cabinets. It is water-based, non-yellowing, and extremely easy to work with (unlike many other sealers).
For your cabinet doors, they will need to be finished in some manner to protect them from damage. Paint can be a great choice, especially if you have a color in mind. If you are a person who loves a natural look, then a clear coat finish would be perfect for you!
You don't need a polyurethane finish if you've chosen a durable paint. You do not need to apply a polyurethane finish to painted kitchen cabinets if you've used a durable paint. If you chose a less durable paint, a clear polyurethane topcoat can help prolong its life by protecting it from premature wear.
Any project needs a clear coat. ANY projects. Antiquing, distressing, it all needs it people! Use either a coat of wax if you are using chalk paint or any project you want a matte finish one.
These versatile cleaners are made from natural vegetable oils, and are safe to use on any kind of wood—including flooring, chairs and cabinets. Dilute a gallon of warm water with this soap, and use a soft rag dipped in the solution to wipe down your cabinets.
Clean Cupboards With Vinegar and Baking Soda
To keep your white cupboards looking bright and fresh, create a cleaning solution with one cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of baking soda, and two cups of warm water. Dip a rag in this solution, wring out the access liquid, then wipe down your cupboards.
To shine up your cabinets, paint a high-gloss clear acrylic varnish over your final coat. This technique will add depth to the color and cover the surface of your kitchen with a glassy sheen.
Friction from loose hardware can cause paint to tear, chip and peel, even if you've used the best paint for kitchen cabinets. Regularly tighten hardware to prevent it from contributing to a paint chipping problem. Sometimes the paint on kitchen cabinets peels behind closed doors — literally.
Detailed Patterns, Warped or Damaged Cabinets
If your cabinets have detailed patterns or they are warped, chipped, cracked or have other damage to them, then painting your kitchen cabinets is not the way to go – it most definitely won't solve your cabinet problem.
Kardel's pro take: Waiting to use the cabinets is key here—although painted cabinets can feel dry to the touch in 24 hours, they need to cure for 15 to 20 days for a rock-solid finish.
Many professionals now use latex paint, citing the improvements to the formula and the as-good-as finish they can get on most surfaces. We actually prefer a third type of paint for cabinets, the hybrid enamel.
Avoid These Cleaners on Painted Cabinets: Magic Eraser or similar sponges, abrasive powder or scrubbing pads, cleaners with abrasive particles, intense detergents, or ammonia oil soap, spray polishes containing silicone, petroleum products, or wax citrus/orange cleaner.
Ideally, spray painting cabinets is the most sought after method today. The quality of finish you get from using a spray gun is second to none, and it's by far a faster and more efficient method.
Cabinet Painting with a Roller & a Brush
On the fronts and backs of drawers and doors, you can use a roller. This will apply the paint in a more smooth and even manner and is much faster than only using a paint brush. Then, use a brush for touching up small areas or for hard-to-reach spots.
Moisture. It may also release air moisture into the air, leading to yellow paint on the paintwork because moisture settles. The cause for white cabinets that turned yellow from being painted on white walls is caused by moisture; as the cabinets are often on areas of lower humidity than their white counterparts.
Keeping your white cabinets white
Keep white cabinets out of direct sunlight to prevent them from turning yellow. To make a kitchen feel warm and inviting and useful you need plenty of sunlight and a functional space to cook. Unfortunately, those are the two things that also threatened your white cabinets.
Dish soap and warm water, along with a microfiber cloth, is the best solution for cleaning a painted cabinet. Dish soap will effectively remove any food-related grime.