Walnut kitchen cabinets enhance the warmth and sophistication of your cooking space. The homeowners’ popular choice is rich in elegance and appearance. Walnut wood cannot go unnoticed due to its deep and rich color. The beautiful grain patterns give the fitting a unique aesthetic appeal. Besides the beauty, the wood is durable, versatile, and easy to customize.

You must take care of your cabinets to ensure longevity and excellent service. Top maintenance and care for walnut kitchen cabinets involve cleaning, gentle handling, polishing, conditioning, and moisture protection. Tightening loose hardware is also part of the general maintenance of these beautiful and unique fixtures.

Let’s go!

What Are Walnut Kitchen Cabinets?

If it’s your first home to construct, you may wonder what cabinets to install. Walnut kitchen cabinets are not new. Like the name, these are cupboards made from walnut wood. And walnut is a popular choice of wood that comes in dark brown attractive color and appearance. 

You will most likely love the modern walnut kitchen cabinets design. They have a variety of styles ranging from traditional to contemporary designs. So, you can customize yours depending on your likes. The most distinctive quality of these cabinets is that they consist of solid walnut wood. But there is also a modern design made of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) core with a walnut veneer finish. You may also find a lighter core option, plywood, with a veneer finish.

It would be best to have a maintenance and care guide, whether solid walnut wood, MDF, or Plywood. Walnut kitchen cabinets can stay intact and serve you for many decades if you observe the guidelines below.

9 Maintenance And Care Guide For Walnut Cabinets Kitchen

Here is a complete guide for caring for and maintaining your walnut kitchen cabinets;

1.    Walnut Kitchen Cabinets Regular Cleaning

Nothing pisses you off like arranging your clean utensils, table clothes, and appliances in greasy or dirty kitchen cabinets. The sight attracts flies and insects, making the cooking space awful and unhygienic. But this can happen to anybody’s kitchen if they do not observe kitchen hygiene practices. 

As you cook, grease and gravy can be spatter on the cupboards. Also, dirty water can spill over when wiping your countertop or hand-washing utensils. These messy spills are a mess over your new shaker walnut kitchen cabinets. Also, the water can damage the cupboards if you let it trickle over them and dry without wiping. It cannot be rocket science or labor to wipe your units clean. 

Make it a regular exercise to work on your walnut kitchen cabinets when cleaning your floor. Regular dusting with a soft duster prevents dirt and debris buildup while maintaining the original appearance and color.

You can have a wet, lint-free cloth or damp sponge to wipe your cabinets. Remember not to use abrasive cleaners and harsh chemicals, which can damage the walnut wood finish.

Dos And Don’ts When Cleaning A Walnut Cabinet Kitchen

• Do not use water.
• Do not use abrasives.
• Use a lint cloth to dust and clean
• Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on cleaning products.
• Wipe up spills immediately. 
• Dry the cabinets to avoid excess moisture.
• Clean the cabinets in gentle, circular motions.
• Do not scratch the surface when cleaning.
• Clean the handles, knobs, and hinges with mild soap and dry them immediately to avoid rust.   
• Do not use steel wool.
• Do not use scrubbing brushes.  
• Avoid acidic cleaners.
• Do not use ammonia-based cleaners.
• Never use wax polishes on walnut kitchen cabinets. 
• Avoid strong solvents on the wood.
• Do not use bleach on the cabinets.

2.    Be Gentler To Walnut Kitchen Cabinets

Your modern walnut cabinets kitchen requires gentle hands. Avoid banging the doors, scrubbing with abrasives, and mishandling your cupboards. When you force-open or force-close your Shaker walnut kitchen cabinets, you exert unnecessary strain on the hinges and screws. The doors will begin falling off one by one or break.

Being gentler begins with storing the right weight and not hanging it on your floating kitchen cabinets. Using a footstool or kitchen ladder can help you to reach the height and safeguard your cupboards. 

3.    Avoid Sharp Objects On Walnut Kitchen Cabinets

Shredding vegetables and slicing fruits on your walnut cupboards causes dents and scratches. It is not a friendly measure to chop things on them. The scratches will not look good on dark or light walnut kitchen cabinets. Besides, the cuts and dents make the fixtures look old.

If you have no granite countertop, use a cutting board to avoid damage to your walnut cabinet kitchen. You can prevent sharp pricks by ensuring the knives are in their sheaves when storing cutlery. Or, buy a tabletop wooden sheaves for sharp cutlery.

4.    No excess moisture On Walnut Cabinet Kitchen

Whether hardwood or softwood, none is friendly to humidity. The MDF and Plywood are worse. They warp and develop molds if you expose them to water. Keeping your walnut kitchen cabinet dry and clean isn’t an uphill task.

Clean up all spills immediately, and avoid ovens below your walnut cupboards. Placing damp items inside your cabinet drawers can damage them. Please try to dry your kitchenware and clothes before storing them to prevent moisture from seeping into the wood.

Also, if you have walnut surfaces, you can use mats to protect the table from water and heat. But you better use the stone/concrete countertop to place wet and hot pots.

5.    Keep Walnut Kitchen Cabinet Kitchen Closed

Keep them closed when not in use or when you are not cleaning or airing your kitchen cabinets. Close the drawers too. That avoids accidents and bangs. Locking the cabinets keeps off dust and moisture from getting inside.  

6.    Shelter Your Walnut Kitchen Cabinet From Direct Sunlight

You may need a cabinet or two when designing an outdoor kitchen pavilion. The fitting will be handy when you want a few cutleries and plates. That’s a convenience as it minimizes movements to and from your kitchen. But the placement of this critical installation will affect its durability.

Prolonged exposure to summer sun or direct sunlight will damage your walnut kitchen cabinet. The beautiful dark/light color will fade away, and you will no longer see the grain patterns. Install the cabinets against a wall and safeguard the sunny side with a UV film or a wall.

If your kitchen has expansive windows, use curtains or blinds to protect your modern walnut cabinets kitchen. The idea is to minimize exposure to heat and sunlight. Your designer can help fix that.

7.    Polish And Condition Your Cabinets

Your walnut kitchen cabinets’ periodic polishing and conditioning improve and replenish the fittings. It includes applying a special high-quality wood polish for walnut wood. There is also a conditioner formula for these types of cabinets. The polish and condition protect the wood from drying and helps improve its luster.  

8.    Examine The Hardware Regularly  

When cleaning your walnut cabinets kitchen, it is critical to inspect the hardware. These include the screws, hinges, knobs, and handles. Due to swinging the door when closing and opening all the time, the hardware becomes loose and may fall off. The screws are small and can get lost, while the knobs and handles can become toys without your knowledge. But you can prevent costly replacements by ensuring the above components are tight. Also, make replacements for missing ones to avoid more damage.  

9.    Professional Maintenance

When you execute all the above maintenance and care tips and still find out that there are more severe damages, you may schedule a visit by a professional carpenter. He will come and refurbish your walnut cabinets kitchen. He can replace warped doors, scratched countertops, and missing hardware. Such a professional service will restore your walnut cabinets to their original beauty and make improvements where needed.

Final Thoughts

You can maintain the beauty and durability of your walnut kitchen cabinets for many years. By following the above practices, you can enjoy the sophistication of these cupboards. Clean spills whenever they happen, wipe the hardware to prevent rust, and apply a protective sealer to enhance beauty.

When you protect your cabinets against sunlight and heat, it improves durability. Handle your installations gentler and replace any missing or damaged hardware with care. With all the above practices, your modern walnut cabinets kitchen will remain stunning, functional, and elegance for years,