Maintaining your beautiful new kitchen

You’ve waited a long time for a new kitchen and now you’re finally getting one. But as you marvel at all the shiny new appliances and shiny new countertops as the workmen pack up their tools for the last time, it’s worth taking a moment to remember that to keep your kitchen looking this good will take more than cleaning. occasional cleaning of the counters and once again with a mop.

Here are some kitchen maintenance tips to keep in mind to ensure you get the most out of your new kitchen for as long as possible.

Refrigerator Maintenance

The average fridge and/or freezer isn’t starting to get all the love it really deserves. In fact, no one pays much attention to it until it stops making ice or starts heating up. In other words, until it breaks.

To keep your refrigerator in the best possible condition, make a habit of moving it away from the wall once a month and vacuuming the coils. Dust accumulates there quite quickly, and clogged coils lead to an underperforming refrigerator. Also, if the ice in the freezer has built up more than an inch, remove everything and allow it to thaw.

Garbage Disposal Maintenance

If used constantly, garbage disposals can end up giving off a pretty awful smell unless they are properly maintained. To avoid those unpleasant odors, pass a few limes or lemon peels once a week, the bad smells will stay and the kitchen will get a light, citrusy smell without filling the air with chemical fresheners.

Kitchen Cabinet Maintenance

If you notice annoying squeaks or a door doesn’t seem to close or latch properly, fix the problems while they’re still small, before the entire cabinet falls apart and becomes a much bigger problem. To keep cabinets of any type looking their best, remember to clean off cooking grease build-up regularly, before hard-to-remove “film” builds up and mars their appearance.

Kitchen counter maintenance

Most new kitchen countertop materials require very little maintenance beyond daily cleaning. Just remember to use a cutting board when working with knives. Even though materials like granite are very strong, they can still chip and crack if subjected to constant cutting.

Extractor hood maintenance

If you have a range hood above your stove, it’s important to clean the filter at least once a month (more if you use your stove a lot). If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, hiring someone to do it for you is relatively inexpensive.

None of the items on this list are time consuming or expensive, but taking that extra hour a week to care for your kitchen properly can make all the difference, both in the way it looks and the way it performs.

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