The hardware on your cabinetry is like the frosting on the cake, the cover of a book, or the front door of a home. If it’s not appealing, it doesn’t matter what’s inside, your first impression has been forever tarnished. Just like your dull cabinet pulls and knobs. Discover how to clean and polish your kitchen hardware with these helpful tips.
Remove your cabinet pulls and knobs to maintain their luster and shine.
Like any element in the home, your kitchen hardware needs attention. Whether your cabinet pulls and knobs are finished in nickel, brass, or chrome, they are all metallic pieces that can be dulled or discolored by oxidation.
Even though your hardware might be clean, it can still appear dirty. This muddy or stained appearance can’t be removed by simply wiping the pieces down. To avoid this, you’ll need to clean and polish your hardware by removing it from your cabinet doors.
In most cases, you should be able to remove your hardware without much difficulty by simply using a screwdriver or drill.
Let your hardware soak in a vinegar solution for a few hours.
Fill a large bucket with equal parts warm water and white vinegar, and place all of the cabinet pulls and knobs inside. This gentle solution is very effective at loosening the grease and stains. For mild to moderate stains, a few hours of soaking should suffice. If your hardware has become extremely tarnished, it may require an overnight soak. To test, you can take out one piece after a few hours and gently rub it with a soft cloth to gauge the progress.
Follow up with a second soak of dishwashing liquid and water.
Following the vinegar soak, remove the hardware from the bucket and pour out the contents. Rinse out the bucket, and refill with warm water and one or two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid. Mix the soap into water with your hand, and then add the hardware back into the bucket. This will serve as a second soak, and the dishwashing liquid will help fight any stubborn grease that still remains.
Polish with a soft cloth and let dry before reinstalling.
After an hour or two, remove the hardware from the soapy water and lay it out on a piece of paper towel. Place a second piece of paper towel down, and then begin polishing each individual piece with a soft cloth and placing them on the second paper towel to dry. After setting your hardware out to dry for 15 minutes or so, it should be ready to reinstall on your kitchen cabinets.
Incorporate metal polishes into the cleaning process.
This process requires no harsh chemicals or special products, and will remove stains from your cabinet pulls and knobs while also restoring shine. If you feel that your hardware requires extra special attention, you will be able to find metal polishes in your home improvement store that are safe to use on a variety of materials such as brass, copper, aluminum and stainless steel. These are great options as well, and can be used to supplement the soaking process, or for touch ups between cleanings.
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