Summary of key points
The kitchen is one of the most high-use rooms in the home because it is exposed to heat, cooking oils, food smells, and plenty of wear and tear. With that in mind, keeping your kitchen looking like new can be something of a challenge.
The good news is that there are some strategies you can use to improve the look of your kitchen without needing to incur the full cost of getting it completely replaced. Just keep reading to find out what they are.
Walls & ceilingÂ
One of the simplest and most cost-effective options that will help improve the look of your kitchen is to repaint the walls and ceiling. Indeed, because of the cooking that happens in the kitchen the walls can very easily become dirty and greasy and stop your space looking its best.Â
To that end, choosing a robust paint designed for high-use areas like kitchens is the best idea. Be sure you repaint the walls and the ceiling as grease and staining often rise. Use a roller to make the task easier, and wipe down the existing surface with sugar soap to remove any grease before you begin your repaint as this will ensure a better finish.Â
Floors
Again as the kitchen space is such a high-use area, the floor tends to get dirty and wear faster than in other areas of the home. To resolve this there are two options to consider here. The first is to deep clean the floor, and then buff it with a professional floor buffer to restore the surface and shine. You can rent floor buffers from local equipment leasing agencies, and if you are only doing a single room, a day will be enough.Â
Secondly, you can choose to replace your floor, which while being more expensive than cleaning can give your kitchen that brand-new look for less than changing out all the cabinets and countertops. Choose materials like vinyl tiling which look great, are robust and also are cost-effective.Â
Deep cleaning
One of the most straightforward ways to improve the look of any kitchen is to give it a deep clean. This means cleaning down cabinet doors, and handles, replacing cooker hood filters, and getting into all those tiny areas where food, grease and dust can collect.Â
Don’t forget to wipe down your kitchen windows, doors to the kitchen, and radiators and window sills as well. Where possible, first use the kitchen towel to wipe away any dust or debris. Then use washing up liquid dissolved in hot water, as this will cut through the grease that can accumulate in a kitchen.
Stove and stove top
Next, if you want your kitchen to look great then you’ll need to make sure you take good care of your stove and stove top. Of course, cleaning the stove can be a challenging task, especially if you have let food and grease build up on it over a long period. Fortunately, there are some tools and supplies that can help such as a stove cleaning kit that comes with a bag that you can soak your grill pan in, and shelves in. Thereby reducing all that scrubbing.Â
When it comes to the top of your stove, the first thing you’ll need to do is check that it’s in good condition. For example, if there is a chip or crack then you’ll need to look up how to repair the glass stovetop before you move on to giving it a thorough clean. However, if your stovetop is already in good condition you can move straight onto the deep cleaning stage.Â
For metal stove tops, washing up detergent and a sponge are usually the best tools for stove top cleaning. However, if you have a glass or halogen stove, you may need to use a special cleaning cleaning product to ensure you do not damage it.
Cabinets and countertops
Cabinets and countertops are crucial features of any kitchen. Unfortunately, they tend to wear and date fast, leaving your kitchen looking less than its best. Replacing Cabinets and countertops can be very expensive though, and that is why it’s best to consider other ways of improving their appearance.Â
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For example, it is now possible to paint, or recoat kitchen cabinet doors to give them the look of being new, without the expense of fitting all new cabinetry. If you choose to paint your cabinet doors yourself, be sure to sand them down beforehand and use chalk paint as this will make the process easier. Of course, you will need to seal the chalk paint to protect it from the heat, and dampness of the kitchen when cooking, otherwise it won’t be a long-lasting finish.
