Care and Maintenance Guide For Your New Joinery

Laminates

Most spills simply wipe away with a damp cloth or Windex spray cleaner. Rubbing gently with a clean, dry cloth brings back the brightness

Benchtop Laminate Surface Finish

Finish Type	Care And Maintenance
Solid colour & pattern laminates Matt & Gloss finish	A damp cloth removes spills and greasy spots. Rub with a clean, dry cloth to bring back brightness. Occasionally clean with warm soapy water. To remove heavy build-up of dirt use Windex spray cleaner
Solid colour & pattern laminates Textured Finish	Use Windex spray cleaner for best results. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth - repeat if necessary. Gently brush persistent dirt spots with Windex spray cleaner and a soft nylon bristle nailbrush or toothbrush

Vertical Surface Finishes

Finish Type	Care And Maintenance
Vertical high gloss laminates	Wipe down with a damp cloth or Windex spray cleaner. Rub over with a soft dry cloth. NEVER use abrasive cleaners
Metallic finish laminates	Wipe off spills or marks promptly with a soft cloth and warm soapy water. NEVER use abrasive cleaners – even those in liquid form – as they will impair the surface. NEVER use solvents on metallic laminates.
Colour panel & rolled edge doors decorative melamine panels	A damp cloth removes spills and greasy spots. Rub with a clean, dry cloth to bring back brightness. Occasionally clean with warm soapy water. To remove heavy build-up of dirt use Windex spray cleaner

Do's and Don'ts:

• Don't place electrical appliances or pots straight from the oven / cooker directly onto your laminate surface.
• Avoid scourers and abrasives - they will damage the surface
• Do not cut or chop on the laminate surface
• Keep waxes and polishes (such as Mr Sheen or Pledge) well away, they merely dull the natural shine.
• Do not place burning cigarettes onto laminate surfaces.
• Do not leave puddles of liquid on laminate surfaces for long periods of time especially near joins.
• Do not place severe weight on surfaces particularly near sink or hotplate cutouts and overhangs.

Streaks

Streaky marks sometimes show on dark colours after cleaning. Windex spray cleaner should wipe them away.

Grease

Clean, soapy water will deal with greasy marks. Dab, wait and wipe away. Finish off with Windex spray cleaner.

Spills

Laminate surfaces resist staining from most household chemicals. With some accidental spills, however, you must take prompt action. Wipe off beetroot, juices, first aid preparations, concentrated bleach, oven cleaners, dishwasher detergents and artificial dyes or hair colouring IMMEDIATELY.

Everyday spills like water, soft drinks, etc wipe off in a timely manner, as they will have an adverse effect on the laminate coating.

Stains

Methylated spirits or 2 / 3 light rubs with a cream cleanser may help if the stain won't budge with Extra Strength Windex. As a last resort dab stain with a diluted bleach mixture (1 part bleach, 8 parts water), leave three minutes then remove. Finish off with Extra Strength Windex. Note: that this method may bleach the surface.

Scratches

Laminate surfaces will withstand normal wear and tear, but can be damaged by scratching or cutting with utensils, knives and unglazed pottery. Darker colours will show scratches more readily than lighter colours. In general, dark colours and high gloss surfaces require more care and maintenance than lighter colours / lower gloss.

To minimise scratching, always place and lift objects from the surface - never drag or slide them across the surface.

Polyurethane Paint (2 Pac)

Polyurethane not only looks great, it is exceptionally resistant to such things as moisture and staining. When properly cared for, these surfaces last many years.

Recommended Cleaners

• Light Cleaning: To enhance gloss and remove fingermarks and handprints, we recommend using a micro fibre cloth. This will maintain a chemical-free and pristine finish.
• General Cleaning & Stains: All but the most stubborn stains can be removed by using mild detergent, warm water and a lint-free (preferably micro fibre) cloth. If this method is insufficient, Spray & Wipe (or an equivalent product) is recommended.
• NEVER use abrasive cleaners (such as Gumption or Jif) as they will strip the surface of gloss and instantly deteriorate the finish.

Whilst polyurethane surfaces are generally resistant to solvents, we do not recommend using solvent based products when cleaning.

Reconstituted Stone & Granite Surfaces

Whilst these surfaces are very hard and the surface can sustain a fair amount of normal daily use without any damaging effects, you should take care not to drop heavy articles on the surface or stand up on benches. Placing severe weight on the surface should be avoided particularly near sink or hotplate cutouts and overhangs.

• Cleaning: Water and mild detergent are generally all that is required.
• Heat Resistance: Reconstituted Stones & Granite can tolerate moderately hot temperatures for brief periods of time without warping, discolouring or otherwise being damaged. Care should be taken to avoid direct contact for a long time. It is therefore recommended that you use a heat resistant mat or other surface protector when taking items directly from the stove or oven.
• Polishing: With the right care and maintenance, they should keep their gloss and smooth surface without polishing.
• Tough – Yes, Indestructible – No: As with any surface, Reconstituted Stone & Granite can be permanently damaged by exposure to strong chemicals and solvents that undermine its physical properties.

Do not use products that contain trichlorethane or methylene chloride, such as paint removers or strippers.

Avoid any highly aggressive cleaning agents like oven cleaner that have high alkaline/pH levels. Should the surface be accidentally exposed to any of these damaging products, rinse immediately with water to neutralize the effect. Do not use as a cutting surface. Always use a chopping board.

Staining

Reconstituted Stones and Granite are porous and will absorb water, oils and greases and colour stains such as beetroot or wine. Whilst absorption will not harm the surface, oils and colour stains will penetrate and are very difficult to remove.

In general water will not affect and should dry out and leave no markings.  However if other substances such as oils or coloured spills are spilt onto Granite or Reconstituted Stone, they should be wiped off immediately with a warm soapy cloth.

Abrasive cleaners such as Ajax or Jif etc…used over time will scratch the surface and take off the sheen and therefore should NOT be used to clean Granite or Reconstituted Stone.

The use of a chopping board for cutting and placing hot articles on will assist in longevity of the surface and is highly recommended.

Solid Surfaces (eg. Hi-Macs, Staron)

Acrylic Solid Surface tops are non-porus and so are stain and bacterial resistant.  To remove any discolourations, lightly rub Jif or the like over the stain and it will remove.  This process will dull the sheen, however polishing is simple and easy for Kilfoy Cabinets to complete.  We suggest having this done once a year.

The use of a chopping board for cutting and hot articles will assist in maintenance of the surface and is highly recommended.

HANDLES

The best method of care and maintenance of handles must involve the use of non-abrasive, non-acidic cleaners that will not break down the protective coating. The safest method is a clean damp cloth to wipe clean any dust or residue. Try to avoid storage of cleaners and other products nearby that may produce vapours and therefore reduce the effectiveness of this coating.

Hinges, lift-up, draw systems etc…

Kilfoy Cabinets use Blum hardware as standard, unless otherwise requested by the customer.  All Blum hardware comes with a life time, 20 year warranty (except Servo-drive units). 

Helpful Links

• Caesarstone
• Laminex Australia
• Blum Australia
• Hi-Macs
• Staron
• Polytec