It’s every kitchen lover’s worst nightmare (maybe that’s a tad dramatic, but…): you refinish or reface your cabinets, or install completely custom cabinetry only to find dings, dents, or scratches within days of project completion. Here are some tips for keeping your cabinets in great condition from install all the way to next Fall, and all the seasons beyond.

Adopt a “Hands-Only” Policy for Opening and Closing Cabinets

We’ve all done it: open the cabinet, grab the multi-cooker, and close the cabinet, GASP!, with the multi-cooker. It’s as if saving the extra 10 seconds will somehow make us Queen, or King, of the kitchen. Using hands filled with small appliances, cutlery, or other objects to close cabinets is a quick way to make a scratch, dent, or ding. And don’t even think about closing bottom row cabinets with your feet! You may cause chips or gouges, and those can’t be so easily repaired.

Pro-tip: If you’re a multi-tasker, and you just can’t break the habit, talk to your cabinet design team at Kitchen FX about self-closing cabinet hinges and the best types of cabinet woods, facings, and finishes to hide tiny imperfections.

Choose a Cabinet Finish or Cabinet Facing Made for Your Life

Perhaps some of the greatest home trends of modern living are the ones that take us back to ranch, farm, and Americana living. We’re embracing old, dented, scratched-up furniture and accessories. Farmhouse style cabinet facings and finishes hide imperfections in plain sight because they look like they’re a part of the design; as time goes by, the added wear and tear adds more charm to the look.

Pro-tip: Before you decide on a finish and style for your kitchen cabinets, talk to the kitchen cabinet experts at Kitchen FX. They can help you pick a trend that will stay in style, and choose the right colors for your cabinets so that you love your kitchen for years to come.

Clean up “now” not “later

Enjoying life is all about leaving messes for later, right? While that’s true just about everywhere, it’s never more untrue than in your kitchen. A splash of pasta sauce left after Friday’s spaghetti date night could turn into a cabinet hazard by Saturday morning. Spills and smears harden on cabinet surfaces, and the cleaners and sponges you’ll use to scrub them off later can definitely leave a mark.

Pro-tip: When selecting your cabinets and finishes, talking to your Kitchen FX cabinet design expert about easy-clean finishes and the proper cleaning supplies for your cabinets. Cleaning stained wood cabinets, for example, is very different from cleaning painted cabinets, and it pays to know that difference.

One last thought: Over time, all things will accrue scratches, dents and dings. Embracing these imperfections made by the use and enjoyment of your kitchen will open you up to a life of relaxation. But if you just can’t let it go, there’s always a touch up kit.