How to Clean & Refurbish Laminated Cabinets

Preparation

• 1

  Unscrew the doors and drawers from the cabinet frames. Take off any hardware such as hinges and handles, and place them in a plastic storage bag.

• 2

  Set a dropcloth over the countertops and on the floor in the kitchen. Place another dropcloth on a back patio, driveway or well-ventilated work area, such as a garage. Place the drawers and cabinet doors on the dropcloth in the well-ventilated work area. Tape off where the walls meet the cabinet frames. Use painter's tape that creates a 2-inch-wide border to prevent spills and slips from touching the wall.

• 3

  Wash all cabinet pieces using a mixture of TSP and warm water. Mix the solution according to the manufacturer’s instructions. TSP is an industrial-strength cleanser found in hardware stores in both powder and liquid concentrations. Use a sponge to clean off the cabinets, and wipe them dry using a clean washcloth.

• 4

  Sand the surface of the cabinet doors, drawers and frame using 120-grit sandpaper. Sand until the surface of the cabinets is no longer glossy, which means that you have worn the laminate down. Wipe down the cabinets with a clean tack cloth to remove any sawdust residue.

• 5

  Purchase a semigloss paint that is mold- and mildew-resistant or specially formulated for kitchens. Semigloss is durable against scratches, bubbling and dings and cleans easily.

Painting

• 6

  Prime the cabinet frame and hard-to-reach corners using the 2-inch sash brush and a small paint roller. Use only a small amount of paint at a time, since the primer's only purpose is to help the top coat stick. Allow the primer to dry overnight.

• 7

  Apply a thin top coat of paint using a latex-based semigloss paint.

• 8

  Allow the top coat of paint to dry, and apply a second coat if necessary. Let the cabinets dry overnight before reattaching the hardware pieces and reinstalling the cabinet doors and drawers in the kitchen.