Care & Maintenance
Caring for Cabinetry & Millwork
Updated 3 min read
The short answer
Three things keep millwork looking right: hold indoor humidity near 35% through winter, clean with a damp cloth and mild soap rather than anything abrasive or solvent-based, and re-tighten and adjust hardware once a year. That is genuinely most of it, and the humidity point matters more in Calgary than almost anywhere else in Canada.
Humidity is the one that actually matters
Calgary is one of the driest major cities in Canada. In a heated house through January, indoor relative humidity commonly sits between 15% and 25% — far below the 35–45% range wood is happiest in.
At that level wood gives up moisture and shrinks across the grain. Door panels contract within their frames, mitres open at the corners, wide shelves cup, and solid timber develops fine surface checks. Then spring arrives, humidity rises, and everything moves back. Chinooks accelerate the cycle by swinging temperature and furnace demand rapidly.
A whole-house humidifier, or a decent portable unit in the main living area, holding around 35% through the heating season is the single most effective thing you can do for cabinetry, trim, hardwood floors and any solid timber in the house. It is also better for the people living there.
Do not overcorrect. Sustained humidity much above 50% in a Calgary winter causes condensation on cold windows and can create its own problems. Around 35% is the target.
Cleaning: what to use and what to avoid
- Use
- A soft cloth, warm water and a small amount of mild dish soap. Wipe, then dry. This handles almost everything on a catalysed or painted finish.
- Avoid abrasives
- Scouring pads, powder cleansers and magic-eraser style melamine sponges all abrade a finish. They work by removing material, including your finish.
- Avoid ammonia and bleach
- Glass cleaners containing ammonia and any bleach-based product will dull and degrade a cabinet finish over time.
- Avoid silicone polishes
- They build up a film that attracts dust and makes future refinishing difficult. A finished cabinet does not need polish.
- Wipe spills promptly
- Particularly at the base of a sink cabinet and on any MDF component. Standing water is what causes swelling.
- Be careful with steam
- Steam mops and steam cleaners near cabinet plinths drive moisture into joints and edges. Avoid them around millwork.
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Annual ten-minute maintenance
- Check every door for alignment and adjust hinges — six-way hinges make this a two-minute job per door.
- Tighten any loose handles and knobs.
- Check drawer slides run freely; clear any debris from the runners.
- Inspect caulk lines at the wall and floor for gaps, and re-caulk where they have opened.
- Check the base of sink and laundry cabinets for any sign of water damage.
- Wipe down the tops of upper cabinets and any high shelf.
- Re-oil any oiled hardwood surface such as a butcher-block counter or a hardwood island top.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- What humidity should I keep my house at in winter?
- Around 35% relative humidity is a good target for wood millwork in a Calgary winter. Much lower and wood shrinks noticeably; much above 50% and you risk condensation on cold windows. A whole-house humidifier on the furnace is the easiest way to hold it steady.
- How do I clean painted cabinets without damaging them?
- A soft cloth with warm water and a little mild dish soap, then wipe dry. Avoid abrasive pads, powder cleansers, melamine sponges, ammonia-based glass cleaners and bleach — all of them remove or degrade the finish, and the damage is cumulative rather than immediate.
- My cabinet doors have gone out of alignment. Is that normal?
- Yes, and it is expected over time as a house settles and moves seasonally. Six-way adjustable concealed hinges are designed exactly for this and let a door be brought back into alignment in a couple of minutes. It is not a defect and it does not require a trade visit for most people.
- Can I repair a chip in a painted finish myself?
- Small chips can be touched up with matching paint, and it is worth asking for a small quantity of the finish paint when a project completes for exactly this reason. Larger damage, or damage on a shop-sprayed catalysed finish, is better handled professionally because touch-up on a sprayed finish can show if not blended properly.
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