Do White Kitchen Cabinets Turn Yellow?

Photo from Wayfair

Yes, white cabinets and countertops will fade with time if they are dealing with a lot of bright sunlight for an extended period of time. Because of the jaundice-like impact, if not carefully guarded, the consequence might cause significant remorse after only just a few years of use. Attempt to observe the kitchen and the sequence of natural daylight it obtains on a daily basis prior to actually deciding on an all-white layout. This will assist you in determining which portions of the space may be at risk of being contaminated. When faced with this issue, hanging drapes and blinds can be a lifesaving solution, but if you’re still uncertain, don’t be reluctant to question it with the contractor.

How to Maintain the Whiteness of the Cabinets?

Even if white is your favorite color and you can’t resist but have attractive creamy kitchen cabinetry on either a glossy or flat surface, keeping it looking its best can be a difficult undertaking. With only a few basic tips, you can keep your white cabinets looking like an expert.

Protect from Excessive Sunlight

One of the most likely causes, why white cabinets acquire a dingy yellow, is due to prolonged exposure to environmental sunlight. Although the sunlight can be damaging to the skin, it could also cause damage to white kitchen cabinets and countertops. Applying curtains, drapes, or shades, you may safeguard your sparkling white kitchens from the destructive impacts of sunrays. It would not only soften the bright light in the kitchen, but it would also provide a gorgeous depth to the room.

Seal the Painted Surface

Paint your yellowish cabinets white to make them look new again. If you’re tempted to protect them with lacquer, varnish, or a top-coat sealing agent after painting them, hold off until you’ve given some thought to the pros and disadvantages of each. It is possible that the yellowing of oil-based sealants, and some water-based sealants, was the source of the initial issue. Using a stain-blocking priming agent and high-quality bathroom and kitchen paints as a base coat will ensure that the cabinetry is protected from damage after they have been painted.

Use Kitchen Ingredients for Cleaning

You may be wondering how else you can prevent these grout lines from producing unsightly spots on a daily basis.  We recommend that you use a uniform solution of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to wipe off these unsightly marks and that you are using a brush to do so. Lemon could also be used as a replacement for vinegar in some recipes. Wipe the laminates with the same solution that you used to cleanse them. All that has to be done is a light scrubbing with a nylon brush. After cleaning, allow it to dry completely to achieve gleaming cabinets.

Refrain from Soaking the Cabinets

During the cleaning procedure, the water or cleaning liquid must be sprayed on and wiped off the cabinets. Do not saturate the cabinets with water as this could cause harm.

Maintenance is Key

There is no easier method to keep white kitchens in good condition than to maintain them on a direct and frequent basis. Keep a supply of housework detergents and other basic household cleaners on hand, and you should be fine. It is possible to use something as basic as warm water and a gentle cloth to accomplish this.

Install Hardware

The cabinets are becoming increasingly filthy since we have not yet installed any hardware on them yet, which is understandable given that we have not yet gone around to it yet. We’ve started putting it off since we aren’t sure what we really want yet, but we need to make decisions as soon as possible since we know it will lead to significant improvements in maintaining things slightly more orderly in the future.

Wipe the High-Traffic Zones

Although it is not always practicable to thoroughly clean all of the cabinets every evening, a little additional effort can go ways way in this situation. While tidying the kitchen each evening, We make a point of grabbing a baby wipe and going over the parts that are visibly dirty. Like any maintenance chore, the less time you could spend allowing items to accumulate, the well-off you will be.

How Can You Seal White Cabinets Without Yellowing?

The application of Minwax Polycrylic water-based preventive coating on white painted furnishings is the most effective technique to prevent the yellowing of the paint color. Please be aware that the type of wood, as well as the kind of paint you are working with, can both induce color fading, so that isn’t always the finish that is to blame. There are a variety of other solutions available than Minwax Polycrylic, and this is a very common choice that several people are finding to be successful when used over white paint. I would put this finishing over white-painted cabinets and chairs for improved protection because it withstands really well to daily use. Chalk paints often require a wax coating, so beware of applying polyurethane products over them if at all possible. Let’s start with a discussion of which clear coat sealers can not be used atop white paint.

How to Prevent White Paint from Yellowing When Clear Coat is Applied?

With or without a top coat, the color of any white paint will fade over time. After a few years, you may have observed that the fresh paint on the white wood is brighter.  If you transparent coat a white or light paint with a water-based finish, you may pull out compounds in the woodwork including such tannins, pigments, or unidentified compounds in old treatments that cause the overcoat to yellow, leading the paint to turn yellow as a result of the reactivity. This is a problem that affects the overall market, and it might occur at any moment.

Yellowing can’t be predicted beforehand with any degree of certainty. We don’t always understand the history of a piece’s previous treatment because it’s so unique. Each tree and each piece of wood are one-of-a-kind. A natural climatic shift might cause wood to hemorrhage tannins as soon even as the topcoat has dried, or months at a time. Oaks, spruce, mahogany, and douglas fir are the woods that are most susceptible to bleeding.

The water-based topcoats from General Finishes have always dried clear over a non-reactive base like metal and plastic, although it is better to be prepared when applying them to hardwood because of the inherent uncertainty. Synthetic staining and tannin inhibiting primer and a brushable white enamel were developed to help prevent yellowing in the first place. However, the safest option is to avoid using a varnish on whites and light paints altogether.

Do Professionally White Painted Cabinets Hold Up?

It’s a fantastic idea to get the white cabinets repainted. It is an excellent method for extending the life of the white cabinetry, making it look better, and ensuring that it does not become stained as quickly as it otherwise might. On the other hand, you might find yourself wondering whether it would be preferable to find a qualified cabinet painting professional.

Cabinets that have been painted properly do not chip or peel and could last anything between 8 to 15 years. For the best potential outcomes, it is highly suggested to perform periodic touch-ups on the paint. If you choose the correct kind of professional, the paint job is going to turn out to look outstanding and well-balanced.

Once it comes to painting the kitchen cabinets in white, the finish is what ultimately convinces you to go ahead and do it. If you do not even work with an expert, you run the risk of not liking how particular cabinetry seem when viewed individually.

Does White Laminate Cabinets Yellow?

When you prepare meals, there is a possibility that fragments of oil and high humidity will accumulate on the exterior of the laminates. Because of this, the white surfaces could end up looking yellow over time. The durability of the laminated cabinetry may also suffer if there is too much humidity present.

Switch on the exhaust fan or kitchen vent to remove a few of the dampness and greasy particulates from the air before they can settle on the cabinetry. This will protect the cabinets from developing mold and yellowing over time. In addition, you need to inspect for any leaks and spills of liquid and wipe them up right away to avoid any irreversible discoloration.