Care & Maintenance
Product Care & Maintenance
Listed below are a few helpful hints to keep your new cabinets are looking like new for many years. Pioneer Cabinets use only the highest quality products and materials.
Please ensure you are using cleaning products recommended by the manufacturer and nothing with additional chemicals if not necessary. For further information, please reach out to us.
Please refer to manufacturer's instructions for care and maintenance on laminated and other surfaces and products.
Caring For Your Custom Cabinets
AVOID EXCESS WATER USAGE
- The materials used in the production of your new cabinetry are top quality and highly moisture resistant.
- However, care must still be taken not to allow excessive water to pond on any of the cabinet materials. All spillage should be wiped as they occur to avoid damages.
CARING FOR THE JOINTS IN YOUR TABLETOP
- The joints to our benchtops are sealed with a waterproof sealing agent to give maximum protection even with all the preventative action taken at the time of manufacture and installation.
- All care must be taken to avoid contact with water or hot objects particularly in the area around joins.
CARING FOR POLISHED TIMBER
- Wipe all surfaces clean with clean water after washing dishes.
- Products such as Mirotone Spray Glow or Teak oil may be used to restore shine.
- Avoid abrasive cleaners or cleaning agents.
- Do not sit hot or wet objects directly on surface.
Granite Care
AVOID EXCESS WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
- We would suggest that you avoid placing extreme weight on the overhangs of your bench tops. For example, climbing on an overhang to change a light bulb would be strongly discouraged.
AVOID PUTTING HOT POTS/PANS ON BENCH
- Granite is a substance that quickly absorbs heat and distributes it out. We would recommend extremely hot pans not be placed on or near small granite strips (up to 200mm) due to the fact there is not enough material to distribute the heat.
- When placing hot pans on the countertop, you will want to avoid coming in contact with the exposed granite area due to the extreme heat being transferred by the pan into the granite.
INVEST IN CUTTING BOARDS
- Granite is the hardest countertop material you can buy. We recommend using cutting boards for both cutting and hot items to prolong the integrity of the surface.
GRANITE CHIPS
- There are rare occasions when you may accidentally chip the granite. In some cases, this can be fixed by applying a colourised epoxy, which is a procedure that can be done by one of our stone masons.
Granite Cleaning
To keep your granite in tip-top condition, five simple maintenance procedures are necessary. For best results, they should be followed closely:
CLEANING YOUR GRANITE
- To clean your countertop, use a diluted mixture of methylated spirits and water or stone cleaner sprayed onto the surface and wiped over with a warm soft white cloth.
- These products are available in stores that carry household cleaning products or your local supermarket.
AVOID STREAKS
- To avoid streaks, buff the countertop with a clean white soft cloth.
POLISHING GRANITE
- Occasionally apply a good stone polish to the surface of the countertop to help prevent staining.
- Our stonemasons will seal your bench-tops at the time of installation with a solvent-based impregnator to resist oil and other staining materials, but not for prolonged amounts of time.
CLEANING SPILLS
- If a spill occurs, mop it up with paper towel and wipe down with warm water and stone cleaner to avoid staining.
- We recommend the reapplication of an impregnator every seven years. This product is available from our stonemasons.
REMOVING GRANITE STAINS
- If you spill red wine, beetroot or other materials that can stain your bench top, blot it up with clean paper towel as soon as possible.
- To remove stubborn surface stains, the use of gumption is recommended.
- If this doesn't remove the stain, place a blob of gumption over the stain, cover it with glad wrap to form a poultice and leave overnight to help draw it out.
For further information regarding cracks, polishing, cleaning or anything else, please give us a call on (07) 4952 4990.
Laminate Surface Care
For general care and maintenance, simply wipe away most spills or marks with a damp cloth or soapy (gentle) hot water for tougher spills. An all-purpose cleaner such as Windex spray cleaner or Ajax Spray n Wipe can be used from time to time. Rubbing gently with a clean, dry cloth brings back the brightness of laminates.
With a few sensible precautions, your Laminex® laminate surface will enjoy a long lifespan.
GENERAL CARE - INFORMATION
- Avoid scourers and abrasives as they will damage the surface.
- Don't place hot objects, electrical appliances, or pots straight from the oven or cooker onto your Laminex laminate surface.
- Don't cut on the Laminex laminate surface.
- Keep waxes and polishes well away as they dull the natural shine.
- Do not use strongly acidic, alkaline cleaners or bleach for normal cleaning as these might etch the surface.
GENERAL CARE - STREAKS
- Streaky marks sometimes show on dark colours after cleaning and can be rectified by simply drying with a soft cloth. An all-purpose cleaner such as Windex spray cleaner or Ajax Spray n Wipe can also be used from time to time.
GENERAL CARE - GREASE
- Using a mild dishwashing detergent in water will remove greasy marks. Dab, wait and wipe away.
GENERAL CARE - SPILLS
- Laminex laminate surfaces resist staining from most household chemicals, immediate action is essential. Wipe off beetroot, grape and berry juices, first aid preparations, concentrated bleach, oven cleaners, dishwasher detergents, artificial dyes, hair colorings and solvent based pen ink immediately to name a few. Specialty glues such as Super Glue must also be removed straight away with acetone (nail polish remover).
GENERAL CARE - STAINS
- If the stain won't budge with Extra Strength Windex, try methylated spirits, or dab the stain with a diluted bleach mixture (1 part bleach to 8 parts water); leave for 3 minutes then wash off with water and dry. Finish off with Extra Strength Windex. Only as a last resort if a stain persists try 2 or 3 rubs with a crème cleanser or white toothpaste, wash and dry. Please note that bleach or these abrasive cleaners may irreversibly damage the laminate surface.
GENERAL CARE - SCRATCHES
- Laminex 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 or lower gloss colours. To minimise scratching, always place and lift objects from the surface - never drag or slide them across the surface.
SPECIFIC CARE - LAMINATES
- (This applies to Squareform Benchtops, Fire Retardant Laminates, Chemical Resistant Laminates, Aquapanel Wet Area Panelling, Vizage Wall Lining, Fusion Laminates and Compact Laminate). A damp cloth will remove spills and greasy spots. Rub with a clean dry cloth to bring back brightness. Occasionally clean with mild dishwashing detergent. To remove heavy build-up of dirt use cleaners such as Mr Muscle, Windex or Ajax Spray n Wipe spray cleaners.
SPECIFIC CARE - DIAMONDGLOSS® LAMINATES
- Wipe off spills or marks promptly with gentle rubbing using a soft cloth and mild dishwashing detergent. Dry with a soft, dry cloth. For more persistent marks, use a glass window cleaner. Never use abrasive cleaners - even those in liquid form - as they will mark the high gloss surface. If used as a whiteboard surface, whiteboard markers or liquid chalk marker pens only should be used. The use of permanent markers is not recommended, as while it is possible to clean them off, they may leave ghosting or non-removable marks over time. A soft cloth (no wetting) should remove whiteboard/liquid chalk marker pens. If necessary, a soft cloth made damp with water can also be used. As with all whiteboard surfaces, general wear and tear such as scratches or scuff marks will occur over time which will make cleaning more difficult. When marker pen cannot be removed with a damp cloth, consideration should be given to replacing the whiteboard surface.
