Should you line your kitchen cabinets?
The decision on whether or not to line your cabinets in the kitchen can be a tough one to make. This is because most modern cabinets have a melamine surface meant to protect the surface from wear and tear.
However, the melamine tends to be very thin and wears out very quickly leaving your cabinet surface exposed. Wet dishes particularly create a damp environment inside the cabinet. This dampness allows mold and mildew to grow leaving marks and smell that can be difficult to get rid of.
Nonetheless, there are several reasons why our moms preferred to line the cabinets, which we shall look at in this article. If you are confused about what to do, we hope the points noted here will help you make a firm decision.
Should you line your kitchen cabinets? 5 Reasons why it’s necessary
1. Protect the cabinet surface
One of the main reasons for lining kitchen shelves, cabinets, and drawers is to protect them from stains, marks, and scratches.
Any water left on the dishes can damage the wooden surface of the cabinet when stored without wiping.
Also, for under the sink cabinets, any leakage from the plumbing can destroy the cabinet and even result in the growth of mold and mildew.
In addition, if your pots and pans are not cleaned properly, traces of oil may leave unsightly marks on the drawer. So with a liner in place, it would catch the oil and water leakage and protect the cabinet.
Your utensils and dishes are also bound to scratch the surface of the cabinets as you take them in and out on a daily basis. Thus, although lining shelves and cabinets may be an old fashioned practice, it helps to protect surfaces especially when they are new or made of delicate material.
2. Make cleaning easier
Shelf or cabinet liners make it easier for you to clean the drawers and cabinets. This is because, if you use the non-sticky liners, you can simply remove them from the cabinet and wipe down without requiring a special detergent or cleaner.
In the absence of a liner, any mess created inside the cabinet means that it has to be cleaned carefully so as not to damage the surface. In most cases, you may need a special cleaner and detergent depending on the type of surface.
3. Provide a firm grip for items
If you have large drawers, you may find that your utensils and dishes may move around when you are opening or closing the drawers.
To prevent this, a high-quality rubber or cork cabinet liner can provide a firm grip for the items especially the small ones and keep them in place.
4. For décor purpose
Let’s be honest; cabinet, drawer or shelf liners are really cute. They come in different colors and prints or patterns that can complement your kitchen décor quite well.
For instance, a plain white kitchen with white cabinets can look exceptionally good with colored liners with your desired print.
However, be careful not to use liners that may make your kitchen look dull.
5. Cover old marks and scratches
Assuming you just moved into another house that you just bought or rented and want to change the kitchen décor to complement your style. Then you find that the previous owner used adhesive shelf liners that look really ugly and you have to change them.
The problem with adhesive liners is that they may not be easy to remove. Any attempt at pulling or scrubbing them out may leave debris and unsightly scratches and marks.
You make need a lot of patience to completely remove the stuck pieces of liner and stains. Alternatively, you can simply place your desired liner over the old one and your cabinets will be as good as new.
See also: Best glass jars for making overnight oats and salads
Conclusion
Most of us grew up seeing our moms and grannies faithfully line cabinets, shelves and drawers in every room in the house. So, should you line your kitchen cabinets too? There is no doubt that this practice is quite old but it is not outdated. Today, shelf liners come in different materials, colors, prints or patterns unlike many years ago where they were plain and simple. So they add to the overall appearance of your kitchen along with protecting the surfaces from water damage, scratches, marks, and stains.