@Chalky Call recommended 9 months ago on this thread to try Unika Supa Matte spray cleaner for matte doors, a quick google search shows you can buy it from lots of suppliers like Amazon and even Howdens. Unika is a major supplier in the kitchen and laminate industry and have a wide range of specialist cleaners available for kitchens,

Looking at some of the products people are using to clean their doors, I really couldn't advise/recommend them.

With all cleaning products, test on an unseen area first to check suitability.

Serica doors are available from lots of independant retailers like me as its used by BA Components to make their matte finish Zurfiz doors and in a wide range of colours, along with their anti-fingerprint technology, these doors are anti-scratch resistant and repairable with thermal heating making them ideal for use in 'true handleless' style kitchens.

Its the little things like product knowledge that make the difference between buying from the sheds, DIY kitchens and Howdens/Magnet or an independant retailer who can guide and advise their customers as to the most suitable products to meet a customers lifestyle and needs.

Got a matt navy howdens kitchen and it's a nightmare! Glad of the cleaning tips but I'm at the point where they'll be getting cleaned with the same stuff as the worktops. If only the doors were like the worktops. We originally were going to go to IKEA but a few people talked us out of it saying you're guaranteed everything comes with your howdens kitchen etc. Should've gone to IKEA. The upside is I love the worktops! I'll try the pink stuff, I've probably got it for cleaning the bathroom. Wee tip, if you ever get a wet room installed, try and avoid the safety flooring if you can. I've spent a fortune on cleaning products for that! 😂 😂

Hi Kirsty, yep we bought the same kitchen........nightmare!! So wish we had just bought one from B and Q or Homebase. Cleaning is a so soul destroying as the navy shows every mark, and you have got to be so quick at buffing it up because of the water marks it leaves. Terrible units! Like you I have spent so much on different cleaners - nothing really works well. I have never spent so much time on cleaning kitchen doors. I have reported this to Howdens and they said 'well no one else has complained' I said you should look at the complaints website! Well I'm stuck with the navy units now as it's too expensive to renew. Hope you find something that works, I'm sick of buying stuff, and buffing up doors.

Following on from @Lifestyle Kitchens post above I have (or rather my husband has) recently installed a new true handless kitchen with Zurfiz Serica matt doors in Kombu Green (very dark green). After reading and following this thread since having ordered the kitchen I was very worried about the prospect of keeping them clean but they are amazing! They hardly show marks and when they do they mostly just need a wipe clean with a wet cloth, for very greasy marks, using a wet cloth with a tiny bit of washing up liquid then drying off with a soft cloth makes them good as new. You only need to wipe down and dry off the part that has a mark on it. No buffing the whole door/drawer front.

The kitchen was supplied by an independent kitchen supplier. They were a lot more flexible than the big names in supplying the exact design we wanted, it worked out cheaper than the quotes from Wickes/Magnet, etc and the spec is higher too!

Hello Cherub Pebble, May I ask the name of the independant kitchen supplier that you used?

@Cherub Pebble really pleased that you're happy with the kombu green serica doors and good to hear that it is so easy to keep clean.

Also your recommendation for the many benefits of using independant kitchen suppliers who are more flexible in their design, supply a higher quality product at a better price and for having greater product knowledge to advise and guide their customers then going to the usual retail park sheds, builders merchants and the large online diy suppliers.

@keiblem

It was a kitchen fitter local to us (North Yorkshire/Cleveland) who was happy to do supply only as my husband is handy and was able to fit our kitchen. It is The Kitchen Surgeon. I don't think he would supply/fit too far afield as so much work available nearby at present. The doors were manufactured by BA components which is a company used by many kitchen suppliers. I think people are often put off by the prospect of independents being expensive, they needn't be and just because they don't have a fancy showroom it doesn't mean the kitchens aren't good but shop around and find a price and service/fitter (if fitting is needed) you are comfortable with.

Thank you Cherub Pebble. I am very likely outside his area but I will check out BA components to begin with.

My last kitchen was fitted by a local supplier. It was many years ago in another part of the country to where I live now. They didn’t have a fancy showroom. In fact I don’t remember that they had anything remotely resembling a showroom. They were however excellent and came in much cheaper than the big boys. Twenty years later, when I moved house, the kitchen was still in excellent condition. It was a painted kitchen. They painted the doors themselves. Not once did those doors give me any grief over cleaning. I cannot believe that so many years down the line, and with all the advances made in kitchen design, that the poor quality of the door finishes on offer now are the cause of so much angst for so many people.

Keiblem, you can’t buy direct from BA Components as they only deal with the trade who have a showroom but you might find some of their ranges online. They also offer the Blossom Hill range which is ready assembled. Here is their link:

https://byba.co.uk/retail/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6NOPBhCPARIsAHAy2zA8O1zsOVkAGQ3mP5-ogHLxI-DAeEjsrnz8DzXHtzOjMQ12gZirU-8aAvp2EALw_wcB

Thank you Daisy, I didn’t imagine I would be able to buy from them direct. I had planned to contact them to hopefully find stockists/ kitchen suppliers in my area. Thank you for the link. It will save me a bit of leg work.

Would you credit it. I have just clicked on the link and one of the business addresses is within walking distance from my old home address. It’s a good 150 miles away now.

We stock samples of most of their doors but where are you based? We are in Staffordshire. We do stock other doors and are currently considering taking on a new range from another supplier.

Hello Daisy, I am in Wales. I am not at the kitchen fitting stage yet. I have a ground floor to excavate and walls to rebuild first. I am trying to save time by doing my research now. I had already settled on a matt kitchen, because I don’t like the shiny finish, but this thread has thrown up issues I hadn’t bargained for.
Come the day I will certainly keep you in mind.

@keiblem

I'm in Northamptonshire and cover pretty much most of the UK and I supply the BA door range and without any showroom overheads. I have a choice of cabinets in flat pack in 27 colours, clik box cabinets and bespoke rigid glue and dowelled with cabinets in about 100 colours and woodgrains.

I also supply supermatt, anti fingerprint doors made using Fenix (https://www.fenixforinteriors.com )which is available in more colours (as used by Plykea).

If you want any assistance and would like to arrange a survey visit just send me a call or DM on my houzz page

Thank you Lifestyle Kitchens. Still a ways to go but I will certainly keep you in mind. I have only recently read about click box cabinets. Are they as robust as conventional methods?

@keiblem

In theory they are more robust than either glue and dowelled rigid and flat pack cam and dowelled cabinets as the joints interlock is all the way through the entire assembly length instead of just where the dowels and cams are and they have a solid top instead of nothing much like ikea/b&q or just a front rail and hardboard back like many cabinets have. They also come with an 8mm mdf back and a 1mm abs edging. What i would add though is i'd also glue the joint as well as just cliking it together especially if the unit is on its own or at the end of a run. There's quite a few clips on you tube from various suppliers showing how easy they go together and BA also have video's of their true handleless fitting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-PhpmDPF20&t=28s&ab_channel=BAComponents

They can also come as a complete built up unit with the doors/drawers already fitted (apart from towers) and if the door is available in made to measure so can the cabinet (ie zurfiz doors), they can also be delivered as a true handleless version with the side panels machined to accept the gola handle rails. They come with hettich soft close hinges and drawers, in a choice of silver or black, or in 'tip on' push to open. Base cabinets are 570 deep with a 49mm void and 513mm internal depth, wall units are 330 deep, have hidden suspension brackets, 18mm void and a 304mm internal depth. Available in 4 colours, white, grey, anthracite and urban oak.

Thank you Lifestyle Kitchens for taking the time to furnish me with all this useful information. Very much appreciated. Do you have a reception? I visit Milton Keynes every once in a while. Next time I am there I could try to get over to see what you have.

@keiblem

I don't have a showroom or anything as I always visit customers houses to take measurments, discuss designs, wishlists etc and get an idea of what will work best for people, take photos and look for pipework runs, plumbing and electrics. I can get samples etc sent direct to customers houses as tbh, its all well and good looking at a door in a showroom but you can take the same door back to your kitchen and it can look completely different in daylight and different lighting. if you DM message me I can send you some brochures to give you some ideas to start with and I can go further indepth as to what is available and would suit your requirements instead of hijacking this thread.

Thank you Lifestyle kitchens

Your comments have really put me off my dream Howdens super matt cabinets. I asked them about the cleaning and they said 'our customers are very happy with the magic eraser we recommend' - any thoughts?

I'm not sure i'd recommend using something abrasive like 'magic eraser' for everyday cleaning, maybe ask howdens if you can borrow a door (or buy a small drawer front) so you can see what it looks like in your house and then see how well it stands up to cleaning with a magic eraser. Would of thought they would recommend the unika super matte cleaner considering they sell it. Personally i'd look at the serica or fenix finished doors as they are anti fingerprint.

Which companies use that material? my fitter works with Gaddersby

Big handles, light colours and you'd be fine.

My off white matt kitchen is fine re marks, the dark blue larder picks them up a bit but has door knobs and drawer pulls which means less touching.

@Cheryl Pelteret is gaddersby part of ECF? I get Serica doors from BA, but you need a trade account. For Fenix doors, these i get specially made, either laminated on mdf or birch ply, but the price does go up quite a bit. You can DM me if you want further info/quote/samples.

Have you tried ecloths? They seem to have a solution for everything. I’ve never had such easy window cleaning since I bought an ecloth… I also use them for glass polishing and other surfaces.

maybe but so many on here deeoly regret buying the matt so i can not risk it

It must just come down to the finish, I have a Matt kitchen but just a simple anti-bac wipe cleans them up no issue
Mines from Wren, not sure if this makes a difference on the finish? But I certainly didn’t want gloss!

Just came across this thread. I purchased a black matt kitchen from wren in 2019 and I must say cleaning the doors is a nightmare. For oil marks, try fairy liquid straight onto a microfiber cloth. Don't dilute it! This will remove the oil with some patience and once done wipe down with a wet cloth over and over until the soap has been removed. You'll have to be quick so i suggest cleaning each door one by one. You can then buff the door with a dry cloth. I have one particular door that is placed well away from any water and this door faces direct sunlight. I recall a day in the summer when I cleaned this door without buffing it and the door has discloured significantly. I have a feeling that direct sunlight and a wet door can cause water marks that cannot be removed once dry. Wren have been helpful enough to send out a new door for me and I'm curious to see if it's the sunlight and water that actually damages these doors. If anyone can suggest an easier method to clean a black matt kitchen then please reach out to me. Many thanks. Ash

Just finished fitting my ikea navy blue kitchen and randomly discovered that a spot of hand sanitiser gel on a microfiber cloth takes fingerprints right off instantly, no faffing about with water and detergent etc. Try it!

Hi, I have just solved this problem for myself, although I notice a similar solution below which I promise I never read. I take a sheet of kitchen roll and apply a small amount of Fairy Liquid neat. I then rub this over the oily marks. Then I take a dish cloth from some fresh warm soapy water and wash the whole door (it makes a suds finish but ignore that). Then just wipe the door with a clean sheet of kitchen roll, wait a few seconds whilst there is evaporation and thats it. I did this to my Matt dark blue kitchen doors at the weekend and they look like new!

Hi,

We suggest a microfibre cloth with a little water sprayed onto the cloth.

Kind regards

Jikoni Interiors

www.jikoniinteriors.com

I have covered this already in an earlier message but hey ho. Instead of having to come up with labour intensive and sometimes hazardous solutions to cleaning these, unfit for purpose, kitchen cabinets. The manufacturers should be making cabinets that are and the retailers should be honest and tell the consumer from the onset that, unless you want your kitchen to look unattractive and be the devil to clean, don't buy this product. Given the very many messages about this problematic product. I ask myself if they should even be selling these kitchens.

Hi,

Apologies if you have already covered this on an earlier message.

We have a Supermatt Door Aftercare Care Kit available which includes-

- 250 ml spray bottle of laminate cleaner, microfibre cloth, magic eraser x2 and full instructions.

-The door care kit is suitable for use with Supermatt door finishes

- Special formula cleans using safe ingredients that wont damage the surface.

- Leaves fingerprint and streak free with a fantastic low sheen finish.

If you would like to get in touch and speak to us on 01604 263 070.

Kind regards,

Jikoni Interiors

www.jikoniinteriors.com

Nice idea but should we really have to resort to aftercare kits for kitchen cupboard doors which are the workhorses of the house? Spray, wipe, done should be all that is needed. I had a painted kitchen for years and that was all I ever had to do to keep it clean.

I use a wetish cloth and "the pink stuff" I gently rub the horrible water and grease marks out then buff dry with clean dry tea towels, cloth or micro fibre cloth. Works great fir me! I have a matte navy blue kitchen from Bradfords.

I have had my kitchen around 18months and this is the only product I will use. I have 2 pictures below to show how clean they look. I last cleaned them around 4 days ago and usually give them a wipe down every 1-2 weeks.

I am at a pint now were I’m gonna rip it out and buy again three years of hard work bought this from benchmark grey mat the salesman Phil told me it was easy to clean rubbish I would love to take them to court to get my money back I advise anyone not to buy a mat kitchen they are not fit for purpose and you will waste your money warning

Its endless. the minute you succeed at getting them clean you myst do again as soon as someone opens a cabinet. its so depressing after waiting so long to redo my kitchen now this:(((

They should be a claims court to get your money back I’m going to look into it it’s not right ripping you off like that

Doesn't matter whatever kitchen company you use you will have problems cleaning matt doors

Recently at work I used a furniture liquid that reduces imprint marks, but figer prints with oil on matt non-lacquer or not gloss finish economic doors is nearlwy impossible to guarantee to saty clean (ps I don't wok for benchmark! I worked with several others though and work with Porcelanosa now so not in position to really comment on different quality doors)

Doesn’t have to be oily still leaves streaks and smears when wiping down no I’m just a shaming salesman’s who they work for these companies tell you that can be cleaned when they can’t

It's really depending on the finish materials that will be easier or harder. Did you try with a warm wet cloth

Honestly, try the pink stuff paste. Wet a cloth and apply some of the paste. Wipe down the cupboard then use a microfiber cloth to buff dry. It hasn't left and wipe marks or smears and eliminated water and grease marks. Make sure to do 1 door at a time. I honestly felt the same after spending £30,000 on my dream kitchen and was ready to rip it out until I tried this method!

Thank you Samantha will do il give it a go 😭😭😭

No! Don’t use pink stuff paste or a magic eraser! Pink stuff spray is fine but not the paste. We have spare doors at work and have done tests on them. You should not use a product that is harsh such as paste because in time it will take the surface of the door off.

If however your doors are so bad that they are ready for replacing you have nothing to loose.

I’m now monitoring the removal of marks with baby wipes. For some strange reason they seem to shift a multitude of sins.

I was in dispair too but….this is a game changer…KOH cleaning spray. There is nothing to dislike about this. just spray and wipe down with a microfibre cloth, fingerprint/greasy marks totally gone. koh.com

it really is amazing.

I use citrus based label remover spray (different brands at low cost on Amazon). This works an absolute treat on oily finger prints and other kitchen stains. Quick spray, microfibre wipe and that’s it. Repeat if not completely gone.

Daisy. Do you have any photos or further information of your tests with Magic Eraser use on the doors please? Thanks Jon