i cook indian about once a week and have never gotten turmeric on a cabinet or drawer...is this something that happens with you when you cook? i make a mess on my quartz counters and it doesnt stain.

if splashing is the issue, going with a creamy white vs stark white might solve your problem.

i like white-ish cabinets because you see right away what needs to be cleaned. i have light perimeter and dark wood island. guess which i clean more? the white, of course. guess which color gets dirtier? both, equally. which means the dark wood is probably sort of filthy and since it doesnt get wiped up right away, its much harder to clean.

i'd rather have honest turmeric spatters on light cabinets than dark grotty wood, any day of the week.

Hi Apaquin,

Thanks for your response. :) one more vote for white!

By finish are you referring to the sheen?

Thanks!

Also, the quality of the materials is also a factor. Ask - will wiping often take the finish off? Will the finish chip? Will airborne pollutants or the sun discolor the finish? What's the warranty on the finish? All good questions to ask. I have light cabinetry in my basement and I find that when all else fails, a "Magic Eraser" works wonders on stains.

Hi nnigrt,

hahahaha....generally i don't splatter stuff around but i guess i am trying to be prepared for the worst case situation.

Your comment makes absolute sense to me in terms of cleaning both white and dark cabinets. Right now I have natural maple, which I hate but had no choice when we bought this house. Stains really don't really stand out on natural finish, but that doesn't mean they are not there.

Is there any specific cleaner you use to clean your white cabinets?

Thanks!

I agree with nnigrt. I have creamy white cabinets and you can see right away when it's dirty. My kitchen is small so not only did I need to stay light and bright I prefer white cabinets over dark. This is your dream kitchen so get what you like!

The cabinet builder said to use orange oil or even just regular windex to clean them. I usually just use water to clean spots here and there. I'm not sure what my cleaning ladies use. I should ask them lol!

i just wipe them with the sponge and dish soap (i use joy..because i like that its yellow.), and i do buff them dry with a microfiber cloth in the other hand.

DO test your counter choices for turmeric tho. my corian used to get turmeric stains (they'd clean off eventually) but my quartz is clean the first wipe.

Hi Rediscover Your Home,

I am looking at Ultracraft Cabinets as that's really the only choice I have been given by our builder if we want to customize our kitchen. I believe it comes with a 100 year warranty, but I am sure its a limited warranty.

I would never have thought of asking these questions about the finish. I'll investigate further based on these questions. Thank you so much. Glad to be getting your feedback.

@Susan Mooney & @ nnigrt - I am filing these cleaning tips :). Do you know the finish of your cabinets?

Susan - your kitchen is so bright and beautiful! and Clean!! :)

Hi P D. I don't know the finish, just that it's a really nice paint job inside and out. The paint color is called "It's a Cream". I don't remember the brand though. Thanks for the compliments on my kitchen. I don't think I've fried anything in there since we remodeled!

It's not really an issue concerning durability, it's an issue of visibility. A pristine white cabinet finish is going to show every little splatter, there is just no where for it to hide. Just like stainless steel finishes, everything shows. That white fridge has just as many greasy fingerprints as stainless steel, you just can't see them.

Graham

Hi Graham (The Kitchen Abode Ltd.),

Good Point! So its more of a maintenance issue.

My biggest concern is damaging the cabinetry as I try to get rid of stubborn spice stains. Do you have any opinions about the maintaining white kitchens?

Unfortunately, my KD is not helpful. And at this point I am stuck with him because he is the only option I have from the builder. So any inputs you are able to provide will help me take a decision. Thanks!!

P D - With white you will be cleaning more often. Need to be more careful when cleaning these days, most manufactures only recommend a damp cloth and if necessary a very mild liquid soap. You might also consider using a 1-piece routed door/drawer panel, no joints or floating center panel openings for water to get into. Softer profiles will also make cleaning easier and less work.

Graham

Thanks Graham!! :)

Whether you have white or dark cabinets, splashes happen. At least with white cabinets, you can see where to clean then - somehow darker ones mask debris and they don't seem as clean. White and bright is quite cheery to cook in. Go for it.
I use Magic Sponge and every once in awhile I give a thorough cleaning with TSP (trisodium phosphate) which can be found in the paint department of Lowes.

Hi spraguec,

I take it that you have white kitchen. Has TSP caused any discoloration to your painted white cabinets?

Thanks!

Did you go with the white cabinets then? And how is it working for you? I am also in dilemma with white cabinets and Indian cooking?

I would like to know this as well.

i am also in dilemma about white cabinets. I do really want them but don’t want them to look ugly and discolored after a while

I would like to know too

Any one had issues with white or lighter shades of backsplash?

I’ve had white cabinets and back splash for a year.

Pro: they are light and bright, classic, easy to accessorize. Spills wipe up easily.

Con: damage during install is obvious and apparently can not be “touched” up without an obvious repair. We see wear on certain cabinets that goes to the wood...repainting or touch ups would be obvious. The grout is supposed to be a silicon and prevents staining, but grout is another issue and is showing stain.

My issues could be failures related to the cabinet builder (custom) and tiler though.

Perhaps you can ask you KD to provide you with a sample door in the white finish that you can take home and abuse with spices and cleanser. This certainly won't help you determine how the cabinets will look with wear and tear, but it will get you somewhere. FWIW, I really love a white kitchen as I like to work in bright spaces but I like warmer colors in my bedroom. In my new build, I'm doing a white kitchen with dark bluish/gray island. I currently have white acrylic in my kitchen which clean up beautifully and I'm a little concerned with how the white painted surface will behave.

I know this is a five year old post but curious as to what color cabinets did you finally end up selecting. We have a small kitchen and planning to go for white cabinets as they will make the kitchen appear more spacious but am scared about those turmeric stains and oil spills during tempering.