Most kitchen appliances can indeed make the cooking and cleaning experience enjoyable.
Still, there is a downside to these appliances if not kept appropriately.
Some of them may be damaging your cabinet, and you may not notice it until the damage is significant. One of these appliances is the stove.
So, Does The Cabinet Next To The Stove Get Hot?
Stoves do not emit much heat from the sides. Still, heat radiation from the stove, including steam, can adequately make the cabinet hot with enough exposure. The heat and moisture from the stove can damage your cabinet. For instance, wood cabinets develop steam burns.
To protect your kitchen cabinetry from heat and steam damage, you need to keep a space of at least 24″ between the stovetop and the bottom of the cabinet. You need to maintain enough space between your cabinet and the stove to give you enough working space while preparing food and prevent heat damage to the cabinet.
Effects of Heat and Steam on Your Cabinet
With appropriate care, your cabinets can last you a lifetime.
However, your busy kitchen is not an island free from heat and humidity.
Your cabinets are susceptible to heat from the stove and steam from the cooking items.
So, learning the effects of steam and heat on your cabinets is essential in protecting your invaluable cabinetry.
The heat from the stovetop causes the cabinets to dry out and crack prematurely.
So, the cabinets directly over the top of the stovetop or cooktop are prone to damage from heat conditions.
When your cabinet begins to break, it is easy to go out of shape or even splinter.
Wooden cabinets are damaged by humidity from the steam and heat from the stove.
Changing heat and humidity levels in the kitchen makes the wood cabinets expand and contract. This will alter the shape and the structural rigidity of the wood.
The damage is more significant if your kitchen cabinetry is made of untreated wood, plywood, or sub-quality cabinetry.
Your cabinet will buckle and cheapen faster than quality-treated hardwood.
So, you should invest in quality hardwoods in your cabinet that can perform better under humid conditions than the average wood.
Additionally, high humidity from the steam dampens the kitchen cabinets.
Four Ways to Protect Your Kitchen Cabinet from Heat and Steam Damage
Considering how expensive the kitchen cabinets are, you surely need to determine ways to protect them from damage.
1. Install A Ventilation Hood
While cooking, your stove releases steam and water vapor into the air, and some hit the overhanging cabinets directly above the stove.
When you do not channel the moist air outside, it accumulates in the kitchen, affecting most of the items inside, including the kitchen cabinets.
Therefore, investing in a high-quality range hood is inevitable to protect your kitchen cabinetry.
Ventilation in your kitchen is essential, particularly if your kitchen doesn’t have windows or is relatively small.
If your home doesn’t have one already, you need to invest in a vented range hood.
Remember that a ductless range hood is not helpful in this situation.
It is not effective in removing steam and moisture. But if you do not own your home, you can opt for the ductless hood anyway and boost it with a dehumidifier.
If your kitchen has windows, you should open them whenever viable. Let fresh air from outside freely flow inside your kitchen and reduce moisture-related damage to your cabinets.
2. Install Insulation Shields
Proper ventilation may not be enough to protect your kitchen cabinets from steam damage.
It would help if you had insulation sheets. You can choose from a wide variety of insulation materials based on what you prefer and can afford.
Install the insulation sheets to cover the kitchen cabinets.
And due to the waterproof nature of the sheets, the steam will not penetrate.
When the steam hits the insulated surface, it will simply drip down to the countertop, where you can easily wipe with a damp material.
3. Maintain Regular Cleaning
Water droplets are a menace to the wood surfaces, and so is to your kitchen cabinets.
Without efficient ventilation services, it may not be easy to rid of moisture in your kitchen.
All right, you can keep some kitchen towels around every time you want to cook over your stove.
And also, check for any moisture that has formed on the cabinets after using the stove. Wipe them dry.
You also need to maintain your range hood in the best condition possible.
A ductless hood can get obstructed and fail to remove the steam.
You should pay attention to the filters and replace them regularly.
You can call in a technician to inspect it and make sure that it actually takes away steam out of your kitchen.
4. Install Coating On The Cabinet Finish
You can prolong the lifespan of your cabinet by applying a protective coating against steam.
Apply a waterproof layer on the kitchen cabinets and wipe off the steam when you are done using the stove.
How to Rid Of Steam Stains From the Cabinets
Steam does not only damage the wood structure of your cabinets, but it also leaves behind white marks.
Follow the following steps to remove the white stains on the kitchen cabinets correctly:
- First, start by thoroughly cleaning the wood service using warm soapy water. Wipe all the dirt with a soft sponge paying attention to grease stains that may slip your sight. After you are done, wipe the surface dry using a dry towel and leave it until it is dry entirely.
- Apply beeswax or coconut oil on the surface. Beeswax and coconut oil are good choices for treating furniture. They penetrate the wood pores and form waterproof film protection on the surface. They also remove the stains by unsticking them from the surface.
- After removing the stains, protect the cabinets from further staining by installing insulation sheets.
Five Stove Safety Tips
A stove is a handy appliance in the kitchen, but it can cause accidents if not cautiously handled.
- Practice the following safety guidelines to avoid injuries and other kitchen hazards:
- Refrain from leaving wiping or dish towels close to hot burners. They can easily catch fire.
- Always ensure that the fire extinguisher is within reach when you are cooking in case of a fire outbreak.
- If you are using a gas stove, you should be extra cautious and check for gas leaks. You can confirm gas leaks by checking for a hissing sound or smell of gas before you open the gas.
- Electric stoves are more stable than gas stoves, but you still have to be careful when handling the cooking pots. It is easy to touch hot elements without insulating material accidentally.
- Clean food morsels that fall under the burner. They can easily catch fire.
Final Thoughts
A stove is a handy kitchen appliance but can cause significant problems.
The kitchen cabinets close to the stove can get hot.
Heat and steam from the stove can gravely damage your kitchen cabinets if you do not take precautionary measures to guard them.
However, you should keep the recommended space of 24″ between the stovetop and the bottom of overhanging cabinets.
