Every September, the same thing happens in my home: the barbecue gets packed away for another year, the windows stay shut more often, and the kitchen becomes the busiest room once again. It’s also, I’ve learned from talking to kitchen fitters and plumbers, the point when small kitchen maintenance jobs left over from summer can start turning into much bigger problems.
“We’ve seen cases where a small drip under the sink has gone unnoticed for months, and by the time it’s discovered, the base unit is completely rotted out and the problem has spread to adjacent units,” says Will Frankling, co-founder of Kitchen Makeovers. “What could have been a £5 washer replacement ends up being a £1,500+ refit.”
A hairline gap in the sealant or a slow-draining sink might not feel urgent in August, but once the cold weather arrives, these seemingly minor issues can become anything but cosmetic. So, before the temperature drops, I asked the experts which kitchen maintenance jobs are worth tackling now – and what could happen if you leave them.
Will Frankling co-founded Kitchen Makeovers in 2018. With over 30 locations across the UK, their kitchen makeover service is a cost-effective, sustainable solution providing a quick and efficient way to update the heart of your home.
1. Check your sealant
The sealant around a kitchen sink and worktop often looks fine at a glance, so it's easy to assume it's doing its job. Mine certainly did, right up until I actually got down and pressed a finger into it. But according to Mark Irving, a building expert at Build & Plumb, there are a few signs worth checking for.
"Although silicone sealant is designed to be flexible, it can still become brittle as it ages and gradually loses its elasticity," he says. "Water can begin to seep through the cracks in the sealant, damaging the surface beneath." Peeling is another red flag: "Gaps left by peeling sealant allow moisture to accumulate in hard to reach areas, potentially causing mould and rot," warns Mark. Persistent black mould on sealant that won't clean off, yellowing or browning, and sealant that feels firm rather than giving slightly when pressed are all signs it needs replacing too.
"Early autumn is a good time to replace sealant as the moderate temperatures and humidity allow the sealant to cure properly before winter," Mark explains. "In summer, the hotter temperatures can make sealant dry and cure too fast, causing cracks or uneven bonds, and freezing temperatures can mean sealants fail to adhere or cure properly."
Thankfully, this is usually a job you can do yourself. "Smaller scale resealing jobs, such as siliconing a shower or kitchen sink, are usually DIY tasks that most people can complete themselves," says Mark – just make sure the old sealant is fully removed and the area stays dry while the new sealant cures.
The waterproof sealant sticks in seconds and lasts for years. Its super-stretchy formula allows it to form perfect, lasting seals around tight curves and long straight runs.
Mark has over 20 years of experience in the building sector, leading to a wealth of knowledge surrounding building and renovating that he enjoys sharing with others who are looking to complete their own building projects.
2. Descale your taps and mixers properly
I've always just scrubbed at limescale on the kitchen tap without much thought, which, it turns out, is exactly how you ruin one.
"The rule is that the finish decides the method, not the limescale," says Ana Padilla Martinez, e-commerce manager at Plumb2u. Chrome, she says, is forgiving: a weak acid like white vinegar or a shop-bought limescale remover, left on for a few minutes then rinsed and dried, works fine.
Matt black, gunmetal and brushed brass finishes are a different story. "These are coatings over a base metal rather than solid colour, and acid combined with any abrasion takes the coating off in patches that cannot be repaired," Ana warns. On those finishes, the method is much gentler: warm soapy water and a soft cloth, with drying the tap after every use doing more to prevent limescale than any product will. If a descaler is needed, it should be a pH-neutral one made for that finish, and worth testing underneath the spout first, just in case.
There's one popular trick Ana specifically warns against. "The single most damaging tip in circulation is the vinegar-soaked bag tied over the spout overnight," she says. "On chrome it is fine. On a matt or coloured finish it will strip it." If it's water flow rather than visible limescale that's the problem, the fix is usually simpler than people assume: "the problem is usually the aerator rather than the tap. Unscrew the aerator, soak that on its own, and leave the tap body alone entirely."
This sprayable limescale remover has been specially formulated for coloured sanitary ware. Just spray, wait up to 5 minutes, and wipe or rinse.
Ana Padilla Martinez is E-commerce and Marketing Specialist at Plumb2u, which supplies plumbing and heating parts to trade and homeowners across the UK, giving her insight into seasonal patterns in what fails and when.
3. Check under the kitchen sink
According to Michael Sammon, design director at Wödår, the cupboard under the kitchen sink is one of the most overlooked spots in the home, and I'll admit mine hadn't been properly opened and inspected in longer than I'd like to say.
"Most of us only really notice something when the tap starts misbehaving or there's suddenly water where there shouldn't be," Michael says. "But there are usually warning signs long before that."
Start your maintenance checks with the isolation valve – the small in-line valve that supplies water to your tap. “Its whole purpose is to let you shut off one fitting without draining the house,” explains Ana Padilla Martinez. But if it’s left untouched for years, it can seize up, turning a straightforward repair into a much bigger job. “You cannot replace a kitchen tap, a washer or a flexi hose without going back to the main stopcock – and in older properties, that’s frequently seized too.”
Thankfully, the fix is simple and costs nothing. Twice a year, turn each isolation valve a quarter turn and back again. If one won’t move, replace it now, while everything is still dry.
While you’re under the sink, check the flexible tap connectors too. “These braided hoses have a service life of roughly five to ten years,” says Ana. “They fail from the inside out with no warning, in a cupboard nobody looks in.” If yours are old or you can’t tell how old they are, replace them the next time the tap is being worked on.
Michael also recommends taking a few minutes to properly inspect the area. "Run the tap, empty a full sink and check around the waste, pipework and connections," he says. Look out for staining, moisture, a swollen cabinet base or a musty smell – all early warning signs of damp and mould taking hold. A slow leak can also go unnoticed for months, causing far more damage than the original problem.
With a 150mm length, these flexible hoses are perfect for compact or confined spaces, allowing for a secure connection even in challenging under sink layouts.
Michael Sammon is the design director and co-founder of Wödår, a UK-based brand specialising in innovative hot water taps and kitchen fittings. Under his creative vision, Wödår emphasises 'choice through design,' offering multiple finishes and styles at accessible price points.
4. Check your hinges, drawer runners and soft-close mechanisms
This is the one job that has nothing to do with water or damp, and everything to do with simple wear and tear – and the one I'm most guilty of ignoring, since a sticking drawer is easy to just live with.
"Older kitchens tend to have issues with hinges and drawer runners failing first – they simply wear out over time," says Will Frankling. If a drawer's started sticking, dropping slightly, or a cupboard door doesn't sit quite flush, it's worth tightening or lubricating hinges now rather than waiting for them to fail entirely once you're relying on that cupboard daily in the lead up to Christmas.
Newer kitchens have a different set of problems. "We see more issues with soft-close mechanisms in newer kitchens, which can be expensive to replace," Will adds. A soft-close hinge or drawer that's started slamming, sticking, or closing unevenly is worth flagging early, because replacing one mechanism is a much smaller job than dealing with a drawer front that's come loose from repeated hard closing.
This non-toxic silicone lubricant works on hinges, runners and soft-close mechanisms without the greasy residue oil-based sprays leave, and the smart straw nozzle lets you direct it precisely rather than coating the whole cupboard.
5. Clean your extractor fan (thoroughly)
I confess, I assumed my extractor fan was doing its bit to improve kitchen ventilation without giving it too much thought, and hadn't checked the filters in months. And according to Jade Golding-Gault, appliance expert at AO.com, that's exactly the problem most of us face as the weather changes.
"As we head into winter, and start closing our windows and doors, our homes naturally become more sealed up," Jade explains. "This means cooking smells, moisture and airborne grease have fewer places to escape. Giving kitchen extractor fans and cooker hoods some attention now can help prevent lingering odours and grease build-up around the kitchen throughout the colder months."
It turns out most of us aren't cleaning them nearly often enough. "Most households should aim to clean their extractor fan filters every two to three months, although more frequent cleaning may be needed if you regularly fry foods or cook with oils," Jade says. "Over time, grease and grime accumulate in the filters, reducing airflow, making the appliance less effective."
Her method is simple: take the filters out and either run them through a hot dishwasher cycle or soak them in hot, soapy water for at least 10 minutes before scrubbing off any residue. While they dry, wipe down the hood and surrounding surfaces with a microfibre cloth.
Not sure if yours needs doing? "A quick visual inspection is often enough," says Jade. "If the filters look greasy, feel sticky or have changed colour, it's a good indication they're due a clean." Lingering cooking smells, or steam and condensation not clearing properly while you cook, are also signs that grease build-up is restricting airflow.
Jade Golding-Gault is an appliance expert at AO.com, specialising in major and small domestic appliances, from cooking and refrigeration to everyday household electricals, helping customers make confident, practical buying decisions.
FAQs
Why is autumn a good time for kitchen maintenance?
Three things change in a kitchen as we head toward winter: moisture has fewer ways to escape, temperature swings put more strain on pipework and seals, and kitchen appliances that were coasting through summer suddenly get used far more intensively.
"Water ingress is the biggest threat to kitchen units, and small gaps can turn into major problems when heating is on and temperatures fluctuate," explains Will Frankling. And it's the same story with ventilation: "Condensation builds up much more in winter, and a faulty extractor fan will lead to damp and mould issues."
What other appliances need checking before winter?
Ovens deserve the same attention in autumn, and for a similar reason. "During the colder months, smoke and cooking odours have fewer opportunities to escape the home," Jade explains. "As a result, even small amounts of baked-on grease and food residue can become much more noticeable when the oven is in regular use." Autumn and winter are also when we tend to cook the most, so a neglected oven has the worst possible timing to make itself known.
Her advice is to stay ahead of it rather than wait for a deep clean to become unavoidable: "The best approach is to tackle grease and food residue before it has a chance to build up." That means taking the shelves out to soak in warm, soapy water and using a proper oven cleaner on the interior, paying particular attention to baked-on spills on the base.
"A thorough clean every few months, combined with wiping away fresh spills as soon as the oven has cooled, can help prevent unpleasant odours and stubborn build-up," she says.
If winter arrives and you're still dealing with persistent moisture in your kitchen, it's worth understanding what causes condensation and how to bring humidity levels back under control. And if any of these jobs have already led to a bit of damage, our guide on how to get rid of damp walks you through how to tackle it before it spreads.
