I Tried Dozens of Cleaners for My Greasy Cabinets, but the “Magical” Solution Was Something I Already Had
Sticky and grimy — not the words you want to describe your kitchen cabinets. While the grease buildup on your cabinets may not be the first thing you notice when you walk into the kitchen, I always feel it when I go to open my wood cabinets. Slide your fingers down the front of a cabinet or look closely in the corners, and you’ll definitely see it.
Cooking our family’s favorites like BLTs and crispy fried chicken means cleaning splatters and spills as you go, but grease has a way of lingering in the air and settling on surfaces, too. I know the grease will find its way to the cabinets right above the stove, but the doors over the refrigerator? It’s everywhere.
Luckily, after much trial and error, I now have a cleaning game plan to stay ahead of the grime-of-grease game. The solution is a system of spot cleaning with regularly scheduled deep-cleaning sessions. The cleaning ingredient that powers through the toughest grease on my dishes is also the gentlest way to get the kitchen cabinets to look fresh and feel clean to the touch.
How to Clean Greasy Wood Kitchen Cabinets with Minimal Effort
When you cook on the stove, grease can find its way to the surfaces of the kitchen through airborne particles released during the cooking process. These particles can settle on the counters, cabinets, and other surfaces closest to the stovetop.
Kitchen cabinets are subjected to grime in the air, general wear and tear, splatters, humidity and general household dust, too. And don’t forget fingerprints! These factors all add up and contribute to kitchen cabinets that can feel grimy and look dull.
What You’ll Need
A medium-size bucket
Soft sponge, rags for wet cleaning
Microfiber cloths for cleaning and drying
Dawn mild dish soap
Spray bottle with adjustable nozzle
Gloves (optional)
Used dryer sheets (optional)
Deep-Cleaning: The Bucket Cabinet Cleaning Method
Start with a mixture of warm water in a medium-size bucket with 6 to 8 drops of dish soap. After you wipe off any dust particles from the surface of your cabinets (used dryer sheets are perfect!), I like to use Dawn dish soap for this solution because it cuts through grease, it has a clean scent, and a little bit goes a long way.
Dampen a soft cloth or sponge with the soapy solution and gently scrub the greasy areas. Use light pressure on splatters or stains. Wipe down the cabinet doors working with the grain of design material and wipe the outside and inside of doors.
Finish by drying with a dry microfiber cloth. These cloths are in constant supply in my cleaning supplies! This step removes all traces of residue and acts to buff the surface, while helping to avoid any water marks left behind on the cabinet doors.
Spot-Cleaning: Spray Bottle Cleaning Method
Mix warm water and 3 to 4 drops of Dawn liquid soap and fill a clean spray bottle with it.
Keep the bottle with your cleaning supplies and use it for maintenance cleaning in between a full wash of your kitchen cabinets.
Other Tips for Keeping Your Cabinets Spotless
Don’t forget the hardware! The jewelry of your cabinets are the hardware: handles, knobs, or drawer pulls. These parts are easily covered with grease and can be cleaned with a mild soapy solution and buffed to a shine. If it makes the job easier, most hardware can be unscrewed and removed for easy cleaning, too.
Using a small amount of soap is best. Only a few drops of Dawn are needed to create a cleaning solution, as too much can leave a residue.
Use warm water. This helps to loosen grease and grime more effectively.
Microfiber is king. Opt for a soft microfiber cloth as it effectively traps dirt and cleans without scratching the cabinet surfaces. The last step of wiping with a microfiber cloth leaves a clean, dry surface and avoids any water marks.
Set up a cleaning schedule. A workable schedule for keeping up with the grease on the kitchen cabinets depends on how often and what you cook most.
Use a splatter screen. I use one when I am making a recipe that requires working with large batches of hot oil to cut down on the grease settling on kitchen surfaces.
This post originally published on Apartment Therapy. See it there: I Tried Dozens of Cleaners for My Greasy Cabinets, but the “Magical” Solution Was Something I Already Had
Further Reading
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