Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning Tips For Longer Lasting Cabinets

You probably know you need to clean your kitchen cabinets, but it’s daunting, especially in hard to reach areas. The right kitchen cabinet cleaning tips make the job easier.

Don’t worry if you don’t love cleaning. You don’t have to tackle all your cabinets at once. In fact, you could do a section at a time. Or, do one major cleaning, followed by smaller cleaning sessions later on.

Regular cleaning makes your cabinets look amazing. It can also increase the life of your cabinets by reducing dirt and grime that can seep in, ruining your cabinets over time.

Gathering Your Supplies

First off, gather your supplies. You’ll need several rags or towels. You’ll want to keep a dry one on hand at all times for a finishing shine and to remove any lingering streaks, especially on glass.

Next, decide if you want to go with traditional cleaners or a DIY option. The former will have chemicals that don’t always mesh with your cabinets’ finish. They may also have stronger odors, so ensure you can open a window. For traditional cleaners, make sure they’ll cut grease and disinfect.

For DIY cleaners, you’ll just need to check your pantry. Even with something you make with natural ingredients, check a small area of your cabinet, such as the backside of a door, to ensure you’re not damaging the finish at all. Good Housekeeping and DIY Joy list DIY recipes for your entire home. Common ingredients include vinegar, lemons and baking soda. Some also call for dish liquid for extra grease busting powers.

You may also want cleaners for different areas. For instance, you’ll want a wood-safe cleaner for wood cabinets. An oil-based cleaner, like Murphy’s Oil Soap, helps condition the wood while cleaning. But, you’d use an all-purpose cleaner for your countertops.

Cleaning Different Finishes

The next step is to consider the differences in finishes. For painted cabinets, you don’t want to use anything too abrasive to clean or you might chip the paint. You definitely don’t want to discolor the cabinets either.

For wood and painted cabinets, let your cleaner sit on the stain for a few minutes before gently rubbing it away. With laminate finishes, you can scrub a little. With the other finishes, the stain may have soaked in deeper, hence the wait.

Dampen a cloth to use your cleaner or spray a light amount. When it comes to kitchen cabinet cleaning, less is definitely more. Use a small amount of cleaner, clean the area and then follow up with a dry towel as a finish. This creates a nice shine and doesn’t leave your cabinets wet, which can damage the finish.

Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning Schedule

One of the most important cleaning tips is to create a schedule. As a general rule, spot clean immediately when you notice a problem. This means wiping off the underside of the cabinets around your stove where grease splatters, drying areas after washing dishes, wiping down countertops after preparing food and so on.

Spot cleaning makes your job much easier later on. Of course, dust and grime build up everywhere. You might not even realize it until you clean a spot and notice the difference.

Every week, lightly spray the outsides of your cabinets with your chosen cleaner and wipe them off. This prevents thick grime buildup. Also, wipe over all cabinet hardware too. For metal, too much buildup may actually cause rust.

Depending on how heavily you use your kitchen, you may want to do a deep clean on your cabinets twice a year or more. This involves cleaning everything inside and out. Taking a section a day for a week makes this process less daunting.

Cleaning Out The Cabinets

Kitchen cabinet cleaning isn’t just for the outside surfaces. Food, cleaners and even water can leak inside your cabinets. A busted can or jar in the back of your cabinet can soak through, ruining the cabinets.

When cleaning, look inside for any issues. During your deep clean, take everything out of the cabinets, clean the insides and declutter a little. This helps you get more room and keeps the insides of your cabinets just as clean as the outside.

Ready for a kitchen remodel? Contact us today to start creating your dream kitchen, which you’ll love so much you may not mind regular cleaning.

Image: Crema Joe