Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets: Avoid Harsh, Abrasive Products

Kitchen cabinets are expensive so obviously you want to keep them looking great. Kitchens are dirty places with a lot of grease in the air from cooking, sticky fingers opening cabinet doors, splashing of food and a variety of other things that can cause dirty messes on your cabinet doors and drawers. By properly cleaning your kitchen cabinets, you can help them to maintain their original beauty and keep them looking great for a long time to come.

The least damaging way to clean your kitchen cabinets is simply to use a soft cloth and warm, clean water. First wipe down your cabinet doors with the soft cloth and water and then dry them with a soft towel. If you have stuck on food or dirt that won't come off easily with just plain water, choose a gentle, non-abrasive cleaner. Harsh cleaners and abrasives can damage the protective finish on your cabinet doors and should be avoided. Before using any type of cleaner on your cabinet doors it is a good idea to test it on an inconspicuous spot inside one of the cabinet doors to make sure that it won't damage or discolor the surface.

If the cabinets have not been cleaned in a long time they may have a thick, greasy buildup. Many people encounter this when they move into a new home and the previous owners had not cared properly for the cabinets. To remove grease from cabinets tried grease-fighting liquid dish soap such as Dawn mixed with water. The dish soap will help to dissolve the grease but should not be harsh enough to damage the surface of your cabinets. Other cleaners such as Grease Lightning or a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can also work well for removing grease from cabinet doors. Again you will want to test these in an inconspicuous spot before tackling one of your doors.

As a last resort, and if everything else that you have tried for removing the grease has failed, you can try using turpentine or denatured alcohol to clean the cabinet doors. Keep in mind that that this most likely will at least damage if not completely remove the finish from your cabinets so it is best to use only if you plan to refinish or repaint your cabinets. Yet again, always test a spot inside the cabinet door before beginning. Also, always be sure there are no open flames or pilot lights on in the kitchen and that there is adequate ventilation before using any of these highly flammable items.

For cleaning cabinet hardware again avoid harsh or abrasive cleaners and stick with a mild cleanser and soft cloth for cleaning the hardware. For tough jobs you can also try cleaning them with a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water. Do not allow the vinegar to sit too long on your cabinet hardware since it can sometimes cause damage to the surface.

The best option is to try to prevent problems from occurring in the first place. Always wipe up spills immediately and clean your cabinet doors and drawers frequently to prevent buildup.

By properly cleaning and caring for your kitchen cabinets you can help them to last longer and look great for years to come.