Kitchen cabinets make most of your kitchen space and tend to get dirty with time. Stains of grease, splatters of oil, and spills of your food can make them dirty fast. Over time, this mixture of dirt, grease and grime sticks to the surface of the cabinets like a tacky glue that becomes difficult to clean. But if done properly, this grime, grease, and all the grunge can be cleaned properly, and your cabinets can look as good as new. With this simple guide, you can manage to clean your kitchen cabinets properly and make them look fresh and clean as if they were bought yesterday.
Pull Quote: Did you know that if you keep your kitchen cabinets clean and organised, they can last for as long as 50 years?
To clean your kitchen cabinets, you can either use a regular cleaning agent off the market or make your cleaning solution using ingredients that can easily be found in your kitchen. Most cabinets can be cleaned with warm water and liquid soaps. But some stains are so old and stubborn that a special cleaning solution of vinegar or lemon is required to clean them. However, it’s essential to test the cleaning solution on a small part of the cabinet or a hidden spot to make sure that it doesn’t end up damaging your cabinet’s finish. If you choose to buy a cleaning solution off the market, make sure you read its suitability for your cabinet’s finish or material.
Start from the TopIt’s natural to start the cleaning from down up. You would ideally want to start rubbing where your hand easily reaches the surface of the cabinet. But it’s important to start cleaning your kitchen cabinets from the top down. Begin cleaning at the top and work your way down slowly and progressively. If your kitchen cabinets are installed above your height, take the support of a sturdy chair or mini ladder to prop yourself up safely against the cabinets. You should typically take a piece of cloth and dip it in the cleaning solution or spray the solution on the cloth to wipe the cabinets. It’s not advisable to spray the cleaning agent directly on the surface of the cabinet as it might end up damaging the finish.
Wipe off the surface with a clean clothOnce you are done wiping the surface with a cleaning solution, take a clean piece of dry cloth and wipe the wet surface clean to take off the grime and grease easily. Then rinse the cloth and wipe the surface again. Make sure to squeeze the cloth to let the water drip before using the cloth on the surface of the cabinet. Once you have cleaned the cabinets, take a dry cloth and wipe them dry.
Don’t forget the handles and knobsWooden cabinets usually come with metal knobs and handle. A typical cloth doesn’t properly clean the metal. To thoroughly clean the knobs and handles, add a few drops of vinegar or lemon in warm water, take a toothbrush and scrub the hardware gently. Don’t scrub aggressively so as to keep the polish intact.
How often should you clean your kitchen cabinets?If you choose to clean your kitchen cabinets once a year, it will probably take up too much of your time and effort. We recommend cleaning your kitchen cabinets every month or every two months to avoid thick layers of grime and grease making their way into your kitchen cabinets. Your daily kitchen use involves regular touching of the door knobs of your kitchen cabinets. If you let the dirt stay on the knobs for too long, it can transfer to your hands, and the resultant bacteria can slip into your food and infect you or your loved ones.
