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How to clean kitchen cabinets with grease


How to Clean Sticky Grease off Kitchen Cabinets

Sticky greasy kitchen cabinets can be annoying, but in a busy happy home, they can’t be helped. Grease that accumulates on kitchen cupboards is often caused by cooking or greasy hands.  Removing sticky grease from a kitchen cabinet requires a little elbow grease, but can be easily achieved with natural cleaning products. From white vinegar to baking soda and lemon, grease can be removed without the need for chemicals. If you have some sticky grease stains and are unsure how to how to clean kitchen cabinets, don’t worry. We have rounded up the 4 easiest methods for cleaning kitchen cabinets.

1. Removing Grease with White Vinegar and Hot Water

White vinegar is a natural cleaning product with excellent degreasing properties, due to its acidity. White vinegar is also very effective in cleaning other kitchen appliances, see our guide on microwave cleaning here.

What You Will Need:

How to Remove Grease with White Vinegar
  1. Using the spray bottle, measure a 50/50 mix of vinegar and warm water.
  2. Spray the solution directly onto the kitchen cupboards and leave for a couple of minutes.
  3. Wet the cloth in warm water, then thoroughly rinse the cloth as too much water could damage a wood cabinet.
  4. Wipe over the cupboards with the damp cloth to remove grease stains.
  5. Stubborn stains, such as marmite or chocolate spread may need a little extra TLC. Create a paste of vinegar and salt. Then scrub the stains with an old toothbrush and wipe clean.

2. How to Clean Kitchen Cabinets and Remove Grease with Dishwashing Liquid

Washing up liquid is very effective in cutting through grease and grime on dishes, so it makes the perfect cabinet degreaser.

What You Will Need:

How to Remove Grease with Dish Soap
  1. Add a few drops of your favourite dish washing soap, into a bowl of warm water.
  2. Dip the cleaning sponge into the water and give it a good squeeze.
  3. Begin to scrub the cabinet back and forth with a soft sponge, following the grain on wood cabinets.
  4. If you face a stubborn grease stain, apply a small amount of dish soap directly to the sponge, and wipe over again. Rinse the sponge and repeat until all the grease stains are removed.
  5. Wipe the kitchen cabinets down with a dry cloth to remove any remaining grease or soap residue.

 

3. Remove Cabinet Grease with Citrus Multipurpose Cleaner

Similar to white vinegar, citrus oil is a natural degreaser. Many multipurpose cleaners contain citrus oil, so have a look in your cleaning cupboard or treat yourself to a new product from the supermarket.

 

 

What You Will Need:

How to Remove Grease with Citrus Multipurpose Cleaner
  1. Spray the cleaner directly onto the kitchen cabinets, leaving it to sit for a couple of minutes.
  2. Use a soft dampened cloth to gently remove the grease from the cupboards.
  3. Remove any remaining grime with a clean damp cloth and then thoroughly dry.

 

4. Cleaning Kitchen Cupboards with Baking Soda and Lemon

Baking soda and lemon are the heroes of natural cleaning products. For stubborn thick layers of grease in the kitchen, this duo can be used to make the cabinets look as good as new.

You Will Need:

How to Remove Grease Stains with Baking Soda

 Aftercare for Kitchen Cupboards

Wood cupboards will require a little extra attention after cleaning. Removing the grease from wood cabinets will also remove the moisture and protection, so it important to replace this. Consider using protection products containing beeswax as this will stop the wood drying out and repel kitchen grease.

Preventing a Grease Build Up

Now your kitchen cabinets are sparkling clean, it’s time to turn your attention to other areas of the kitchen. Your local, mobile Ovenclean specialist can restore a range of appliances including Oven cleaning, Hob cleaning, Extractor hood cleaning, BBQ cleaning and Aga cleaning.

How to Clean Greasy Wooden Cabinets

Kitchen

Cleaning Tools

Ashley Abramson

updated Sep 16, 2022

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

Grease is sneaky. You griddle stovetop burgers on Saturday, fry up some bacon on Sunday and think nothing of it. Then, all of a sudden, after countless meals, you look at your cabinets and realize they’re filthy! Covered with a dark, sticky film of grease. How did it get there? And more importantly, what can you do about it?!

Your first line of defense against grease? When it comes to keeping your wooden cabinets nice and clean, it’s really all about preventing the mess in the first place (hello, splatter screens!). If you’re too late, we’ve got some top tips on how to clean greasy cabinets.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite tried-and-true methods for cleaning your greasy kitchen, one cabinet at a time.

1. Soap and Water

Most greasy areas will only need one thing: warm, soapy water. (After all, dish soap was designed to cut through grease!) First, soften the grease on the cabinets with a sponge that’s damp with warm water, then clean with a soap-and-water-soaked sponge, toothbrush, or small scrub brush. To avoid leftover residue (which could attract more grime), finish by drying with a dish towel.

2. Baking Soda 

For older or more stubborn stains, grab some baking soda and a scrub brush. After wetting your brush with warm water, add a little baking soda, then scrub away on the cabinets. Follow with a damp, warm cloth to remove the residue. Not only will the baking soda cut through the grease, but it’s also non-abrasive, so it won’t harm your wooden cabinets. 

Related: The Top 10 Things to Clean in the Kitchen with a Box of Baking Soda

3. Distilled White Vinegar

Heavy grease stains also respond well to vinegar, another trusted kitchen cleaner. Because white vinegar contains natural acids, it’ll break down the grease without leaving residue behind. Here’s how to use it: First, take a washcloth or paper towel and soak it in undiluted vinegar. Wipe down the greasy section on your cabinet, and let the vinegar do its work for 10 or 15 minutes. When your timer goes off, loosen the grease by taking a damp sponge to the surface, then take a water-soaked washcloth and wipe down the buildup. 

Related: 31 Things You Didn’t Know You Could (Easily!) Clean with Vinegar

4. Homemade Castile Soap Spray

Fill a 32-ounce spray bottle with a cup of white vinegar, a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap, a tablespoon of baking soda, and if you’re into fragrance, a few drops of lavender or lemon essential oil. Then fill the remainder of the bottle with warm water, up to the neck. Shake the bottle and then spray and wipe as you work.

Buy: Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Soap, $7.50 for four ounces

5.

Magic Cabinet & Wood Cleaner

Store-bought cleaners aren’t out of the question — even if you have painted cabinets. We like this spray-bottle formula, which is thicker than other products, for cleaning cabinet crevices, like hardware edges or the details of your cabinet faces. Simply spray and wipe all cabinet surfaces, including the inside. 

Buy: Magic Cabinet & Wood Cleaner, $12 for 14 ounces

6. Method All-Purpose Spray

If you’d rather buy an all-purpose cleaner than one specific for cabinets, Method is a great naturally derived and biodegradable option. Just keep in mind that, for grease stains, you’ll need to let the spray sit a little longer — and potentially scrub a little harder — because it’s a less powerful and targeted formula. Follow the same instructions as above, or, for harder-to-remove spots, start with soap and water or follow with baking soda. 

Buy: Method All-Purpose Spray, $32 for eight 28-ounce bottles

7.

Murphy’s Oil Soap

For a clean that’s equally cost-effective and stain-effective, we fell in love with Murphy’s Oil Soap, which has been a cleaning mainstay for more than a century. Not only does it cut through grease better than other cleaning products, but it also leaves a silky-smooth finish on cabinet surfaces. If you go this route and have painted cabinets, pay attention to the formula you choose. 

Buy: Murphy’s Oil Soap, $21 for three 32-ounce bottles

How do you clean up grease from your kitchen cabinets?

16 ways to clean grease from kitchen cabinets

Natalia | May 24, 2018 | Updated | Kitchen furniture | 101,785 views | 3 comments

Contents of the article

Almost every cooking process is associated with oil splashes and fumes containing particles of fat. All this safely settles on the kitchen facades, forming a sticky layer that instantly attracts dust. A pedantic hostess will say that you just need to wipe all kitchen surfaces regularly, but in reality this is not always enough. Some stains are difficult to remove even when they are fresh, and if time has passed and the cabinets in the kitchen have become covered with a thick layer of plaque, then a damp cloth will not take them all the more. How to bring the kitchen to a decent state? How and how to wash cabinets in the kitchen from grease? Which means are more gentle and effective? We are looking for the most effective ways together! nine0005

A few recommendations

It happens that after a hard day at work and a second shift in the kitchen, you get so tired that you no longer have the strength or desire to wipe all the kitchen furniture. It happens that you are just too lazy to do this, but it happens that you inherited a kitchen set after past tenants in a rented apartment, and it is clearly visible from it that, to put it mildly, not very neat people lived before you. Situations are different - the result is the same. This is a greasy coating that you can’t handle with “bare hands”.

There are two ways to degrease cupboards . This is household chemicals and folk remedies . Actually, the choice of one of the two methods divides all housewives into two camps. Fans of household chemicals believe that this is a more effective and faster way to achieve the desired result, while opponents note that speed and effect are often achieved in a not entirely safe way, indicating the toxicity of store products. Folk methods, according to their fans, are no less effective, but they are completely safe, and the necessary components are inexpensive and can be found in any apartment. nine0005

Whatever method you choose, consider a few important rules:

When the general rules are known, you can move on to the specifics and find out how to wash grease from furniture in the kitchen.

#1. Household chemicals

Household chemicals allow you to achieve the fastest results. It is only important to choose the composition that is best suited for a particular surface. So, for example, facades made of MDF and finished with film or plastic cannot be washed with chlorine-based products and abrasives. A decent manufacturer provides a list of surfaces that can be cleaned with a specific product.

The choice of various substances is huge. One of the most popular are the products of the trademarks "Mr. Muscle", "Santry", "Shumanit", "Sanita", "Silit Bang", "Gala" and some others. Each bottle will have instructions on how to use it, but it often goes like this:

  • wash contaminated surface with warm water;
  • apply detergent, rub with a sponge/cloth;
  • wash off detergent residues from the surface;
  • repeat process if necessary;

Once again, it is important to wear gloves when working with chemicals, as strong ingredients can damage the skin. Sometimes the respiratory organs also need protection, but if you suffer from allergies or bronchial diseases, then it is better to replace household chemicals with folk methods. nine0005

Folk remedies do not cause allergies, do not spoil the surface, are inexpensive, can be made even without going to the store, but at the same time, they are practically not inferior to toxic household chemicals in terms of efficiency, so we will pay maximum attention to them.

#2. Baking Soda + Vegetable Oil

This is one of the most effective ways to degrease kitchen cabinets , suitable for all types of surfaces, incl. and for wooden facades. It is necessary to mix soda and vegetable oil in a ratio of 2: 1, you will get a thick slurry with a consistency like sour cream. The mixture is applied to the places of contamination, they can be additionally gently rubbed with a sponge, but do not overdo it. Then the gruel should be left for 15-30 minutes, then wipe it with a damp sponge. Fat particles should literally fall off. If all contaminants cannot be removed, you can repeat the procedure. In order not to stain the entire kitchen with a similar mixture and particles of loose fat, it is better to lay newspapers under the surface to be cleaned. nine0005

The vegetable oil contained in the product nourishes wooden surfaces well and forms a kind of protective film on them, which allows you to hide minor abrasions, scratches and other defects. We get 2-in-1.

#3. Ammonia

Ammonia can also be found in any apartment. To prepare a cleaning agent from it, it is enough to dissolve 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water. a spoonful of ammonia. All contaminated surfaces are treated with the resulting solution. It is most convenient to apply liquid from a spray bottle, but you can use a sponge or rag. Leave the solution on the surface for a few minutes, after which you can gently rinse it off with a damp sponge. A similar method will allow you to cope with a small raid. To remove more serious contamination, it is better to leave the product for 15-20 minutes. nine0005

#4. Dough baking powder

Another component that can be found in almost every apartment. It is necessary to add a little water to the powder to get a slurry, which should then be applied to contaminated surfaces and left for 20-30 minutes. The powder will gradually acquire a yellowish tint - this is a consequence of the acidification of fat. It remains only to wash off all the dirt with a damp sponge and wipe the surface dry.

No. 5. Mustard powder

This method is not universal . It is suitable for facades with a good protective coating, as well as for sinks, refrigerators, stoves, tiles. It is not recommended to use it for cleaning wooden surfaces.

Mustard powder has been used for many decades by domestic housewives, who have realized that it perfectly dissolves fatty contaminants. To cope with a greasy coating, it is enough to moisten the contaminated area and sprinkle it with mustard powder. It remains only to gently rub it with a dry cloth, and then remove it with a damp sponge or cloth along with particles of removed fat. The bulk of the dirt should remain on the napkin. nine0005

#6. Alcohol + vinegar

How to clean grease from kitchen furniture, if not with alcohol! Mix alcohol or vodka with table vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:1:2. You can add essential oil (any, to your taste) to the solution to get a pleasant aroma after washing. The mixture must be generously applied to kitchen furniture (it can also be used on a stove, sink, refrigerator) and left for 10-15 minutes, after which all stains, grease stains, plaque and other contaminants should very easily go away. The hostesses note that such a composition does an excellent job with limescale deposits on tiles, ceramics, and a water tap. nine0005

No. 7. Alcohol

Alcohol can also be used alone, without other components. The sponge is well moistened with alcohol or vodka, and then the surfaces of the kitchen set are wiped with it. Slight pollution will leave almost immediately, and in order to cope with a more serious plaque, it is better to moisten the surface with alcohol and leave for 15-20 minutes, after which the remaining dirt and alcohol are removed with a sponge. After such manipulations, furniture is recommended to be treated with a solution of a few drops of eucalyptus or spruce essential oil in a glass of water. This will create a pleasant aroma in the kitchen and nourish the furniture. nine0005

No. 8. Apple cider vinegar

If ordinary table vinegar is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1, then we get a good product that can dissolve impurities. If the smell of vinegar seems too harsh and unpleasant for you, it is better to use apple cider vinegar. The contaminated surface is moistened with a solution, and after 20-30 minutes, they begin to gently scrub the dirt with a sponge. The method requires patience from the hostess.

#9. Citric acid + detergent

To make this product, add 15 g of citric acid and a couple of drops of dish detergent to 1 liter of water, mix well and spray the contaminated surfaces with the resulting solution. It is better to leave the product for 30 minutes so that it breaks down the fat well. Then - as usual, rub the especially contaminated places with a sponge and treat all surfaces with a damp sponge. nine0005

No. 10. Fresh lemon

If the situation is not very neglected, then you can clean the furniture of grease with a slice of lemon. It is necessary to carefully rub the contaminated surface with it, and so that the juice literally drains. As in previous cases, leave the product for 20-30 minutes, then rinse it off with a sponge dipped in warm water. It may take a little effort here and there. After completing all the manipulations, it remains to wipe the furniture dry with a paper towel. Nice citrus scent is a bonus. nine0005

#11. Clay

The most common clay perfectly absorbs fat, so it will come in handy in our business. Table vinegar is added to it to obtain a soft gruel, which is evenly applied to contaminated surfaces. You can rub the fattest places a little, and then leave the product to dry, after which it is gently washed off with a soft sponge moistened with water.

No. 12. Salt

A common salt solution suitable for regular cleaning of wooden surfaces. It perfectly disinfects, removes fatty deposits and prevents the growth of harmful bacteria. Therefore, once a week, do not be too lazy to process wooden facades and countertops. nine0005

#13. Soap + soda

Grease actively settles not only on kitchen cabinets, but also on the tiles of the work apron. In this case, you can use the following method. Laundry soap is rubbed on a coarse grater and dissolved in water. You should get a cloudy solution, which carefully wipe the surface. After that, soda is applied to the sponge, which needs to be treated on the surface. Leave the active ingredients for 15-20 minutes, after which everything can be washed off with a sponge dipped in warm water. Laundry soap can be replaced with ordinary detergent. The method is very effective, but is not suitable for furniture, especially with glossy surfaces, as soda particles can leave scratches.

#14. Steam cleaning

If there is a clothes steamer at home, it can also be used as a cleaner for kitchen surfaces. It is not advisable to buy it only for cleaning kitchen cabinets - such a technique is not cheap. If during normal washing with a sponge the water temperature cannot reach above 40 0 C, then the water leaves the steam generator already in the form of steam, i.e. has a temperature above 100 0 C. Due to this, the method has a lot of advantages:

  • dirt literally flies off the surfaces;
  • even stubborn fat can be removed, which cannot be removed in any other way;
  • steam perfectly copes not only with greasy deposits, but also with scale, burns and other contaminants, so that you can treat not only the facades of kitchen furniture, but also walls, stoves, kitchen equipment;
  • high temperature kills fungus and microbes, so together with cleaning we also get disinfection; nine0026
  • all unpleasant odors are completely eliminated;
  • stainless steel and glass shine like new.

In addition, the steam cleaning method is completely safe. The risk of damaging the surface is negligible, and there will be no allergies.

No. 15. Melamine sponge

Melamine sponge - know-how in the field of home care. It looks like an ordinary sponge, it compresses well, feels like rubber to the touch. It works in the same way as an eraser on a pencil. With the help of a melamine sponge, traces of a marker, felt-tip pen, as well as some other types of dirt can be removed from surfaces. Gradually, the sponge is erased, like an eraser. The material is absolutely safe and harmless, in most cases it can replace detergent. nine0005

#16. Detergent for dishes

Our rating is completed by the simplest and most obvious way, which, for sure, is used by all housewives. Everyone knows that the composition of detergents for dishes includes the strongest substances that break down fat. What you need in the fight against greasy coating on kitchen furniture! Small dirt can be removed simply with a foam sponge. If the raid is already decent, then it is better to leave the detergent on the surface for 15-20 minutes, after which everything is thoroughly washed off. nine0005

In conclusion, we note that it is necessary to approach the cleaning of glossy and glass surfaces with special attention - there should not be any hint of abrasive cleaners here. Also, do not forget to ventilate the room, as many store and folk remedies have a pungent odor.

The article was written for the site remstroiblog.ru.

Tags:Kitchen, Cleaning

How to clean the kitchen from sticky deposits and grease - read on TEA.ru

One of the most unpleasant, long and annoying things in the kitchen is washing cabinets. It is no coincidence that we put it off for months, or even years, and then fiddle with old fat for half a day. It is not always possible to wash the kitchen, and sometimes the appearance of the furniture itself becomes the price of cleanliness. It has muddy stains, scratches and other marks. We have sorted out common mistakes and prepared useful tips on how to make the cleaning process in the kitchen quick and easy. nine0005

Errors that cause the kitchen to quickly age and deteriorate

Spray the cleaner onto the surface and leave to soak. A rule that applies to any furniture: apply the product on a soft cloth or cloth, and not on the surface of the shelf or door itself. And even more so, you should not leave it for a long time, so that it "works better." You run the risk of at least getting stains and streaks, or completely ruining the coating of the kitchen set.

Wet hinges and other metal parts. nine0174 Do not allow moisture or cleaning agent to come into contact with door hinges, door closers or other metal parts of the furniture. Perhaps nothing bad will happen from once, but over time, an excess of moisture will lead to rust. Therefore, either clean these places with a dry cloth, or do not forget to wipe dry after you have washed off the grease and dirt.

Do not read instructions for use of detergent. Applied, rubbed, washed off - it seems that you will not read anything new on the label of a cleaning agent. But it's not. Before you start cleaning, you need to make sure that the chosen product is right for your kitchen, and at the same time figure out how to properly apply and rinse it off. Especially if the furniture is made of natural wood or with a glossy finish, which is easy to scratch even with the most ordinary soda. nine0005

Wash kitchen cabinets every few years. We clean the countertops, sinks, dining table and stove every day, but our hands reach cabinets and shelves much less frequently. At best, I wash them during the general cleaning before the New Year. And as a result, old grease and dirt accumulate on them, which are not so easy to clean. We recommend wiping the inside of the cabinets with a mild soapy solution at least once every two weeks, and once a month, carry out an audit and throw away accumulated rubbish and delays from the shelves. It will definitely become cleaner and freer in the kitchen. Or maybe you don’t have to do a general cleaning at the end of the year. nine0005

Do not wear gloves. This mistake will not damage the kitchen, but the skin of your hands. But it would be wrong not to include it in our list. Under the influence of household chemicals, the skin dries, ages, loses elasticity, and sometimes you can even get a serious chemical burn. Therefore, we strongly advise you to protect your hands with gloves, and after cleaning, apply a moisturizing or nourishing hand cream.

Five tips for cleaning your kitchen

1. Use mild detergents. nine0174 This also applies to household chemicals for the kitchen, and the rags, brushes and sponges themselves. What can be used to clean a stove, tile or sink should not be used to wash other kitchen surfaces. Harsh products and accessories can damage the surface of the furniture. And even if you don’t notice it right away, tiny scratches and roughness will accumulate dust and grease faster, the kitchen will tarnish, and it will become increasingly difficult to clean it.

2. Wipe surfaces twice. After you have washed off all the grease and dust, do not be too lazy to wipe the furniture twice with a soft cloth dampened with clean water. First - to remove the remnants of the product, then - to remove excess moisture. On a clean, dry surface, dust and other contaminants adhere less well, and the kitchen will look cleaner longer. nine0005

3. Ventilate cabinets. If you decide to wash the kitchen cabinets and shelves from the inside, do not rush to return jars with bulk products, dishes, kitchen utensils and other contents to their places. Dry all surfaces first, then leave cabinets open for a few minutes to dry and air out. At this time, at the same time, you can critically evaluate the content: throw away everything expired, spoiled and outdated, or come up with options for where to attach the unused. nine0005

Everything fits: how to save space even in the smallest kitchen >>

4. Be careful with glossy surfaces. To ensure that furniture retains its appearance for longer, always wipe the glossy fronts dry, do not leave drips or streaks. Use special household chemicals with a soft texture for glossy and glass surfaces, avoid abrasive cleaners.

5. Use baking soda, vinegar, and other natural products. nine0174 Old greasy stains can be removed with soda, alcohol, vinegar and even ammonia. The advantage of such methods is their environmental friendliness and availability. The main thing - do not forget to test any folk remedy on a small inconspicuous area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe kitchen set to make sure that it does not spoil the surface.

Folk recipes for cleaning products

  • To prepare a cleaning solution from baking soda, it is enough to mix it with ordinary water in a ratio of 1:2. Apply the resulting paste to a cloth, treat the oily stain and rinse off after a few minutes. nine0026
  • Mix baking soda with liquid soap in equal proportions: for example, two tablespoons each. This slurry will also do a great job with grease on facades, countertops and tiles. Leave it on for 15 minutes, then remove it along with the remaining grease and wipe the surface with a clean, damp cloth.
  • Use vinegar to remove stains from glass surfaces. Mix ordinary table vinegar with warm water in a ratio of 1: 2 and start cleaning.
  • Pour 150 ml of salicylic alcohol (you can use any vodka) into a glass container and add 2 tablespoons of dishwashing detergent. Mix well, then pour into a spray bottle. Natural remedy for fat is ready! Apply it on the stain, wait 10 minutes and then wash it off effortlessly. nine0026

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What to do so that you have to wash kitchen furniture as little as possible

preventive measures.