How to Clean Kitchen Wood Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are available in a variety of materials, designs and colors.

A kitchen can be a messy place. Cooking splatters and smoke can leave a greasy, oily residue on your kitchen wood cabinets. This residue is generally sticky and can collect dust and other debris, making your cabinets appear old and dingy. It can also leave an unpleasant odor lingering on your wood cabinets. Fortunately, there are a few methods that will successfully clean your kitchen wood cabinets using common household items.

Things You'll Need

• Sponges
• Cleaning gloves
• All-purpose citrus cleaner
• Paper towels
• Cornstarch
• Cloths
• Towels
• Small container
• Grease-cutting dish soap
• Spoon
• White vinegar

Instructions

Citrus Cleaner

1. Dampen a clean sponge with water and place inside a microwave. Heat the sponge on high for 30 to 40 seconds. Put on a pair of cleaning gloves before removing the heated sponge from the microwave.

2. Spray an all-purpose citrus cleaner on the wood cabinets and gently wipe the wood cabinets clean with the heated sponge. Use paper towels to remove any residue left behind on the cabinets.

3. Reheat the damp sponge in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds whenever it becomes cool.

4. Continue applying the citrus cleaner and wiping the kitchen wood cabinets with the heated sponge until you have thoroughly cleaned the cabinets.

Cornstarch

1. Sprinkle cornstarch on a clean sponge dampened with water. Scrub the wood cabinets gently with the sponge in a circular motion.

2. Rinse the sponge under cool running water when it becomes soiled. Sprinkle more cornstarch on the cleaned sponged and continue scrubbing the kitchen wood cabinets until they are thoroughly cleaned.

3. Wipe the residue off the cabinets with a clean cloth dampened with cool water and towel dry.

Liquid Dish Soap

1. Fill a small container with warm water. Add two to three drops of a grease-cutting dish soap and mix thoroughly with a spoon. Alternatively, mix equal parts warm water and white vinegar.

2. Dip a cloth scrubber into the mixture and scrub the wood cabinets clean.

3. Wipe the mixture off the kitchen wood cabinets with a cloth dampened with cool water. Wipe dry with a towel.

References

• Danny Lipford: How to Remove Grease from Kitchen Cabinets
• Reader's Digest: Discover New Ways to Use Cornstarch
• AboutCabinets.net: Cleaning Your Wooden Cabinets
• Reader's Digest: 150+ Household Uses for Vinegar