How to Clean Old Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Clean old kitchen cabinet hardware with a vinegar and salt mixture.

When you have older kitchen cabinetry, the hardware is often the area of the cabinets that dulls most quickly. When this happens, it is often a result of dirt, fingerprints and oily residue that deposits onto the cabinet hardware, leaving you with dark, discolored and sometimes greasy buildup all over the hardware. Luckily there is an inexpensive cleaning routine you can incorporate that will restore the cabinet hardware back to a like new condition.

Things You'll Need

• Flour
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Cleaning rags
• Water

Instructions

1. Mix equal portions of flour, white vinegar and salt in a bowl. Use enough to cover all hardware with a moderate coat.

2. Stir the mixture with a spoon until you form a consistent paste texture.

3. Spread the mix onto your old hardware with a cleaning rag, leaving a moderate layer behind on each handle.

4. Let the paste sit on the handles for about 10 minutes. This typically gives you enough time to start at one end of the kitchen, and by the time you get to the other end, you can start cleaning the mix off the first section of hardware.

5. Scrub off the mixture with a damp cleaning rag and dry with a clean rag to pull out the natural shine of the hardware.

References

• WSU.edu: Creative Cleaning-Back to Basics