How to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets

Whether your cabinets are stained, painted, or laminate, they all need special attention to keep them clean and looking their best. Did you know that different cabinet surfaces require different cleaning techniques? We’ve put together this simple guide to help you care for the cabinets in your home!

Stained Wood Cabinets
Clean your cabinets with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and warm water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle, mist on cabinets, let it sit for a minute or two and wipe clean with a soft cloth. For extra grimy cabinets, add a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent to the solution. Finish cleaning by rinsing your cabinets with clean, warm water.

For glass cabinets with wooden mullions, we recommend you use the same solution, but spray onto your soft cloth and gently wipe the cabinets down.

When you’re finished cleansing, we suggest using a furniture oil that contains beeswax to seal the finish. It’s an extra step, but it will keep your cabinets looking new for a long time!

You will want to thoroughly clean and oil your stained wood cabinets once or twice a year.

Painted Cabinets
Take care to avoid harsh cleaners on your painted cabinets or you will end up striping or damaging the finish. My go-to method is warm water with a bit of dish soap and microfiber cloth. Working with one cabinet at a time, dip your microfiber cloth into the warm, soapy water (wring it out so it’s damp, not soaking), rub the cloth in a circular motion on the cabinet. Repeat if necessary to remove any grime. Dampen a second microfiber cloth with warm, non-soapy water and wipe down the cabinet again to remove any soapy residue. Finally, use a dry microfiber cloth to remove any water from your cabinets.

You will want to clean your cabinets every other week, we recommend quickly wiping them down at least once a week.

Black & White Cabinets  
Black or white cabinets require extra care and attention to maintain their crisp finish! If you’re already wiping down your cabinets once a week, you may not notice any additional work to maintain these two cabinet options. However, if you prefer a lower maintenance cabinet finish, consider skipping black or white cabinets or opt to use them in a smaller area such as an island or powder bathroom.

You simply cannot skip a weekly wipe down with a damp microfiber cloth for white and black cabinets. This weekly wipe down will prevent any accumulation of dust and grease. We recommend following the care routine of painted cabinets.

Laminate Cabinets
A weekly cleaning with a damp microfiber cloth will keep your laminate cabinets looking clean. For deeper cleanings, we recommend the same DIY cleaner found under the stained wood cabinet section with a few drops of dish soap. This cleaner will lift off stuck-on food and clean off grease and oil quickly!

Cabinet Handles
Areas around cabinet handles and knobs tend to get extra sticky and dirty from the oils on your hands. Over time, this grime can break down the finish of your cabinets if you don’t frequently clean the area. You can prevent this from happening by frequently wiping the areas around the handles with a damp microfiber cloth. If you notice any sticky build up, you can wash it off with gentle hand soap mixed with a small about of rubbing alcohol.

If you still are noticing grime around your handles, we recommend you remove your handles to deep clean the fronts of your cabinets and then replace the handles.

The Nooks & Crannies
Certain door or drawer styles will require extra care to remove dirt and dust from tight places. You can use a microfiber cloth wrapped around a table knife or toothpick. Take care to not let the knife or toothpick penetrate the cloth and damage your cabinet.

Around the Stove
Cabinets around your stove will get spattered with grease and oil, which means they will need to be cleaned more frequently. You can quickly clean them with a spray bottle of vodka and a few drops of castile soap. Sprits on the cabinets, wipe with a microfiber cloth, and rinse with a damp microfiber cloth to finish.