How to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets

If you just installed new kitchen cabinets, it’s important to keep them in good condition so you can avoid having to replace or reface them for years to come. Although kitchen cabinets are durable and built to last a long time, regular cleanings are required to keep them in good condition — looking nice and functioning properly.

Fortunately, the cabinet cleaning process is fairly quick and simple. Below, we’ll walk you through how to clean your kitchen cabinets — we’ve even thrown in a cleaning schedule and a list of recommended products to use.

How Often Should You Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets?

We’ve found that the best schedule for cleaning kitchen cabinets includes a mixture of weekly and seasonal cleanings. The weekly cleanings are quick spot treatments. You don’t need to remove anything from your cabinets — you’re just looking to clean marks that are easily visible, like food spatters and fingerprints. You should disinfect your cabinet hardware weekly as well.

Seasonal cleanings are deeper, more involved cleanings that you should do every couple of months, about 3-4 times per year. We’ll go through the steps of seasonal cleanings below.

How to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets

Cleaning your kitchen cabinets isn’t a particularly long or grueling process. However, it’s important to follow the right steps so you can ensure your cabinets’ cleanliness and your family’s safety. Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to do those deep, seasonal cleanings:

1. Empty everything out of your cabinets.
2. Dip your cloth in a mild cleaning solution. It should be damp, but not soaking wet.
3. Wipe down the cabinet shelves, door interior, door exterior, and hardware.
4. Use a clean toothbrush (or another skinny cleaning tool) to clean the cabinet corners and crevices.
5. Let your cabinets fully dry before restocking them.

Which Products Should You Use to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets?

The cleaning products you use can impact how your cabinets look, as well as how long they last. While a generic multi-purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth will do the trick for most cabinets, there are a few rules to live by if your cabinets are made from any of the following materials:

Laminate Cabinets

Laminate cabinets are the most durable when it comes to cleaning. They respond well to almost any cleaners, so you can use whatever is convenient. Try an all-purpose cleaner or diluted vinegar solution, then dry with a clean microfiber cloth. You can also use a baking soda paste to remove pesky stains.

Painted Cabinets

If you have painted cabinets, you need to practice extra care while you’re cleaning them to avoid any chipping or discoloration. Here are a few guidelines to follow:

• For spot treatments: make a paste of one-part water and three-parts baking soda, dab the paste on the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it clean.
• For grease stains: use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe the stain with dish soap until it’s removed.

Wood Cabinets

If you have wood cabinets, you know that their beautiful finish and protective seals aren’t indestructible. In fact, wood cabinets require the most care while cleaning. Follow these instructions to keep them clean without doing any harm:

• Use very gentle cleaners, such as oil soap, for cleaning and shining.
• Dampen the cloth just until it’s barely wet. Don’t drench the cloth.
• Wipe a dry microfiber cloth along the grain to buff and polish after cleaning.

Glass Cabinets

Glass cabinets can be tricky because they’re usually composed of two different materials: glass panels and the surrounding material. Your cleaning techniques and products will be different for both. Here are some best practices for cleaning these without harming either material:

• Use glass cleaner and a polishing cloth to remove the fingerprints and marks from glass panes. Make sure you clean the glass on the inside of the cabinet as well.
• Avoid oil-based cleaners on the surrounding cabinet material. These cleaners could easily run or smudge onto the glass, where it’s difficult to remove.

If you’re looking for ways to keep your cabinets organized, check out our post on 5 Brilliant Kitchen Cabinet Organization Ideas.

At Zeeland Lumber & Supply, we carry some of the best cabinet brands. Have questions about your kitchen cabinet maintenance? Our team of experts can help. Give us a call or contact us online.