How to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets

The kitchen is one of the most important areas of your home to keep clean. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the dirtiest, as grease and food particles can spatter everywhere and become a breeding ground for bacteria.

One of the areas that many people don’t put enough thought into are the cabinets. To maintain a healthy environment, here are some tips on keeping clean cabinets.

General Cleaning

Cleaning your cabinets, in general, can be accomplished with warm water, detergent or commercial cleaners, and a gentle scrubbing pad. Pay particular attention to knobs and handles were unwashed hands can leave germs.

Harsh cleaners and scrubbing, however, can dull the finish of some cabinets, discolor paints, or loosen veneers. How to clean your cabinets take into account proper techniques for different types of material.

Cleaning Wood Cabinets

With wooden surface, the safest way to clean cabinets is with an oil soap made for wood. In a pinch, however, some household items or mild detergent will do fine. Just be careful not to over-wet the wood.

Detergent is made for cutting through grease and oil. Mix it with warm water and wipe down the wood firmly. And wipe it down with a dry towel afterward.
Vinegar is good for wiping away sticky film straight out of the bottle. Keep some white vinegar handy in the cupboard for cleaning. After use, wipe the wood clean with a water-dampened cloth.

Baking soda can be mixed with warm water to a paste and rubbed gently but firmly into the wood to remove stains. Wipe away any remaining baking soda with a wet cloth.
Cleaning Painted Cabinets

Oil-based paints are durable and waterproof and can take a good scrub with ordinary detergent. Baking soda also won’t harm the paint. Water-based latex paints, however, can be damaged or even peeled away by too much pressure and harsh cleaners. Use a liquid, non-abrasive cleaner along with a wet cloth, and scrub gently.
If you’re not sure about how to clean your cabinets because of the type of paint or are using a chemical cleaner, be sure to test-clean first on a small spot, then wait at least a half hour and check the results.

Cleaning Metal Cabinets

Depending on the metal, almost any detergent or all-purpose cleaner will work fine. Avoid abrasives, including baking soda or steel wool, that might scratch the surface. Don’t use vinegar or excessive water as this could lead to rust. Afterward, buff well with a dry cloth to restore the shine, or wipe down with a little metal polish.

Making time to clean cabinets will reduce the chance of harmful bacteria. It will also help your kitchen to look better and more inviting.