How To Clean Kitchen Cabinets

How to clean Conestoga cabinets

Your kitchen cabinets take up a large part of your kitchen space, which means that they will no doubt get dirty, whether it’s the result of the food kept in the cabinets or the constant exposure to smoke, moisture, heat, and grease that all kitchens produce. You’ll want to make sure that you clean your cabinets regularly in order to keep up appearances. However, different types of kitchen cabinets require different cleaning methods.

Cleaning Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets

The following are a few methods for cleaning different types of kitchen cabinets:

  • Stained wood cabinets – Your stained wood cabinets should be cleaned roughly every six months. The most effective way to clean them is by creating a cleaning solution consisting of one part rubbing alcohol and seven parts distilled white vinegar. The rubbing alcohol should help remove grease and oil, while the vinegar will help remove any food particles that have collected. Add a few drops of dish soap and then use a cloth to wipe down your cabinets. Rinse the cabinets using warm water then seal the finish using a furniture oil.
  • Painted cabinets – When cleaning painted cabinets, you’ll want to be careful not to strip or damage the paint job, which means you’ll want to avoid using cleaning solutions containing alcohol. Use distilled white vinegar with the addition of a couple drops of dish soap. Use a spray bottle to spray the cabinets, wiping them down using a microfiber cloth. Dry the cabinets using a dry cloth.
  • Black and white cabinets – Because dirt, grease spots and water spots will show up more visibly on black and white cabinets, you’ll want to make sure that you wipe them down on a weekly basis. Simply wiping the cabinets with a damp cloth should help prevent the buildup of grime. You may want to touch up your white cabinets once in a while using white paint since any chips or scrapes will be very visible on white paint.
  • Laminate cabinets – Laminate cabinets are very maintenance friendly due to the fact that they are not porous. This means that they do not absorb grease and dirt like other types of cabinets often do. You can just wipe down your laminate cabinets using a damp cloth on a weekly basis. If your laminate cabinets look like they are in need of a deeper clean, then just use the same cleaning solution used for stained wood cabinets.

Additional Cabinet Cleaning Tips

The following are some helpful tips for cleaning the more tricky areas of your kitchen cabinets:

  • Cabinet handles – The handles on your cabinets can get quite dirty due to the constant contact with dirty hands. The oils that collect on the handles can affect the surrounding finish. Combine a few drops of dish soap with a little bit of rubbing alcohol and use a damp cloth to clean the handles. You may want to remove the handles from the cabinet doors and clean them individually once a year.
  • Hard-to-reach spaces – Wrap a cloth around table knife to get into the nooks and crannies in and around your cabinets to remove built-up dirt, dust, and grease.
  • Near the stove – Cabinets near your stove are more exposed to smoke, grease, and oils. Spray down these cabinets using a solution consisting of vodka and a few drops of dish soap, then wipe them down with a damp cloth.

Use these cleaning tips to keep your kitchen cabinets looking their best. For more advice regarding cabinet care or for information about RTA cabinets in general, contact us at Lifestyles Cabinetry and Millwork.