How to Make Your Kitchen Cabinets Shine Like New

If you feel depressed every time you enter your kitchen, then it could be that everything in the room is looking a little worse for wear. 

When you can’t afford a kitchen remodel, why not consider a kitchen refresh instead? Because your kitchen cabinets are exposed to abuse day in and day out, they can begin to look much older than the rest of your home. 

Add to this the constant exposure to grease and food splatter, and you’re likely looking at cabinets that could use a good cleaning. 

In this article, we will explain how to make your kitchen cabinets shine like new to help chase away your old kitchen blues.

Clear Everything Out

This is a painful process, but it gives you the chance to organize everything. 

Remove all the items from your kitchen cupboards and drawers, and organize everything in boxes so you can find what you need easily. 

If you have shelf paper or drawer liners, remove them if they look yellowed, are peeling, or generally need to be replaced.

Clean Off the Cabinet Tops

If your cabinets do not go right up to the ceiling or bulkhead, the tops are a magnet for dust and grease. 

Constant cooking sends drops of grease and food residue into the air. This lands on kitchen surfaces; when they aren’t exposed to daily cleanings like your stove top or counters, this sticky gunk builds up. 

Use a ladder to reach this area, and remove dust with either a duster or the brush attachment of your vacuum. 

If the mess is more serious (which it most likely will be for cabinet tops closer to the stove), use an old standby natural cleaning mixture of white vinegar and baking soda. 

Let it sit for about 20 minutes, and then use a scrubbing sponge to remove the gunk. If it’s really bad, consider using a spatula to scrape up most of it, and then wipe away the rest with a paper towel or sponge. 

You might have to apply a grease-cutting cleaner to get the remaining gunk off. The good news is that this is the worst step of the process.

Work Your Way Down

Regardless of the job, we always advise you to work your way down from top to bottom. Once you tackle the greasiest mess at the very top, you can address the rest of the work more easily. 

Start from back to front on the interior of the cabinets, cleaning the walls and shelves. Then, clean the fronts and doors/drawers.

Use the Right Cleaner

Because you will be contending with grease, we recommend using a mix of warm water and dishwashing liquid to see the best results. 

This works on all surfaces, including wood. Be sure to rinse and wipe the surfaces as you work, especially for wood. 

Also, always spray the cleaner onto your cloth (not directly on the wood surface) to reduce the amount of water that comes in contact with the surface.

Use a Toothbrush for Buildup

If you encounter built-up gunk, then use a toothbrush to help loosen it. Use a few spritzes to wet the buildup, and then scrub it with the toothbrush to remove it. 

A final swipe of a cloth gets rid of the residue. Do not use a spatula (as we recommended for the tops of the cabinets) because this will remove the finish!

Rinse Away Soap Residue

Use a damp, clean cloth to remove soapy residue. Then, use a dry clean cloth to remove moisture.

De-yellow Grease

A very sticky, yellow buildup is common on kitchen cabinets. This can be tough to remove and is very noticeable on white finishes. The best way to get rid of that unsightly yellow is to use a mix of one part baking powder and two parts water. 

It provides a natural abrasive that is less likely to damage the finish but tough enough to remove that sticky substance. 

Do not scrape at the yellowish areas, as this will damage the finish. As mentioned above, you can use a soft bristle brush like a toothbrush for extra scrubbing power.

Test Spot Cleaning Products

If the yellowing has you discouraged and you’re dead set on trying a cleaning product, be sure to test it first on the inside of your cabinet doors. Depending on the finish, you can actually damage the surface. 

This also goes for products that come in a sponge form, as they are highly abrasive and leave scratch marks like sandpaper. You might have to live with the yellow if you have high-gloss paint or varnish finishes that are very vulnerable to scratches.  

Don’t Forget the Trim

Whether you have crown moulding or some other types of decorative trim in your kitchen, the crevices in the carved design can be a real challenge to clean. 

You’ll have to use a step-by-step method to see what cleaning methods we’ve offered here work best to remove the crud. 

If all the above fail, try wrapping a cloth around your index finger to pry the gunk away from the trim.

Be Careful With Hinges and Hardware

Metal is very sensitive to corrosive cleaners, so be careful if you opt for a cleaning product instead of a dish detergent. Even vinegar can damage metal. 

It is best to clean hardware using the dry cloth wrapped around your index finger method to avoid corrosion. 

However, if you encounter very greasy gunk, you can try using a toothbrush to get the grime off. If you use water, be sure to dry it off immediately.

Glass Fronts

If any of your cabinets have glass fronts, then your everyday glass cleaner is the best way to clean them. 

You can also use vinegar, but be sure that whatever you use is wiped immediately off the wood frames.

Reorganize the Content

Before you put everything back on the shelves, lay down new shelf paper. Then, assess the pantry items to make sure that nothing is past the expiry dates. 

Consider adding some shelf and drawer organizers to make the most of your space and make it easier to find things. Items like tupperware can take up a lot of space when not organized efficiently. 

Although these steps won’t provide the same results as a complete kitchen makeover, clean kitchen cabinets that shine really do make a big difference.

If you’d like help getting your kitchen cupboards looking like new again, click here to learn more about Maid4Condos’ cleaning services. You can call us at 647-822-0601, or contact us online.