Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets
We just moved in to a rental and found that the surface of several of the kitchen cabinets is pretty nasty– it looks like the last tenant regularly cooked stuff that splattered and never bothered to clean up. Now those splatters are sort of gummy and haven’t come off with normal kitchen cleaners & elbow…
We just moved in to a rental and found that the surface of several of the kitchen cabinets is pretty nasty– it looks like the last tenant regularly cooked stuff that splattered and never bothered to clean up. Now those splatters are sort of gummy and haven’t come off with normal kitchen cleaners & elbow grease. Anyone have suggestions on another way to tackle this? I’ll admit to being a clean freak and it makes me crazy to have kitchen cabinets that look & feel dirty…
Thanks!
I would highly recommend Soilax if the cabinets are wood; it will definitely take off grease and not damage the surface. You can usually find Soilax at the hardware store, not the grocery store.
Goo-gone and similar products can work too, but they can also screw up a lacquer or poly finish.
I LOVE Clorox Clean-up but it’s like using bleach-I’ve already ruined two shirts cleaning with it!
I second the Mr. Clean sponge erasers. I just used them to clean our rentals cabinets after the tenant left them greasy and nasty. Took everything off.
Thank you– these are great suggestions!
a microfiber cloth and Simple Green (from Home Depot). It’s amazing how microfiber cloths can lift grease and dirt — without even a chemical cleaner.
Have you tried those mr. clean erasers? I don’t normally go for those kinds of crazy cleaning things, but they are GREAT on greasy and sticky stuff. (PS there’s also a Target generic version that’s a lot cheaper.)
Try Clorox Clean-Up. Spray it on and leave it for a few minutes then wipe with a damp sponge. You probably should do a patch test first to make sure it doesn’t discolor your cabinets.
I would first use a blow dryer to heat the surface of the cabinets which will loosen the guck. Then I would use a combo of Kud-Cutter with Soft Scrub. I would not use Ajax bc it may damage the surface of the cabinet.
If you use Goo-be-Gone, be sure to rinse/wipe very well with a tight damp cloth as the product can leave a residue. I’ve also used Murphy’s Oil Soap which works nicely on my cabinets. I don’t know if it’s tough enough for your problem, but it’s worth a try, as well. Good luck.
You need a grease cutter. Normal kitchen stuff might not work. Try a Vinegar/water solution first. If that doesn’t work, there are several products for sale at the hardware chains – Krud cutter, I think is the name of one. There is also a product that is used to remove sticky stuff left from labels, etc. It works really well on that stuff. It is called Goo be gone (Great names, right?) Good luck.