If you’re not wiping down your cabinets regularly, you may be saving up grease, soap, food residue, and bacteria for a rainy day. Finishes and solutions vary widely, so it’s always wiser to use the least caustic cleaner available and make up for it with some good, old fashioned elbow grease. Non-alkaline soaps made for dishes or human hand care mean less chances of abrasion. Never—never use an abrasive scouring soap or soap pad on a wood kitchen cabinet.
Wash out cabinet interiors with a dust cloth (chamois) or a soft clean rag and soapy water. Never scrub your cabinet doors or glass with a used cloth that may have kitchen or bath cleaners with harsh chemical deposits; you just might be transferring them to your cabinet. Clean glass doors with a safe window detergent or cleaner.
Wood Cabinets Deserve Care
Commercial wood oil products or olive oil works great in restoring a warm wood finish. Again, avoid the use of any cloth or used towel that may contain leftover abrasives or lint. Use a preservative or conditioner made for your kind of wood at least twice a month. Take out your glassware or dishes and work it in with a little muscle.
While you’re at it, clean your cabinet hardware, too. Remove hinges, pulls, and knobs and let them soak an hour in soapy water. Wipe off any residue when dry and polish it up to a shine. You’ll find a polish made just for the kind of metal or ceramics used in your hardware.
If you really want to clean up and add pizazz to your cabinets, replace the hardware if it begins to show wear or looks completely out of date with your current motif.
